Army’s non-operational manpower and infrastructure will be downsized: Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister

NEW DELHI: The NDA government plans to slash the non-operational "flab" of the 1.18-million strong Army after a detailed review, both in terms of manpower as well as infrastructure, to ensure a cost-effective and leaner force with a better teeth-to-tail ratio.

Talking exclusively to TOI before he left for J&K and Siachen on Friday, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said there was "an urgent need for some downsizing in areas which are not of operational importance" due to budgetary constraints.

"The flab will be reviewed and removed... there is a requirement to re-think all aspects for a drawdown. The money saved can go towards the new mountain strike corps (MSC)," said Parrikar.

Though the minister did not go into specifics, the axe could for instance fall on the "sahayak" (orderly) system for officers or the practice of deploying soldiers for escort duties or to man unit-run canteens, all of which are often blatantly misused in violation of rules.

But the Army can take solace from the fact that Parrikar said he had imposed just a "temporary, not permanent, freeze" on the ongoing raising of the MSC, the 17 Corps, which the force feels is critical for acquiring the "requisite deterrence" against China along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control.



The previous UPA regime had approved the raising of the 17 Corps, with 90,274 soldiers, at a cost of Rs 64,678 crore over seven years. "I agree the MSC is a necessity. I have not cancelled it. But I have put a temporary stop to it. The previous UPA government arbitrarily approved it without any fund allocation or proper planning," said Parrikar.

"It's downsizing of the plan, not the MSC itself. The 37,000 troops already inducted need infrastructure, arms and equipment, which are currently being drawn from our reserves since the previous government made no arrangements," he said.

After the review to make the Army a leaner and meaner force, the government will reconsider the entire MSC plan. "The freeze will remain until I can make arrangements to address its needs. I will first make financial provisions and then come back for completion of the task," he added.

It was in January 2014 that the Army had kicked off the raising of the 17 Corps -- which is supposed to have its permanent headquarters in Panagarh (West Bengal) -- to build "quick-reaction ground offensive capabilities" against China.

With two new infantry divisions geared for high-altitude warfare as well as armoured, artillery, air defence, engineer brigades spread from Ladakh to Sikkim, the 17 Corps was slated to be fully in place by 2018-2019.

As of now, one division and its associated units have been raised, with a couple of T-72 tank regiments also being placed in Ladakh as well as Sikkim.