India approves $5.46b military equipment purchase

India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved military procurement proposals worth 520 billion rupees ($5.46 billion), including missiles, air defence systems and advanced anti-drone equipment.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Defence said the approvals for the Indian Army include the procurement of the Akash Tarang Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Electronic Warfare System, Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) systems, Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) weapon systems, Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems (V-SHORADS), Active Protection Systems for tanks, and jet-powered kamikaze drone systems.

The Akash Tarang system is designed to provide effective protection against hostile drones, while the MPATGM will strengthen the infantry’s capability to counter enemy armoured formations, The Hindu reported.

The MRSAM system is expected to enhance India’s medium-range air defence capability against a wide range of aerial threats. The V-SHORADS, equipped with multi-spectral sensing technology, is designed to improve operational effectiveness against sophisticated aerial threats and countermeasu