Defence Ministry Approves ₹79,000 Crore in Military Procurements as ISRO Says 90% of Gaganyaan Preparation Complete

In a major strategic move, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 23 October 2025 approved capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹79,000 crore during a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by the Rajnath Singh. The same fortnight witnessed Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) declaring that nearly 90 per cent of preparations for its flagship human‐spaceflight programme Gaganyaan have been completed. Together, these twin announcements reflect an upward trajectory in India’s strategic capabilities—both on the defence front and in the domain of space exploration.

The procurement approvals by the DAC cover a broad spectrum of capabilities across the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, for the Army the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was accorded for systems such as the tracked version of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS Mk-II), a Ground-Based Mobile ELINT System (GBMES) and high-mobility vehicles with material‐handling cranes. Press Information Bureau For the Navy, approvals include Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), 30 mm Naval Surface Guns (NSGs), Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes (ALWTs) and Electro-Optical Infra-Red Search & Track systems along with smart ammunition for the 76 mm Super­Rapid Gun Mount. Press Information Bureau+1 The Air Force will receive, among other items, the Autonomous Collaborative Long-Range Target Saturation/Destruction System (CLRTS/DS). Press Information Bureau

This approval comes amid a sustained push for indigenisation under the “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives in defence manufacturing. The MoD emphasised that the bulk of the contracts envisaged will involve Indian design, development and manufacturing units (IDDM). The clearance is expected to bolster domestic defence industry capacity, particularly in shipbuilding, missile systems and unmanned platforms. Analysts note that the ₹79,000 crore order value also sent a clear signal to the market—defence stocks and ancillary industries responded positively in immediate aftermath. The Economic Times

Turning to space, ISRO’s human‐spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, has now reached an advanced stage. According to the May 2025 statement by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, the mission has entered its final phase and the crewed launch is targeted for the first quarter of 2027. Press Information Bureau+1 Independent media reports quote agency officials saying that key flight systems, capsule recovery tests and astronaut training programmes are nearing completion, with “90 per cent of preparations done.”

Originally announced in 2018, the Gaganyaan mission envisages placing a three-person crew in low Earth orbit (approx. 400 km) for a multi-day mission, before safe return and splash-down. Wikipedia+1 Over the past year, ISRO has conducted abort‐test flights, integrated life‐support systems, and matured critical technologies including the crew escape system, service module propulsion and human-centric systems in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Economic Times+1

Experts say the concurrence of heavy defence procurement and a near-ready human-spaceflight programme is not coincidental. “This signals that India is gearing up not just for conventional deterrence but also for strategic aerospace elevation,” observed one independent defence analyst on background. The ₹79,000 crore procurement approval underscores the MoD’s resolve to modernise force structures, while the Gaganyaan readiness speaks to India’s ambition to become the fourth nation after the United States, Russia and China to launch humans independently into orbit. Universal Institutions

A historical perspective underscores the importance of these developments. India’s defence acquisition process underwent major overhaul with the introduction of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, which emphasised lifecycle-based acquisition (“womb to tomb”), prioritised domestic industry and faster decision-making. Comptroller and Auditor General of India+1 Meanwhile, human spacecraft ambitions have been on India’s agenda for nearly a decade, with Gaganyaan evolving through multiple delays and revisions, chiefly to incorporate enhanced safety, technological maturity and rigorous astronaut training. Space+1

Public and industry reaction to the defence procurement has been broadly favourable, though some caution remains over execution timelines and indigenous supply-chain bottlenecks. One senior former defence secretary remarked: “Signing the acceptance of necessity is just the first step—industry delivery, quality assurance, lifecycle support and obsolescence management will determine whether ₹79,000 crore translates into real capability gains.” Rediff On the space front, while the “90 per cent preparations” figure has been widely cited, some commentators caution that the remaining 10 per cent may involve the most difficult phases—crew-module validation, human rating of systems and uncrewed demonstration flights.

In practical terms, the defence procurement approvals are expected to generate multi-year contract flows for shipyards, missile and drone manufacturers, heavy-vehicle integrators and electronics firms. The Gaganyaan progress may unlock domestic human-spaceflight infrastructure, spin-off technologies in life-support, micro-gravity experimentation and astronaut training modules, as well as elevate India’s standing in the global space narrative.

Conclusion:
Together, the twin announcements mark a watershed moment in India’s strategic and technological trajectory. The MoD’s ₹79,000 crore procurement campaign offers a clear push towards modernising the armed forces while reducing foreign dependence. Meanwhile, ISRO’s assertion of advanced readiness for Gaganyaan provides a timetable anchor for a long-awaited leap into crewed spaceflight. Going forward, the key will be execution—how swiftly contracts are implemented, how rapidly production lines are scaled, and how safely and reliably India can launch and return a human crew. For the public, this may enhance confidence in the nation’s defence and space ambitions; for industry, it opens ambitious opportunity horizons. The future impact could be a more technologically self-reliant defence-industrial complex and an India more visibly active in human space exploration.