Army to plug operational gaps in modernization plan

NEW DELHI: The Army is finally cranking up its modernization drive, with around 680 procurement projects worth over Rs 2 lakhcrore for the 12th Plan (2012-17) period, to plug operational gaps as well as ensure "capability development" along both the western and eastern fronts.


With the 1.13-million Army lagging far behind the much smaller IAF and Navy in terms of modernization, General Bikram Singh has pressed the throttle hard to usher in several systemic procurement changes to ensure the force manages to overcome "operational hollowness" within strict deadlines.

The steps range from "in-house refinements", "streamlining of the procurement process" and high-powered monitoring to detailed action plans, "prioritization and periodic re-casting of acquisition plans", say officers.

The Army certainly has a lot of catching up to do. It has been grappling with ill-equipped infantry battalions, tanks running out of ammunition, lack of modern 155mm howitzers, night-blindness, obsolete air defence weapons, aging helicopters and the like for several years now.

The Army's inept management of projects, the defence ministry's cumbersome defence procurement policy and last Army chief Gen V K Singh's messy battle with the government, all had combined to stall the modernization drive.

"But with streamlining of capital procurement procedures over the last one year, things are moving now. In the 2012-2013 fiscal, 29 contracts worth about Rs 7,000 crore were inked. We will do even better this year...four contracts have already been concluded," said a senior officer.

Gen Bikram Singh has identified 31 of the 680 projects as "Priority-I", which include assault rifles, howitzers, bullet-proof jackets, tank/artillery ammunition and missiles. The around Rs 10,000 crore project for induction of 1,78,000 new-generation assault rifles, with interchangeable barrels for conventional warfare and counter-insurgency operations, for instance, is being finalized.

The first 65,000 rifles will be imported from the selected foreign vendor, with the rest being manufactured by Ordnance Factory Board. In the backdrop of almost 50% of the global tenders or RFPs ( request for proposals) being recalled earlier for "faulty" technical parameters, the Army is trying to ensure "realistic, unambiguous and implementable" GSQRs (general staff qualitative requirements) for new weapon systems are drawn up. An important reform is the establishment of "trial cells" in the six operational commands to ensure field trials of weapons can be conducted in "a swift, coordinated and transparent manner".

"The overall effort is fast-track files and projects. Organizational re-structuring of the Perspective Planning and Weapons & Equipment directorates is also being done. A Higher Forum headed by the vice-chief monitors all modernization proposals every month," said an officer.

Gen Bikram Singh is also pushing hard for the early approval of the proposed mountain strike corps (around 40,000 troops), which will be headquartered at Panagarh in West Bengal, to plug gaps as well as get some ground offensive capabilities against China. The project will cost around Rs 81,000 crore spread primarily over the 12th Plan period, with some spillover into the 13th Plan if necessary, as reported earlier.