Govt approves faster defence procurement guidelines, ATAGS for Army

Military procurements worth ₹54K cr get preliminary approval

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In a bid to speed up the lengthy defence procurement process, the central government on Thursday approved new guidelines to shorten timelines, along with granting preliminary approvals for military procurement proposals worth over ₹54,000 crore. This comes a day after final approval was granted for procuring 307 indigenous artillery guns at a cost of nearly ₹7,000 crore.

 

Guidelines to reduce timelines at “various stages of the capital acquisition process to make it faster, more effective, and efficient” were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in an official release.

 

This move is part of the MoD’s decision to observe 2025 as the Year of Reforms, with the initiative aimed at transforming the armed forces into a “technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of multi-domain integrated operations”.

 

The DAC also granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for eight capital acquisition proposals worth over ₹54,000 crore. These include more powerful engines for the Army’s T-90 tanks to improve battlefield mobility, particularly in high-altitude areas; procurement of the indigenous Varunastra ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo for the Indian Navy; and acquisition of Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft systems for the Indian Air Force.

 

AoN signifies the official recognition of the armed forces’ need for specific equipment or capabilities and marks the initial step in the procurement process. 

 

A day earlier, in a significant step towards India’s push for aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in advanced artillery, the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the procurement of the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) for the Indian Army, sources told Business Standard. The contract — covering 307 artillery guns and 327 gun-towing vehicles for 15 artillery regiments — is expected to be signed next week.

 

The ATAGS, developed in 2013 and tested through extensive field trials, will enhance the Army’s long-range firepower — a priority reinforced by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The deal also comes as the armed forces continue expanding their induction of howitzers, rocket artillery, and missiles. The ATAGS has a range of 35-45 kilometres (km), depending on the ammunition used, and achieved a 47-km firing range during trials in 2017.

 

The 155mm/52-calibre ATAGS was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation in collaboration with Bharat Forge and the Tata group. After bids were opened in late October, Bharat Forge emerged as the lowest bidder (L1). The contract is likely to be split, with Bharat Forge manufacturing 60 per cent of the guns and Tata producing the remaining 40 per cent, provided it matches the L1 price. Armenia also placed an order for the ATAGS platform in 2022.