NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Indian government on Wednesday unveiled new weapons procurement procedures reintroducing a modified fast-track process and making field trials of weapons systems more transparent.

The new defence procurement procedures and manual released by the Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee also announced a new ‘make’ procedure to boost indigenous research development and production facilities.

The new policy has a provision for providing level playing field for indigenous vendors vis-a-vis foreign players by allowing comparison of CIF prices of foreign vendors with indigenous offers by subtracting excise duty, sales tax and local levies.

Through the new policy, the government has also made amplification of the defence offset implementation policy, thereby signalling that international tenders for some of the country’s biggest-ever defence deals, like the acquisition of 126 multi-role combat aircraft, may be in the offing.

The request for proposals for 126 combat aircraft is likely to be issued next month. According to the industry sources, it could amount to more than $15 billion.

In another major defence deal worth more than $700 million, the army is to sign an agreement for purchase of 197 helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Chetaks and Cheetahs.

Two firms, Bell Helicopter of the US and the maker of Euro-Copter, EADS, have been shortlisted and evaluated. Another major deal would be for the purchase of new 155mm guns upgraded to .52 calibre—APP