** Defence stocks .NIFTYINDDEFENCE extend gains by 0.7% after India unveiled a new framework to streamline, simplify and rationalise procurement processes for armed forces
** Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday approved the Defence Procurement Manual, outlining key rules and procedures for all revenue procurements covering an estimated 1 trillion rupees for the current financial year
** Revenue procurement pertains to day-to-day spending for operational needs
** A 0.1% delay penalty will apply after prototype development, with a cap of 5%, rising to 10% only for major delays, encouraging timely but sincere efforts. No levies in development phase
** 13 out of the 18 constituents on the subindex were trading in the green, lead by Paras Defence PRAF.NS which was up 4.5%
** Cochin Shipyard COCH.NS, Astra Micro ASTM.NS and Cyient DLM CYIT.NS up between 2% and 2.6%
** YTD, defence stocks up 24%, outperforming Nifty 50's .NSEI 6% climb
(Reporting by Urvi Dugar)
((UrviManoj.Dugar@thomsonreuters.com))