Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday released the revised Delegation of Financial Powers (DFPDS-2026) for the Armed Forces, which includes a twofold increase in the financial ceiling for field commanders to improve operational efficiency, while also enhancing financial delegation to support revenue procurements exceeding Rs 1.25 lakh crore.The development assumes significance in the wake of the large-scale procurements being undertaken by the Armed Forces, through the emergency and the regular route, since last year.The DFPDS is an official document that regulates all revenue procurements for the Armed Forces, as opposed to the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) that governs all bigger capital purchases. The DFPDS specifies the competent authorities and outlines the financial powers granted to them. Revenue procurements involve acquiring essential spare parts and ammunition needed for maintaining capital assets of the defence forces and ensuring their long-term sustainability.Before this, the DFPDS was last revised in 2021. A comprehensive draft of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026 is undergoing finalisation to replace its earlier 2020 version.In a statement, the Defence Ministry said the enhancement in the financial powers for certain competent authorities to clear a procurement has been made up to 100 per cent, and even more than double in some cases.“This would further strengthen the operational efficiency of field commanders and lead to faster conclusion of contracts and execution of projects,” it added.It further noted that the financial powers delegated for indigenisation and Research and Development within the military ecosystem have been doubled to boost self-reliance in defence by minimising the dependency on Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers.Story continues below this ad“The revised delegation of financial powers will facilitate procurement of more than Rs 1.25 lakh crore through the revenue route, as per current year budgetary allocations,” it added.Significantly, it noted that the special financial powers delegated to Army/Air Force/Naval commanders have been increased, along with a 100 per cent increase in the total ceiling provided to meet urgent operational requirements. This will let Armed Forces commanders take quicker and independent decisions regarding urgent procurements.Another key point in the new DFPDS is that it has included new provisions to promote Joint Service procurement by the Lead Service with higher delegation than normal procurement.Significantly, the statement noted that many new Competent Financial Authorities have been introduced to decentralise the procurement of Goods and Services.Story continues below this adAccording to the statement, the revision was necessitated due to the expansion in force level and to cater to the increased expenditure on operations and sustenance vis-à-vis the increase in budgetary allocation.“This revised delegation in financial powers, along with the revised Defence Procurement Manual notified in October 2025, will give a fillip to defence procurement with expeditious decision-making. This will lead to timely availability of resources as per the needs of the Defence Forces,” it added.Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Indian Armed Forcesrajnath singh