In a major decision, the Defence Ministry has empowered Vice Chief of Army Staff to sanction weapon purchase of up to Rs 40,000 crore without any approval from Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). This is aimed at expediting weapon acquisition, which is often delayed by bureaucratic red tape and political considerations.
Faced with “hollowness” (shortage) of critical ammunition and spare parts, a review of procurements was undertaken in the wake of terrorist attack on an Army camp in Uri on September 19 last year in which 19 soldiers were killed. The Indian Army later carried out surgical strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).
The study found that the Army lacked the capability to fight a short intense war ranging from 10 to 40 days wherein entire military might is used.
Taking note of this “hollowness” in terms of shortage of ammunition for the entire range of weapons and spare parts for armament like tanks, infantry combat vehicles and others, the Government in September had sanctioned emergency powers to the Vice Chief for three months to fill the gaps. The period was then extended for another three months in January this year in which the Army signed 19 contracts with 11 of them for procuring ammunition alone for long-range artillery guns, mortars and bullets for infantry soldiers using rifles, machine guns and related weaponry, officials said on Wednesday.
These contracts are worth over Rs 12,000 crore, besides Rs 8,000 crore worth emergency procurement for the IAF and Navy. Most of the contracts were inked with companies of Russia, Israel and France. Not satisfied with the ad-hoc approach, the Centre decided to grant permanent powers to the Vice Chief to buy weapons without prior sanction for critical items and the notification for the same was issued earlier this week, they said.
The IAF and Navy will also get the same powers, they added.
Terming this decision as a “leap of faith” by the Government by entrusting the procurement powers, officials said the Army at present faces shortage in 46 types of ammunition, including artillery and tanks and ten types of critical spares.
These spare parts are for tanks, infantry combat vehicles and engineering regiments which build bridges during war. The Army uses 22 types of armament ranging from main battle tanks to trucks ferrying soldiers to the war front. Similarly, more than half a dozen types of mines for attacking or defending are also needed on an urgent basis, they said.
While stressing the point that the Vice Chief can now straightway procure these critical items without prior approval to cut down delay, sources, however, clarified that the sanctioned money will be used within the budgetary constraints.
The contracts signed by the Army after Uri attack include armour piercing ammunition for T-90 and T-72 tanks, anti-tank guided missiles and fortified rockets for Smerch multi-barrel rocket launchers.
The then Army Chief General V K Singh in a letter to the Government in 2012 had flagged the issue of shortage of ammunition and related issues which led to furore in Parliament.