NEW DELHI – Faced with an acute shortage of funds, the Indian governmentdecided to cut down on the war reserves enough to fight short-intense warlasting not more than ten days.
Top sources in the Ministry of Defence told India Today that the on-goingArmy Commanders Conference – a bi-annual conference of Army commanderschaired by the Indian Army Chief that decides on the future course ofaction – will discuss this grim situation.
However, even cutting down on purchases of expensive items anddiscontinuing the spares for vintage items will not be enough for theIndian Army, according to its own estimates.
The commanders will be told that by cutting down on buying expensive itemsand spares for vintage platform, the force will be able to save between Rs600 crore and Rs 800 crore over the next three financial years.
But desperate measures will still leave them with a short-fall of criticalammunition requirement of about 15 to 25 per cent.
The Army commanders are likely to consider moving the government foradditional funds, top sources indicated.
The three services – the Army, the Navy and the Air Force – were mandatedto be ready to fight a 40-day war and, therefore, be equipped accordingly.
The items that the Indian Army has identified to be expensive include heavymultiple rocket launchers that are used to destroy artillery batteries,command post of the enemy, anti-tank weapons and specialised mines used inbattlefields.
India Today is aware of the exact nature of the weapon systems but is notpublishing the specifications for security reasons.
It must be noted that the stock of these items, currently, is not enough tofight a ten-day war. However, the Army commanders will be told to considernot to consider buying more of these items in order to save costs.
The Army commanders will also consider whether they should altogether stopbuying spares for a certain type of air defence missile and certain type ofhigh-mobility vehicles to transport machinery, which are considered to bevintage.
The shortage of critical ammunition and spares has been an issue of concernfor the Indian Army. Recently, a Parliamentary committee had urged theMinistry of Defence to ensure that the allocations to the forces besuitably enhanced at the revised estimate stage so as to enable them tomeet the requirements of highest level of operational readiness.