An representation of a Naval Oceanographic Ship

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday cleared the procurement of infantry combat vehicles for the Army and a survey training vessel for the Navy at a combined cost of about ₹1850 crore.

“These include procurement of essential quantity of BMP-2 Infantry Combat Vehicles for mechanised infantry and other arms and services at an estimated cost of ₹1125 crore from the Ordinance Factory Board (OFB),” the Ministry said in a statement.

The second proposal is a Survey Training Vessel to augment the Navy’s growing hydrographic needs in ports, harbours and exclusive economic zones. Indian Navy has been undertaking hydrographic survey for a number of friendly nations in the Indian Ocean and beyond.

The construction of the vessel will be undertaken under Buy Indian-IDDM category of Defence Procurement Procedure by Indian shipyards at an estimated cost of ₹626 crore.