New Delhi [India], August 22 (ANI): In a major boost to defence forces, the government has allowed them to buy critical weapon systems for their operational requirements through an emergency procurement route.

Modi government is inching quite fast toward becoming one of the best forces in the world and taking all critical decisions to smoothen the procurement for armed forces by allowing defence forces to acquire critical equipment under emergency acquisition powers. Under this, Indian forces can acquire any new or in-service equipment on a fast-track basis without the Ministry of Defence’s approval.

In the last few years, the government has implemented many reforms in order to modernize, rationalize, and augment the capabilities of the armed forces. The appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was one of the biggest reforms by the government that was pending for more than 2 decades.

The armed forces have to spend funds on the new acquisitions from their own budgetary allocation and they don’t have to take the defence ministry’s approval for these deals, the sources said.

The defence forces have strengthened their preparedness through these acquisitions in the past when emergency powers were granted to them.

The Indian Air Force and the Army received ‘Heron’ unmanned aerial vehicles which have now been deployed for surveillance in Ladakh as well as in the northeast for keeping an eye on Chinese activities.

The forces have also got missiles that can hit ground targets from long ranges. The Rafale fighter jets have also received a boost with the induction of the HAMMER missiles which can hit hardened ground targets like bunkers from a long distance.

The Army and the IAF also used these powers to strengthen their small arms as the Sig Sauer assault rifles have been inducted into all three forces now.

Indian armed forces extensively utilized the emergency procurement powers granted to them in different phases by the government to equip themselves with the necessary weaponry to handle any conflict or aggression by enemies on both sides.

The armed forces have a long list of equipment to buy and will use the powers to buy both indigenous as well as foreign manufactured products.

CDS Dilemma

The biggest hindrance in uniting the power of all three Armed forces in one military officer was believed to be dangerous for democracy. It is seen that wherever there is all the military power contained in one military officer, there are high chances of a military coup in that country.

But the development of hybrid warfare and the mature functioning of our democracy provided a conducive ground for the creation of the post of CDS. With effective checks and balances in the decision-making power, it was ensured that the three defence forces stimulate their functionality according to the modern security threats.

The much-needed military reforms were operationalized in the form of tri-service integration and coordination, and the equipment acquisition process was shaped by the first CDS, General Bipin Rawat. He emphasized  ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) and also suggested that the development of arms and ammunition should be done indigenously to really transform India into a global superpower. It cannot be done if one nation is dependent on others for its defence requirements.

Fifth Generation Warfare

He was of the view that fifth-generation wars will be asymmetric and fought across entire spectrums, including land, air, sea, cyber, information, and economy; which we can already see in the Ukraine-Russia crisis. General Rawat aligning with the modern warfare system set up five theatre commands to combine army, air force, and naval assets and create a joint combat unit. Once operationalized, these commands will replace the current 17 service-specific commands.

The operationalization of theatre commands started during the border stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh in mid-2020. The Army and Air Force pressed into service their assets like the Akash missile system and Su-30 fighter aircraft during the long stand-off, and the Navy deployed gunboats and P8I maritime patrol aircraft for surveillance at Pangong Tso.

Previously, on 16th September, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the new office complexes as a part of the Central Vista Project. More than 7,000 defence ministry officers and staff will be shifting into brand new offices at Africa Avenue and Kasturba Gandhi Marg, finally relieving them from the existing decades-old workplaces from the pre-Independence era.

Moreover, the armed personnel in all three forces of the country viz. army, navy, and air force will now formally be appointed as additional secretaries and joint secretaries in the Ministry of Defence.

According to a report by The Print, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, appointed Lt Gen. Anil Puri as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). Maj. Gen. K. Narayanan, Rear Admiral Kapil Mohan Dhir, and Air Vice Marshal Hardeep Bains have been appointed as joint secretaries in the DMA.

The office complexes situated at Africa Avenue will be scattered across four blocks and offers a space of 5.08 lakh square feet while the KG Marg set up has three blocks and an office area of 4.52 lakh square feet. Both the complexes together will have parking spaces for 1,500 cars. Instead of being spread out in various hutments and old buildings (A, B, E, G, H, J, L& M Block, Plot No 30 and Plot No.108 and Jodhpur House), co-location of these buildings will ensure higher efficiency and working. The new buildings will be based on modern amenities, and connectivity and will also have welfare facilities like canteens and banks. The construction of the new complexes did not involve uprooting trees, according to an official.

Despite the opposition’s baseless allegation against the Central Vista project, the whole nation is looking forward to this magnificent work of Indian architecture based on advanced and modern amenities, breaking the shackles of the colonial era.

Ordnance Factory Board problem

For delivery of state-of-art defence equipment, Central Government decided to corporatize Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Headquartered in Kolkata, OFB is said to be among the oldest and most inefficient organizations in the world. A white elephant of the Nehruvian economy, it employs more than 80,000 people in 41 ordnance factories, 13 ordnance R&D centers, and nine ordnance institutes of learning.

Often called the “fourth arm of defence”, it is disliked by the rest of the three arms- Army, Navy, and Air Force- due to the production of inefficient weapons and untimely delivery process. The Armed forces are often forced to procure some low-skilled arms and ammunition from Ordnance factories because it has no other buyer given inefficient and sub-standard products.

These reforms, implemented over the last 8 years, coupled with Agnipath Scheme, will not only modernize the armed forces but also prepare them for a two-front war that India could face anytime from its two hostile neighbors on the eastern and western borders.

References:

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