New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched several publications and digital initiatives of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) during the celebration of its 279th Annual Day at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi.
Congratulating the DAD on nearly three centuries of service, Singh commended its contribution to defence financial audit and management, describing the department as a key pillar of the country’s defence preparedness.
Push for Digital, Integrated Financial Systems
Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh called for greater integration of the financial systems of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, with an emphasis on maximum digitisation, automation and transparency.
He stressed the need for real-time updating of Management Information System (MIS) data and urged the DAD to move from the traditional “Annual Review of Balances” (ARoB) to an “Any Time Review of Balances” approach.
The Defence Minister also highlighted the importance of quality audits, digital data cleaning and the timely resolution of grievances and court cases.
SAKSHAM Integrated with Army Financial System
Singh commended SAKSHAM, the DAD’s initiative for digitising and integrating the defence accounting and payment ecosystem.
Hosted on a secure dedicated data centre and operating through the DAD WAN network, SAKSHAM uses secure role-based access, enhanced validation mechanisms and a scalable technology architecture. The platform supports the government’s broader approach of “One Nation, One Function, One Application.”
A major development unveiled at the event was the successful integration of the SAKSHAM bill audit and payment system with the Indian Army Financial Information System (IAFIS).
The integration enables digital transmission of budget, sanction and bill information, real-time sharing of bill status and budget balances, and completely paperless processing of bills.
Treasury Single Account System Launched
The Raksha Mantri also inaugurated the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system in the Ministry of Defence, aimed at enabling Just-In-Time release of funds to autonomous bodies under the Government of India.
The system has been operationalised through the Payment Routing and Integrated System Management (PRISM) platform and integrated with RBI eKUBER. It is expected to improve grant management and provide greater visibility of accounting and expenditure for autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Defence.
Revamped National Compilation System
Rajnath Singh launched the revamped National Compilation System (NCS) for Defence, described as the single source for accounting and compilation of defence expenditure across India.
The redesigned system uses a new technical architecture to strengthen budget reporting and expenditure monitoring. It will provide granular reporting to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, Service Headquarters and field Controllers, supporting policy planning and improved budget management.
Focus on Pension Grievances and AI
Highlighting the near 100% expenditure during FY 2025–26, Singh appreciated the combined efforts of the DAD and the three Services in achieving the milestone.
Referring to the success of SPARSH data cleaning, he suggested developing a Conversational AI-based grievance redressal ecosystem covering chat, SMS, WhatsApp, email and telephone services.
He stressed that grievance handling and resolution of legitimate service-related claims must be firm, fair, sensitive and responsible, particularly in matters concerning the dues and service rights of defence personnel and veterans.
Singh also called for early implementation of SAMPURNA, a fully automated, end-to-end revenue procurement system envisaged to use Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as a decision-support mechanism.
Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2026
The Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2026 were presented during the event to recognise teams and individuals for outstanding contributions to reforms, innovation and efficiency in defence financial management.
The awards recognised the work of DAD officials in the digitisation of Annual Review of Balances (ARoB) and implementation of initiatives including SAKSHAM and SAMAR-SETU.
SAMAR-SETU is a centralised application for managing the pay and allowances of Agniveers of the Indian Army. Operating from the Central Agniveer Pay and Accounts Office (CAPAO), the system manages the pay accounts of more than 2.3 lakh Agniveers through automated, system-driven processes.
New Publications Released
On the occasion, Rajnath Singh released three publications:
- Comprehensive Statistical Handbook on Defence Expenditure (COSHE) 2026
- Raksha Lekha Bharati
- Market Intelligence Report 2025–2026
A film showcasing the achievements of the System for Pension Administration (Raksha) — SPARSH was also screened during the event.
Senior Defence Officials Attend
Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) Alka Nangia Arora highlighted the DAD’s initiatives during the year, including the centralisation and digitisation of its core functions covering internal audit, payment and accounting, financial advice and defence pension management.
The event was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Finance) Vishvajit Sahay, Secretary (ESW) Sukriti Likhi and Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, among other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence.