Rajnath Singh
India's defence minister since May 2019 and Lok Sabha member for Lucknow.
Rajnath Singh chaired the Defence Acquisition Council on 26 October 2026 as it approved about Rs 2.12 lakh crore of proposals, including long-range kamikaze drones and counter-drone systems to protect the Army's tanks.
Last refreshed: 26 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
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Chaired the council that cleared the buys
Drones: Industry & Defence: India clears buys of kamikaze dronesBackground
As defence minister, Rajnath Singh presided on 26 October 2026 over a council session that signed off service proposals valued at some Rs 2.12 lakh crore ($22bn or so). Among the Army's items were counter-drone systems to shield tanks, long-range kamikaze drones and surveillance drones, and his ministry says around 82 per cent of the value is meant for Indian firms.
Singh was allocated the defence portfolio on 31 May 2019 and took charge for a second consecutive term on 13 June 2024. He has represented Lucknow in the Lok Sabha since 2014. As defence minister he chairs the council, the ministry's highest body for approving capital arms purchases.
The October approval is an Acceptance of Necessity, the first formal step in Indian defence buying: it starts procurement but places no contract.
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Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 26 October 2026. Editorial standards.