Some subjects are significant but do not figure in either the literature or our discussions. Defence Acquisitions Management (DAM) is perhaps one of those subjects that should find far more space in our writings and academic discourse. However, it appears to be a no-go area for ordinary people and remains the prerogative of military professionals or, at best, the bureaucracy.
To raise greater awareness among students of Strategic Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, International Relations, Entrepreneurship, and Professionals, the Department of Strategic Studies at the Faculty of Contemporary Studies, National Defence University, took the much-needed initiative to organise a Two-Day Short Course on the subject. The Short Course was attended by a large number of participants, both in person at the venue to capacity and online from abroad.
The primary content for the presentations was prepared from the book “Defence Acquisition Management: A Reader,” prepared by the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. However, I added much more as the sole presenter.
The initiative to organise the Short Course on a different topic proved successful, achieving its objective of generating interest and awareness among participants. The entire Department of Strategic Studies team, ably guided by the NDU and FCS hierarchy, deserves appreciation for this initiative. Moreover, the organising committee, headed by Ms Natalia Shahrukh and her team, did a tremendous job in flawlessly executing the entire event over two days of learning on December 2-3, 2025. Ms Zainab Asif led the Media Campaign to raise public awareness and effectively promote the event.
Now, more importantly, the contents of the course. To set the scene, the participants were briefed on the significance of DAM, emphasising that it is vital to ensure military effectiveness, deliver value for money, support national defence and industrial strategies, maintain a technological edge, and maintain operational readiness. A lot of emphasis was placed on understanding DAM by decision-makers because, without it, the armed forces risk being under-equipped, over-budget, and strategically vulnerable.
A system is the overall structure, and processes are the activities that occur within the system.
Subsequently, the significance of a unique security architecture for each state was highlighted, which would depend on geography, history, political system, resources, population, and the state’s strategic culture. The presentation on the threat environment also proved beneficial in developing an understanding of the civilian participants, who accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the total attendees. This part generated a lot of curiosity among the participants, and they became fully engaged with the subject.
After a brief introduction to the state’s unique security architecture and threat environment, basic terminologies and their contextual meanings were discussed. For instance, the system, the processes, and the differences between acquisition, procurement, logistics, and supplies. This greatly helped participants develop a deeper understanding of the subject.
To orient our readers, “a system is a set of interconnected parts that work together to achieve a purpose or goal.” In contrast, the components are the individual parts (people, machines, software, departments), and the interactions reflect how they relate to or affect one another. Hence, the inputs in a system relate to what goes in, such as resources and information, and the outputs reflect the outcomes in the form of specific products or results. The system of any system lies in its purpose; for instance, a human body, where organs work together, a business organisation, or an ecosystem.
Likewise, a process is a series of actions or steps that transform inputs into outputs. A method includes specific inputs, such as raw materials, data, and requests. Once the inputs are in place, the activities are performed, and the work is generated, such as products, decisions, or services.
Summarising the systems and the processes, it is necessary to understand that “a system is the overall structure, and processes are the activities that occur within the system.” Systems are composed of multiple processes working together, such as a business system that includes sales, marketing, and customer service.
Since the participants in the course came from diverse backgrounds, professions, and organisations, it was deemed necessary to place adequate emphasis on understanding systems and processes in a short DAM course. This greatly helped participants know that it allows organisations to improve efficiency, reduce errors, make better decisions, manage complexity, and scale operations.
Then, we moved on to understanding the difference between acquisition and procurement. According to the U.S. Department of Defence, the acquisition means “The conceptualisation, initiation, design, development, test, contracting, production, deployment, Logistics Support (LS), modification, and disposal of weapons and other systems, supplies, or services (including construction) to satisfy DoD needs, intended for use in or in support of military missions.”.” In contrast, the Defence Procurement is the process of “purchasing defence equipment, goods, or services – a subset of the larger acquisition process. Covers buying, contracting, and tendering for weapons, vehicles, ammunition, IT systems, logistics services, etc. Involves vendor selection, bidding, negotiations, and contract management.”
In Part II, In Sha Allah, I will present a brief overview of the presentations and the event proceedings.
The writer of this article has authored four international books: Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan, South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace, Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War, and Diplomacy and Deterrence.
The writer of this article has authored four international books: Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan, South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace, Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War, and Diplomacy and Deterrence.”