Centre Approves Emergency Defence Procurement for Armed Forces - What Is EP, Why It’s Done

New Delhi: The Centre has cleared another round of Emergency Procurement (EP) for the armed forces. The recent decision will ensure that the deals that could not be finalised before November 19, the last

day for the earlier round of EP, can be concluded. It could also mean additional resources for all three services, if necessary.The Emergency Procurement period will continue till January 15, allowing the forces to conclude the agreements that are on the verge of being signed.

Rajnath Singh To Head Defence Acquisition Council Meet

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, and including the minister of state (Defence), the Chief of Defence Staff, the three chiefs, the Defence Secretary, and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief, decided on the EP on Friday. It was a brief meeting, and the other items on the agenda -- about two dozen of them -- will be taken up on December 29 at around noon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTmiwmI8nc0

The EP is to ensure the armed forces receive the necessary weaponry and other equipment without much delay. No trials are needed for the weaponry, and often, they are additional tranches of weapons already in use.ALSO READ | Vajpayee’s Quiet Diplomacy: How India's Ex-PM Outsmarted Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Pakistan The Navy's limit, for instance, is Rs 300 crore. This means that if it requires arms or ammunition of a certain kind, it can get what is available up to Rs 300 crore. Of course, it can buy different types of weaponry, but up to Rs 300 crore in each case. For the Army, as it is a larger organisation, and therefore, "more numbers" may be required, the limit can be a little higher.

When Emergency Defence Procurements Are Granted

The Centre usually allows EP during crises, and the last tranche came after Operation Sindoor -- the counter-terror operations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) after the Pahalgam attack.The Emergency Procurement procedure was designed to replenish the weapons, including rockets, missiles, and ammunition, used up during the four days of fighting.ALSO READ | Major Military Upgrades Planned: T-90 Overhaul, Navy Tugs, IAF Simulators on DAC Table | ExclusiveThe DAC will review other cases tomorrow, including the development and production of the Astra air-to-air missile (with a range of up to 200 km), MR-SAM or medium-range surface-to-air missiles for the Navy, and the overhaul of 200 T-90 tanks for the Army.Other important decisions on the anvil will relate to Spice munitions to ensure that strikes are more accurate, tugboats to move warships and submarines into and out of ports, and low-level radars, as well as loitering munitions.