New Delhi- India inks arms and ammunition deals worth Rs. 200 billion for Armed Forces
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NEW DELHI: India has inked ammunition deals worth Rs200 billion in the last few months, an attempt to make its army ready to go to war on a short notice.
According to a report published in Times of India, the aim to strengthen the backup is to guarantee that the Indian armed forces can battle for upto 10 days without running out their ammunition stock. The pace for purchasing the ammunition, primarily from Russia, Israel and France, was set in motion after a terror attack took place in Uri on September 18.
The emergency purchases will save the need for Indian armed forces to present long lists of requirements to their government after every major terror strike, the report said.
The budget may not have allocated much for the new military modernisation projects as a major portion of the Rs864.88 billion capital outlay was earmarked for “committed liabilities”. However, the armed forces of India are focused on ensuring service and availability of weapons.
For instance, the Indian Armed Forces have signed 43 contracts worth over Rs92 billion for ammunition and spares for its fighters like Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, Dassault Mirage 2000s, transport aircraft like Ilyushin IL-76s, mid-air refuellers like IL78s and the Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWCS).
Around 10 contracts worth over Rs58 billion have been inked with Russian companies alone. The range from engines and 125mm armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot ammunition for its T-90 and T-72 tanks to Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles and Smerch rockets.
The new contracts for rockets, missiles, tanks and ammunition have been signed as the 1.3-million-strong army does not even have one-third of its authorised war wastage reserves for 40 days of intense fighting, Times of India reported.
The operational norms suggest the war wastage reserve should do for 30 days of intense and the same number of days for normal fighting. However, the Indian army does not have such reserves.
