Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 1 marked the 279th anniversary of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), praising its digital reforms and financial management.

Singh highlighted the integration of SAKSHAM with the Integrated Financial Management and Accounting System, a revamped New Contributory Scheme, and the Treasury Single Account operated through PRISM and the RBI’s eKUBER platform.

The minister noted that the department has achieved nearly 100 percent expenditure in the current financial year 2025-26, calling it a sign of efficient defence financial management.

The DAD traces its origins to 1747, making it one of India’s oldest government financial institutions. It handles pay, pensions and audit for the armed forces.

Singh also presented the Raksha Mantri Awards 2026 to officials for outstanding service. He said technology-driven reforms have made defence accounting faster and more transparent.

Officials said the SAKSHAM platform links budget, accounting and payment systems on a single dashboard. The anniversary event included an exhibition tracing the department’s history from 1747 to its present digital avatar.