Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a series of digital and financial management initiatives aimed at improving integration, transparency and real-time monitoring of financial operations across the Ministry of Defence. The initiatives were launched during the Defence Accounts Department’s (DAD) 279th Annual Day in New Delhi on October 1.
A key initiative is the integration of the Indian Army Financial Information System (IAFIS) with the DAD’s SAKSHAM platform. The integration will enable digital transmission of budget, sanction and bill-related information, along with real-time sharing of bill status and budget balances. It is also intended to support paperless processing of bills.
Singh also launched the revamped National Compilation System (NCS) and the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system for the Ministry of Defence. The TSA has been operationalised through the Payment Routing and Integrated System Management (PRISM) platform and integrated with the Reserve Bank of India’s eKUBER system to facilitate just-in-time release of funds to autonomous bodies under the Defence Ministry.
The revamped NCS is designed to provide a centralised system for accounting and compilation of defence expenditure. Its updated architecture is intended to strengthen budget reporting and expenditure monitoring and provide more detailed financial information to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, Service Headquarters and field-level controllers.
Calling for deeper digital integration, Singh said the DAD should move from an “annual review” of the budget to an “any time review”, supported by real-time financial data for decision-making. He also called for greater use of automation, digital data management and technologies such as conversational AI in grievance redressal and financial management.
Singh also highlighted defence expenditure booking for 2025-26, which he said was nearly 100 per cent, and called for wider use of technology to strengthen financial management and help identify potential irregularities.
The event also saw the release of the Comprehensive Statistical Handbook on Defence Expenditure (COSHE) 2026, Raksha Lekha Bharati and the Market Intelligence Report 2025-26. The Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2026 were also presented to DAD personnel.
The Defence Accounts Department traces its origins to the appointment of the Military Pay Master in 1747 and provides internal audit, accounting, financial advice and defence pension management services to the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces.