This decision is an important one because, right now, the Indian Navy doesn’t have a single minesweeper in service. The last of its old fleet, which included six ships bought from the former Soviet Union in the late 1970s was retired six years ago. To rebuild its mine-clearing strength, the Navy now plans to get 12 new minesweeping ships (called MCMVs) from Indian shipyards.
In addition to these ships, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) also approved other related equipment, like moored mines, a fast-firing naval gun called the super rapid gun mount, and underwater robotic vessels. These tools are meant to protect both Navy warships and civilian cargo ships from threats in the sea, the defence ministry said.
This isn’t the first time the Navy has tried to buy minesweepers. Over the past 17 to 18 years, at least three earlier efforts didn’t work out.
Two years ago, the Navy said it might divide the minesweeper order between two shipbuilders giving eight ships to the lowest bidder and four to the second-lowest to speed things up. Still, officials say the first minesweeper won’t actually join the fleet until at least seven years after the deal is signed. The rest will be delivered over the next six to seven years.
Big boost to surface-to-air missiles
Another big proposal that got the green signal is for quick-reaction surface-to-air missiles, which are expected to cost around Rs. 30,000 crore.
The council also approved purchases of armoured recovery vehicles (used to tow or fix damaged tanks), electronic warfare gear, and a shared inventory system for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. These acquisitions will help improve mobility, air defence, logistics, and overall readiness of the armed forces, the ministry said.
Govt clears new defence proposals under IDDM category
The DAC has cleared all the new defence proposals under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, which is the most important route for boosting defence manufacturing in India. IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured meaning the equipment will be made in India, using Indian technology and resources.
This decision comes at a key moment. On June 19, the Ministry of Defence announced the formation of a powerful new committee to review and improve the existing Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP 2020). This review is aimed at helping the armed forces modernise faster and making the country more self-reliant in defence production.
The committee is being led by the Director General (Acquisition) and includes top officials from the defence ministry, representatives from the Indian defence industry, and experts from academic institutions. They are now holding discussions with different stakeholders and have asked for suggestions by July 5.
According to the ministry, the goal of this review is to speed up the delivery of modern systems and equipment to the armed forces so that they can be better prepared to deal with future threats. At the same time, it aims to boost the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) mission by encouraging home-grown defence technologies and innovations.
