The Ministry of Defence has announced a pivotal reform in India's defence procurement landscape with the introduction of DAP 2026, emphasising the integration of subject experts into critical stages of the process. This move aims to enhance the technical precision and strategic alignment of military acquisitions.

At the heart of this change lies the finalisation of Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs), the foundational benchmarks that define the performance parameters for defence equipment. Traditionally, SQRs have been prone to delays and revisions due to ambiguities or mismatches between user needs and technological feasibility.

Under DAP 2026, subject experts—drawn from academia, industry, DRDO laboratories, and operational domains—will now participate directly in drafting and refining these documents. Their involvement promises to inject domain-specific insights, reducing the risk of overly ambitious specifications that inflate costs or extend timelines.

This expert input will occur early in the acquisition cycle, ensuring SQRs are realistic, verifiable, and aligned with indigenous manufacturing capabilities. For instance, in complex systems like hypersonic missiles or advanced UAVs, experts can calibrate parameters against cutting-edge global benchmarks while prioritising 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' goals.

Beyond SQR finalisation, the MoD will extend this expertise to the oversight of developmental and field trials. Trials, often criticised for subjectivity or inadequate scrutiny, will now benefit from independent expert panels monitoring test protocols, data validation, and compliance.

These panels will verify trial methodologies, analyse results in real-time, and provide impartial assessments to prevent undue influence from vendors or service headquarters. This layered oversight is expected to accelerate decision-making while upholding transparency and accountability.

The reform addresses longstanding pain points in India's defence procurement, where protracted trials have delayed inductions of critical assets such as next-generation fighter aircraft or loitering munitions. By 2026, DAP mandates that expert oversight cover at least 70% of 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)' and 'Buy (Indian)' category procurements.

Procurement agencies like the Acquisition Wing will coordinate these experts through a dedicated MoD portal, facilitating virtual collaborations and rapid consultations. This digital backbone aligns with broader digitisation efforts under the Integrated Defence Staff.

Industry stakeholders have welcomed the change, viewing it as a boost to private sector participation. Firms like Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) stand to gain from clearer SQRs that favour modular designs and rapid prototyping.

However, challenges remain in selecting unbiased experts and managing conflicts of interest. The MoD plans to establish a vetted roster of over 500 specialists, vetted through security clearances and non-disclosure protocols.

This reform gains urgency amid rising threats along India's northern and western borders. Timely acquisitions of systems like the Akashteer air defence network or Project Kusha missile shield depend on streamlined SQRs and trials.

DAP 2026 also ties expert involvement to performance audits, with post-induction reviews feeding into future iterations. This closed-loop mechanism will foster continuous improvement in acquisition efficacy.

For the Indian Armed Forces, the payoff could be transformative: faster fielding of indigenous platforms, reduced import dependence, and enhanced operational readiness. Early pilots under the new procedure are slated for Q2 2026, targeting artillery and avionics upgrades.

In the end, by embedding subject expertise into SQRs and trials, DAP 2026 positions India's defence ecosystem for self-reliance in an era of disruptive technologies like AI-driven warfare and quantum sensors.

PIB