New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council has cleared purchases of over Rs 29,000 crore of equipment, including four maritime spy planes from Boeing worth Rs 4,380 crore and hundreds of air defence guns. The largest order approved was for 428 L-70 and ZU-23 air defence guns worth around Rs 16,900 crore, a defence spokesman said after the meeting chaired by minister Manohar Parrikar.

The guns are to be manufactured in India, the spokesman said, as part of the push to expand the defence industry and end the country’s status as the world’s largest arms importer. As reported by ET, only two Indian companies — Punj Llyod and Bharat Forge — had responded to an Army request on the project. But there is now a possibility to broadbase the competition by inviting other players as well.

Other proposals cleared include upgradation of the weapons and sensor systems of six ships of the Delhi and Talwar class for Rs 2,900 crore, a Brahmos training facility in Gujarat for Rs 3,000 crore and an air combat manoeuvring system for the Navy’s MiG-29Ks and Hawk aircraft for Rs 200 crore.