Defence council clears order of combat vehicles worth Rs 1,850 cr

NEW DELHI: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today approved capital acquisiti on proposals worth Rs 1,850 crore, which primarily includes procuring Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV) for the army, the defence ministry said.

The capital acquisitions includes the procurement of an “essential quantity” of the ICVs, which will be BMP-2/2k, for the mechanised infantry and other arms and services. It will come at an estimated cost of over Rs 1,125 crore from the Ordnance Factory Board.

“The procurement will meet the operational requirements of troops in rapid deployment of the mechanised forces,” said the ministry.


In view of the Indian Navy’s hydrographic operations in the Indian Ocean Region, the DAC also approved the procurement of one survey training vessel for meeting the navy’s growing hydrographic needs at ports, harbours and the exclusive economic zone. “The construction of the vessel under Buy Indian-IDDM by Indian shipyards at an estimated cost of Rs 626 crore,” said the ministry.