India on Thursday approved purchases of missiles, helicopters, artillery guns, and electronic warfare systems worth $8.5 billion as it sought to add more teeth to its military. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved the orders worth 705 billion rupees ($8.52bn) for all its services, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. All orders would be placed with Indian companies, it said, keeping with a push by PM Narendra Modi’s government to boost domestic defense manufacturing.
