The Department of Defence has released draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) - 2026 with an aim to propel Jointness, Atmanirbharta (Self-Reliance), and the speed of capital procurement. Once approved, DAP-2026 will replace the existing 2020 version and serve as the cornerstone for the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative by institutionalizing a preference for the ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)’ category. The draft introduces exclusive procedures for equipment with short technological cycles, spiral design methodologies, and the pragmatic evaluation of Indigenous Content (IC) and Indigenous Design (ID). Stakeholders are invited to submit their suggestions via email (secy-dap2025@gov.in) latest by March 3, 2026, as per the prescribed format hosted on the MoD website.
Key Pillars of the Draft DAP-2026 Framework
The proposed procedure identifies several critical foundational pillars to align India’s acquisition strategy with modern warfare imperatives:
Atmanirbharta and IPR Retention: Focuses on indigenous designing and the retention of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) within the domestic ecosystem to reduce long-term dependency on foreign OEMs.
Inclusive Industry Participation: Eases financial and experience criteria to encourage broader participation from the private sector and domestic defence startups.
Efficiency through Delegation and Digitization: Proposes aggressive infusion of digitization and automation in acquisition processes and the delegation of decision-making to accelerate procurement timelines.
Technological Imperatives and Fast-Tracking: Introduces specific procedures for major platforms using spiral design and the exploitation of modern technology before proceeding with bulk procurement.
Revamping Quality and Trials: Streamlines the Trials and Quality Assurance (QA) processes to align with manufacturing readiness and short technological cycles.
What is the difference between DAP and DPM in India’s defence spending? The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) specifically deals with the capital procurement of equipment, platforms, and major systems under the ‘Capital’ head of expenditure. It is focused on modernization and long-term asset creation. In contrast, the Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025 deals with the maintenance, sustenance, and spares of existing defence equipment under the ‘Revenue’ head of expenditure. Together, they form the dual-regulatory framework that ensures both the modernization and the operational readiness of the Indian Armed Forces.
Policy Relevance
The draft DAP-2026 represents a transition from traditional, prescriptive procurement to an agile, design-led acquisition ecosystem. By institutionalizing the Spiral Design and IPR Retention clauses, the Ministry of Defence is providing a clear mandate for Indian industry to move beyond mere “build-to-print” manufacturing toward high-value indigenous designing.
Boosting Domestic Manufacturing: The strict preference for IDDM ensures that trillions in capital expenditure are funneled into the domestic economy, supporting the “Viksit Bharat-2047” vision.
Export Competitiveness: By restricting imports to only non-available and critical equipment, DAP-2026 forces the domestic industry to innovate, ultimately making Indian platforms more competitive in global markets.
Startup and MSME Inclusion: Easing the “financial and experience” criteria directly benefits the iDEX ecosystem, allowing small-scale innovators to compete for large-scale capital contracts.
Agility in Modern Warfare: The focus on “short technological cycles” ensures that the Indian Armed Forces can acquire and integrate niche technologies—such as drones and AI-driven systems—before they become obsolete.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: With the draft DAP-2026 focusing on 'Spiral Design' for major platforms, what institutional safeguards should be established to ensure that rapid technological iterations do not lead to long-term cost overruns or logistical "spares" fragmentation?
Follow the full news here: MoD: Comments on Draft DAP-2026
