NEW DELHI: In a major boost to 'Make in India' the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today approved proposals to procure military equipment worth Rs 27,000 crore from the domestic industry.

The acquisition proposals approved today include the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed and developed Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Systems for the Indian Air Force, Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Indian Navy and Modular Bridges for the Indian Army.

According to a relese issued by the Ministry, 6 of the 7 proposals, that is, Rs 27,000 Cr out of Rs 28,000 crore for which Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs) were granted will be sourced from the Indian industry to give a boost to the 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiatives of the Government. 

This is the first meeting of the DAC under the new regime of Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and these are the first set of AoNs accorded with majority AoNs being accorded in the highest categorization of Buy (IDDM) - 'Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured.'

Reportedly decisions have also been taken that the Navy will be soon issuing tenders to acquire eleven offshore patrol vessels worth about Rs 9,000 after it had recently scrapped the tender awarded to Anil Ambani owned Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd (RNEL) for five offshore patrol vessels after long delays in the delivery schedule.