Modernisation of the Army in Dire Straits
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SEE PAge 19 April-May 2018 Volume 15 No. 2 `100.00 (India-Based Buyer Only) DEFEXPO 2018 SPECIAL Latest EDITION Visit us @ AN SP GUIDE P UBLICATION Hall 6 SP’s Stall 6.2.10 Reserve Your Own Copies, Now! [email protected] www.spsmilitaryyearbook.com WWW.SPSLANDFORCES.COM ROUNDUP THE ONLY MAGAZINE IN ASIA-PACIFIC DEDICATED TO LAND FORCES IN THIS ISSUE >> LEAD STORY PHOTOGRAPH: SP Guide Pubns PAGE 4 Army Combat Capabilities Curtailed despite Indian Army’s T-90 battle tank Alarming Security Challenges The standing Committee noted that allocations made for the Services are “not supportive to the inevitable needs of the Army, with “huge deficiencies and obsolescence of weapons, stores and ammunition existing in Indian Army”. Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd) PAGE 6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Indian Army Increasingly capable UAVs, both in the combat and reconnaissance roles, are carving their own niche. Lt General V.K. Kapoor (Retd) PAGE 10 Turning Night into Day: Electro-optical Systems and Programmes Modernisation of the The EO sighting systems will provide all weather surveillance and targeting sights for small arms, armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), artillery guns and missile systems. Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) Army in Dire Straits PAGE 11 Selection of Small Arms After more than a decade of complete neglect under UPA I & II it was expected In last two months, India has re-started the process of replacing its arsenal of small that military modernisation would pick up under the new NDA Government. arms, however going by past experience, However even after nearly four years of NDA rule, the ground situation remains replacemants on the ground seem distant. Rohit Srivastava gloomy and unimpressive. PAGE 14 Interview LT GENERAL V.K. KAPOOR (RETD) General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who took during that period, it was expected that mili- Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director, over as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on tary modernisation would pick up under Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd. T MAY BE RECOLLECTED that on August 1, 2014, said in an interview in the NDA Government. However the defence 12 March 2012, General V.K. Singh, January 2016, i.e. four years after General forces were in for a surprise because for nearly the then Chief of Army Staff, in a V.K. Singh’s letter, that “making up of the three and a half years of NDA rule, from PAGE 15 letter to the then Prime Minister critical deficiencies in weapons and equip- May 2014 to February 2018 while reviews DMS Boots to the Officer Mess Parties, Manmohan Singh, had expressed his ment is on fast track.” He identified the defi- and assessments were carried, much hyped Actor Rannvijay Singha Tells You What Ianguish and frustration regarding the ciencies and obsolescence of same weapon declarations made, but the ground situa- Shapes a ‘Fauji Brat’ eroding operational capabilities of his systems. Thus it became obvious, that noth- tion remained the same. Lack lustre defence MTV Roadies winner goes down the memory one million strong force. He request- ing had been done by the defence ministry, budgets over three years gave no hope to the lane with his experiences in the cantonment. ed that suitable directions be given to in the intervening period of four years. If three Service Chiefs that the modernisation Arpita Kala the ministry of defence to enhance the we go back in time the same situation was of their respective Services would receive the Army’s preparedness. He blamed the existed during the entire period of UPA rule. attention that it deserved despite greater the PAGE 18 long-winded arms procurement process challenges facing the nation. Many Defence Defence Services Asia 2018 — and the recalcitrant bureaucracy for it. More Than Two Decades of Disregard Acquisition Council (DAC) clearances were A Curtain Raiser He also pointed out to the large deficien- and Neglect given in respect of each Service but those Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd) cies in essential ammunition, voids and After more than a decade of neglect under who know the system will tell you what little obsolescence in essential weaponry as the two UPA regimes, who had foisted one of impact these clearance have if the Political PLUS well as critical surveillance and night- the weakest and most clueless defence minis- will to move forward is lacking which is what News in Brief 18 fighting capabilities. ters, A.K. Antony on the Ministry of Defence, is being experienced year after year. 2/2018 SP’s LAND FORCES 1 >> LEAD STORY from, however the present gov- siderably. However for political down in their assignments in the defence that there is no sepa- ernment too has not shown alac- considerations he was moved to short time available before their rate allocation for this. “So, this rity in this field that was expected Goa. The current defence minis- superannuation. money is also to be found from of them. The armed forces have ter is making all efforts to ame- We are aware that the pres- the same Budget leaving us with always considered the BJP gov- liorate the existing adverse situa- ent Chief of Army Staff is trying no choice but to re-prioritise, ernments to have greater nation- tion but as we have stated earlier his best to moderate the induc- either to reduce our requirement alistic fervour and therefore the it will take many years before we tion of new arms and equipment as far as the security of military lack of understanding shown see changes at ground level. in a manner that results in mani- stations are concerned or to go by them has caused dismay in I must point out that the Army festation of operational efficiency slow on some other acquisition,” the military circles. The lack of as a service must accept its on the ground in the shortest he told the Committee. So how modernisation especially in the share of blame for making unre- possible time frame, especially is perimeter security of army/ army is alarming. From the sol- alistic qualitative requirements in operational sectors on the line defence installations, some of diers basic weapons compris- such as the one made for the of control and the line of actual which have been attacked in the The recent revelations of the ing assault rifles and carbinesassault rifle with the requirementcontrol (LoC and LAC) opposite recent past, going to be achieved Standing Parliamentary Com- to more sophisticated weaponry of two types of barrels, 5.56 mm Pakistan and China respectively without additional funds? This mittee on defence regarding the like the anti tank guided missiles, and 7.62mm to cater for different and we wish him and the govern- sorry state of affairs of regard- shortages/voids and obsoles- light observation and surveil- operational scenarios which has ment all the best in achieving this ing adequate allocation of funds, EDITORIAL cent equipment in the army has lance helicopters and field- artilinordinately delayed the induc- vital aim as soon as possible. modernisation and stores/equip- caused consternation among lery, nearly every weapon held tion of a suitable assault rifle. There is an oft repeated ment deficiency issues need to the public. While this was well by the army has become obso- In this regard our advice is that phrase being seen in the print be addressed at the highest lev- known among the political lead- lete and needs replacement. only general officers who are media these days in which it is els of the government in an expe- ers, senior government func- Considering the strength of our from equipment oriented arms being stated that adequate finan- ditious manner. tionaries (bureaucracy) as well army the political leaders must such as the armoured corps, cial powers have been delegated Happy reading and meet you as the media, however we are understand that if the modernisa- mechanised infantry and artil- to the Vice Chiefs to procure all at Hall 6 Stall 6.2.10. constrained to say that none of tion is neglected year after year lery should be considered for the urgently needed ammunition, them had considered the issue the stage will come where even if appointment of Deputy Chief of equipment and stores. Moreover seriously in the past and nor was it want sto procure new weapons Army Staff (Policy and Systems) he has now also been delegated there an informed debate on the from abroad or manufacture them who deals on equipment matters powers to spend `14,097 crore TV channels. indigenously it will not take less with all line directorates and the for strengthening ‘perimeter While we can blame the pre- than a decade. Former Defence Weapons and Equipment direc- security’ of army establishments vious UPA I and II Governments Minister Manohar Parrikar to his torate. Generally infantry officers across the country. Lt General for the neglect by A.K. Antony, credit, did try to rectify the situa- are not suited for this assignment Sarath Chand told the Stand- the two term Defence Minister tion which had deteriorated con- and would find it difficult to settle ing Parliamentary Committee on Lt General V.K. Kapoor (Retd) After the move of the erstwhile Defence defence minister. This was especially galling rated fronts. Thus seeing the writing on the What Ails the Ministry of Defence? Minister, Manohar Parrikar to Goa as the in view of the army’s continued involvement wall, the Minister reacted with a number of If one was to ask what ails the MoD and Chief Minister, an interim inactive period of in day to day counter terrorist and counter DAC clearances, in respect of Small Arms why is the modernisation process so slow about six months of dual-hatted tenure of insurgency operations in Jammu and Kash- of the Army.