What is the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)?

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About Defence Acquisition Council (DAC):

What is it? The DAC is the highest decision-making body of the defence Ministry on procurement.
Objective: To ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the armed forces.
Formation: It was formed after the Group of Minister’s recommendations on ‘Reforming the National Security System’, in 2001, post-Kargil War (1999).
Composition:
- The defence minister is the chairman of DAC.
- Its members include the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Functions:
- Give in-principle approval of a 15 years Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) for defence forces.
- Accord of acceptance of necessity to acquisition proposals.
- Categorization of the acquisition proposals relating to ‘Buy’, ‘Buy & Make’, and ‘Make’.
- Look into issues relating to single vendor clearance.
- Take decisions regarding ‘offset’ provisions in respect of acquisition proposals above Rs 300 crore.
- Take decisions regarding the Transfer of Technology under the ‘Buy & Make’ category of acquisition proposals.
- Field trial evaluation.

Q1) Who is the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)?

CDS is a post that acts as the single-point advisor to the Government of India in the matters of India’s military. The CDS is the head of the Army, Navy and Air Force and is be a four-star military officer. He/she is in a position to advise on the matters related to all the three segments of the military.

Source: India approves capital acquisition of military hardware worth Rs 70,584 crore