The Defence Ministry is set to implement a major reform aimed at significantly reducing the time taken for acquiring defence equipment, ensuring that bureaucratic hurdles do not delay the country’s defence preparedness. Today, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will review and approve a proposal to compress the timelines for capital defence procurement from the current 96 weeks (approximately two years) to just 24 weeks (six months).
According to senior officials familiar with the matter, the cumbersome capital acquisition process, which is currently governed by the extensive 657-page Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) manual, is due for a major overhaul. The delays in procurement have affected several critical defence projects, including the acquisition of Rafale fighter jets, Rafale-Maritime fighters, additional Scorpene-class submarines, Project 75-I air-independent propulsion submarines, and Predator drones. The proposed changes aim to streamline the procedure, ensuring that vital military platforms are acquired without unnecessary delays.
Under the new plan, the government intends to impose strict deadlines for every stage of the procurement process. This includes the Request for Proposal (RFP) issuance, Field Evaluation Trials, and the Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) process, all of which will now be completed within six months.
One of the most significant changes in the proposal is that the armed forces will be required to prepare the RFP at the same time as they seek Acceptance of Necessity (AON) approval from the Defence Ministry. Currently, the RFP process begins only after DAC grants AON approval, causing unnecessary delays in procurement.
Another major hurdle in the current system is the Field Evaluation Trial, where weapons and equipment are tested in diverse environments, including extreme polar and desert conditions. These trials often take years to complete. However, with advancements in technology, simulated testing is now feasible, and the Defence Ministry is advocating for parallel testing under controlled environments to accelerate the process.
The final stage, involving contract negotiations, has also been a longstanding bottleneck. Currently, the CNC process, handled by senior Defence Ministry officials, often drags on indefinitely due to prolonged negotiations. The new proposal mandates that all negotiations be concluded within six months, ensuring that contracts do not face unnecessary delays. Once the contract price is negotiated and approved by the Finance Ministry, it will proceed to the Cabinet Committee on Security, led by the Prime Minister, for final approval.
By expediting the capital acquisition process, the Defence Ministry aims to ensure that the armed forces receive the necessary platforms without delays, holding both the ministry and the forces accountable for any cost escalations due to procurement delays. This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening India’s defence capabilities by fostering efficiency and accountability in military acquisitions.
