A DAP For The Future
The draft of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2026 published on Tuesday on the Ministry of Defence website has many new features designed to strengthen India’s push towards self-reliance, a speed reading of the document reveals. The idea is to treat the handbook as the foundational framework for capital acquisitions undertaken by the Ministry of Defence and the Service Headquarters. Its primary objective is to ensure the timely acquisition of military equipment, systems and platforms as required by the Armed Forces in terms of performance, capabilities and quality standards, through optimum utilisation of allocated budgetary resources. While enabling the same, the Defence Acquisition Procedure will provide for the highest degree of probity, public accountability, transparency, fair competition and level-playing field. Responsiveness. To meet diverse operational needs, Defence Acquisition Procedure 2026 incorporates flexible models to enable adaptive decision-making within defined thresholds to support timely and context-sensitive acquisitions. Part A will contain a list of all carry-over acquisition proposals from the previous year and those for which AoN has been accorded during the year. Part B will include the list of acquisition proposals under the Buy scheme [to include Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) {‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)}, Buy (Indian) and Manufacture in India, Buy (Global) and Manufacture in India & Buy (Global)], likely to be initiated for AoN in the forthcoming year. Part C will include the list of cases under the Development scheme {to include Design and Development (D&D), Make-I, Make-II, Make-III, Innovation in Defence Excellence (iDEX) and Technology Development Fund (TDF)}, likely to be initiated for AoN in the forthcoming year. Part D will list of proposals for procurement under Other Capital Procurement Procedure (OCPP), likely to be initiated for AoN in the forthcoming year. Part E will include proposals under Fast Track Procedure (FTP), likely to be initiated for AoN in the forthcoming year. Part F will include proposals under Strategic Partnership (SP), likely to be initiated for AoN in the forthcoming year. The DAP empowers the defence forces to efficiently acquire equipment from Make, Design & Development projects and iDEX. The provisions would integrate the young talent into defence manufacturing quotient of the nation. This DAP marks a doctrinal departure from the initial phase of “Indigenisation", which was primarily practiced as manufacturing foreign equipment or components on Indian soil. For next decade, the metric of success is not just "Made in India," but "Owned by India." We are shifting the focus from Transfer of Technology (ToT) - which often results in dependency on legacy systems - to Co- Development and Intellectual Property (IP) Ownership. Capital Acquisitions would prioritise the retention of source codes, critical design data, and upgrade authority within Indian entities. We now aim to be a design powerhouse of the world. Also as reported by BharatShakti the MoD has decided that wholly owned Indian subsidiaries of foreign OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) will not be treated as Indian companies, at least for the time being. Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale unpacks the document. #dap #indiadefencebudget2026 #atmanirbharbharat MoD website: https://mod.gov.in/en/news BharatShakti Article: https://bharatshakti.in/dap-unlikely-... ========================================================= Join BharatShakti's WhatsApp Channel to get the latest updates: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vazl... Follow us on Social Media: Like us on Facebook: / bharatshakti.in Follow us on Twitter: / bharatshaktibsi Follow us on Instagram: / bharatshakti.in
