Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 (DAP 2020)

Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 (DAP 2020) is the Ministry of Defence’s comprehensive framework that governs the planning, procurement, and life‑cycle management of defence equipment and services in India. Unveiled on 30 March 2020, it replaces the earlier Defence Procurement Procedure 2016 and introduces a single‑window clearance system, category‑based time‑bound processes, and a Strategic Partnership Model that foregrounds indigenous development and private‑sector participation. The overhaul was designed to curb chronic delays, contain cost overruns, and align India’s defence buying with the “Make in India” vision.

Historical Background

The need for a new procedure emerged from a series of high‑profile procurement setbacks in the 2010s, notably the 2015‑2018 delays in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme and the protracted negotiations for the Rafale deal. In response, the Ministry of Defence issued a draft DAP 2020 in late 2019, consulted industry stakeholders, and formally adopted the final version in March 2020. The document supersedes the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016, which itself had been an amendment to the 2008 DPP, marking the third major overhaul of India’s defence acquisition policy since the 1990s.

Structure and Mechanism

DAP 2020 organises all procurements into four categories:

• •Category A – capital procurement of major platforms (e.g., fighter jets, submarines).
• •Category B – capital procurement of non‑major platforms (e.g., artillery, UAVs).
• •Category C – procurement of items of strategic importance that may be sourced abroad.
• •Category D – procurement of services (e.g., training, maintenance).

Each category is subject to a Maximum Time Limit (MTL) – 12 months for Category A, 9 months for B, 6 months for C, and 3 months for D – measured from the issuance of the Request for Proposal to contract award. The procedure mandates an Acquisition Plan (AP) and an Acquisition Strategy (AS) for every Category A and B project; these documents, which include a Life‑Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis, must be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). The DAC, chaired by the Defence Minister, functions as the single‑window authority, integrating inputs from the Defence Production, Research & Development, and Finance departments. The Defence Procurement Board (DPB), led by the Defence Secretary, reviews and approves the AP and AS before they reach the DAC.

Key Provisions

A hallmark of DAP 2020 is the Strategic Partnership Model (SPM), applicable to Category A items. Under SPM, a private Indian firm is selected as a “Strategic Partner” through a two‑stage process: (1) evaluation of technical and financial capability, and (2) negotiation of a partnership contract that obliges the partner to co‑develop, co‑produce, and co‑market the platform. The model aims to raise indigenous content to 50 % across major platforms by 2025, echoing the broader Make in India agenda.

The procedure also introduces a single‑window clearance system, eliminating the earlier multi‑layered approvals that often stretched procurement timelines beyond five years. All proposals now pass through the DAC, which can grant “fast‑track” status for projects deemed critical to national security. Additionally, DAP 2020 requires a mandatory “Indigenisation Review” at the 30‑day,