Amid the ongoing border
standoff with China, India’s defence ministry has cleared procurement of
equipment worth Rs 28,000 crore for the forces from domestic industry, officials told PTI.

“The Defence
Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved
proposals to procure equipment worth Rs. 27,000 crore from domestic
industry,” the defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

DAC, the
ministry’s highest decision-making body on procurement, approved a total of
seven acquisition proposals, which includes acquirement of modular bridges for the Indian Army, the airborne early
warning and control systems developed by DRDO for the Indian Air Force and next
generation offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Navy.

“Six of the seven
proposals, that is, Rs 27,000 crore out of Rs 28,000 crore
for which AoNs (Acceptance of Necessity) were granted and will be sourced from the
Indian industry to give a boost to the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’
initiatives,” the ministry said.

India and China engaged in a deadly clash in June and since then, the two
leading economic powerhouses are locked in a standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Earlier this week, ANI reported that the Indian defence forces
have been asked to stock weapons and ammunition for a 15-day intense war.

“A number of weapon systems and ammunition are being acquired now
under the authorisation of having reserves to fight a 15-day intense war with
the enemies. The stocking would now be at 15-I level from the 10 I levels,” ANI
quoted government sources as saying.