NEW DELHI: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Tuesday cleared the procurement of assault rifles and carbines worth Rs 3,547 crore on “fast track basis” to meet the immediate requirement of troops deployed on the borders, defence ministry sources said.

Under the proposal, cleared at the meeting chaired by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, 72,000 assault rifles and 93,895 carbines will be procured, the sources said.

The procurement is expected to address the shortage of weapons for the armed forces, they added.