Context: Recently, Defence Acquisition Council(DAC) chaired by Defence Minister has cleared several proposals worth close to Rs 39,000 crore that will boost the combat capabilities of all three services—Army, Navy and the Air Force.
Key Points

• The indigenous content in some of these projects is up to 80 per cent of the project cost. 
• A large number of these projects have been made possible due to Transfer of Technology (ToT) by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the indigenous industry. 
• These include Pinaka ammunitions, BMP armament upgrades and software defined radios for the Indian Army, Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems and Astra Missiles for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF). 
• Further, addressing the long felt need of the IAF to increase its fighter squadrons, the DAC also approved the proposal for procurement of 21 MIG-29 along with upgradation of existing 59 MIG-29 aircraft and procurement of 12 Su-30 MKI aircraft. 

Benefits  

• While acquisition of Pinaka missile systems will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted, addition of Long Range Land Attack Missile Systems having a firing range of 1,000 kilometres to the existing arsenal will bolster the attack capabilities of the Navy and the Air Force. 

Missile and Aircrafts

• Astra Missile for Navy and Air Force: It is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile(BVRAAM) developed by DRDO. It is designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft to engage and destroy supersonic aircraft with a range of over 70 km.
• Pinaka Missile system for Army: It is an all-weather artillery rocket system developed by DRDO. It has the capability of accurately striking against a variety of targets such as exposed enemy troops, armored vehicles, communication centers and air terminal complexes.
• Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems(LRLACM) for Navy and Air Force:  It is aimed at enhancing India’s firing range from between 400 km and 500 km of the Brahmos to 1000 km.
• MIG-29 from Russia: It is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jet developed by the Soviets since the 1970s, but has been upgraded since.
• Sukhoi Su-30MKI: It is a twinjet multirole air fighter developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under licence by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF)

About Defence Acquisition Council  

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the Defence Minister was constituted for overall guidance of the defence procurement planning process.
• The composition of the DAC is as follows – Defence Minister: Chairman; Minister of State for Defence: Member; Chief of Army Staff: Member; Chief of Naval Staff: Member; Chief of Air Staff: Member etc. It decides on the new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard. 
• It was formed, after the Group of Ministers recommendations on ‘Reforming the National Security System’, in 2001, post Kargil War (1999). 
• The objective of the Defence Acquisition Council is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces in terms of capabilities sought, and time frame prescribed, by optimally utilising the allocated budgetary resources. 

Functions of the DAC 

• In-principle approval of 15 Year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan for Defence Forces; 
• Accord of Acceptance of Necessity to acquisition proposals; 
• Categorisation of the acquisition proposals relating to ‘Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’ and ‘Make’; 
• Issues relating to Single vendor clearance; 
• Decision regarding ‘offset’ provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above Rs. 300 crores; 
• Decisions regarding Transfer of Technology under ‘Buy & Make’ category of acquisition proposals; and 
• Field Trial evaluation.