New Delhi, March 18 A parliamentary panel has recommended that, given the rapidly changing geopolitical situation and the evolution of technology, any procurement and acquisition procedure in the defense sector needs to "have a timeline for delivery," as any undue and prolonged delay in procurement can result in technology and equipment becoming obsolete and redundant.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in its report presented in Parliament on Wednesday, also said that, in view of the current geopolitical situations and the need to maintain credible war deterrence at all times, it recommends "further enhanced budgetary allocation under the capital head."
The report is titled 'Demands for Grants (2026-27) on Capital Outlay on Defence Services, Defence Planning, Procurement Policy and Defence Pensions.'
The panel said that after examining the available facts, it learns that the modernization of defense forces is funded through the capital segment of the defense budget.
"Modernization involves the acquisition of new, state-of-the-art platforms, technologies, and weapon systems to upgrade and enhance defense capabilities. It is a continuous process based on threat perception, operational challenges, and technological changes to keep the armed forces in a state of readiness to meet the entire spectrum of security challenges," the report says.
The Committee further opines that, as technology is changing very rapidly, so is the geopolitical situation, therefore, given the "high dynamism in the defense sector, any procurement and acquisition procedure needs to have a timeline for delivery, as any undue and prolonged delay in procurement can result in technology and equipment becoming obsolete and redundant."
The panel acknowledged that it has been informed that defense planning is required for a robust military strength, which is an essential prerequisite for a safe and secure nation.
"The Committee has been informed that, keeping in mind the diverse needs of all three services, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) has been made as a single-point contact to ensure joint planning for all three services."
"The Committee is happy to note that HQ IDS has developed an Integrated Capability Development System (ICDS) which carries out defense planning through an interactive process," the report said.
The panel said, though it takes cognizance of the fact that the requirements of each of the armed forces are very complex, yet "time-bound and determined efforts must be made by all the stakeholders involved in the process of procurement, such as the ministry, DPSUs, the armed forces, and the private sector, as timely procurement and delivery is vital and crucial for meeting the operational needs of the defense forces and realizing the goal of self-reliance in the defense sector."
The Committee also said that the defense procurement process and procedure should follow "transparency and accountability" in procurement, and "no compromise" on this aspect needs to be ensured.
The panel is headed by BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh.
The Committee has also noted that, in order to ensure a "level playing field" for the private defense industry vis-à-vis the DPSUs, various measures have been taken such as reserving 75 per cent of the capital budget for the domestic industry, allocating 25 per cent of the defense R&D budget for industry, start-ups, and academia, setting up defense industry corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, notifying positive indigenization lists for DPSUs and Make-I, II, and III procurement procedures, and simplifying ease of doing business.
It also recommends that all possible efforts be undertaken to "reduce dependence on foreign defense suppliers" in order to not only achieve self-reliance in the defense sector, but also to make India a global defense manufacturing hub.
