DAC clears purchase of Russian Air Defence Missile systems

China will receive its first batch of the long-range anti-aircraft missile systems within the next 12 to 18 months.

A defense deal potentially worth Rs. 40,000 crores, one of the biggest of its kind to be approved by the Modi government, could be the highlight of Prime Minister's visit to Russian Federation beginning next week.

The S400 Triumf is created to bring down flying targets, including those equipped with stealth technologies, at a distance of about 400 km.

According to information available in the open domain, the air defense system is capable to take on up to 36 targets at range of over 150 kilometres. Compared with its predecessor, the S-300, the new S-400 has a 2.5 times faster firing rate.

Besides, this, DAC also cleared a demand by the Army for six regiments of the DRDO developed Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher Systems at Rs 14,600 cr. Tata Power SED, Larsen and Toubro and state-run BEML will be providing the system.

For the Navy, change in categorization has been accorded for five fleet support ships, the proposal for which was cleared in July a year ago. Russian President Putin had, in principle, approved the deal with China previous year. The DAC, set up in 2001 as part of the post-Kargil reforms in defense sector, approves the long-term integrated perspective plan for the forces, accords acceptance of necessity (AON) to begin acquisition proposals, and has to grant its approval to all major deals through all their important phases.

The Indian Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the $4.5bn purchase of Russian S-400 Triumf air defense missile system.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the highest body under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which decides weapons purchases, cleared the purchase of S-400 AD systems at its meeting here December 17.

Sources said the acquisition of the S-400 system, which has a range from 40 to 400 km, depending on the missile fired, could be through the Request for Proposals (RFP) or government-to-government route. Officials said that Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), which developed the system, had been asked to continue development of newer systems to meet future requirements as Pinaka has proven its mettle. The IAF got the nod for a project worth over Rs 1,200 crore for digitization of its 24 Pichora air Defence missile system.