Panel raps MoD for shortages

We expect to induct these guns in a year and a half, the ministry told the panel

After discussing shortages in critical ammunition and armaments of the armed forces that came into focus after Army Chief General V K Singhs letter to the Prime Minister was leaked,the parliamentary panel on defence has pulled up the government saying that there is an urgent need to build defence capabilities to face the worst scenario of a two-front war.

Taking note of a detailed presentation made by armed forces officers and the Defence Ministry,the panel has said that procurements need to be undertaken on a fast-track mode,specially to meet the ammunition needs of the Army.

The panel was told that critical areas where shortages exist are tank ammunition,artillery guns,helicopters and anti-air guns. In his presentation before the committee,Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen S K Singh revealed that critical anti-tank AFSPDS shells are in short supply and 66,000 rounds of the ammunition are currently being procured through imports.

Detailing the shortages,Singh said,In cases like infantry ammunition we are all right,it is about 70 per cent. In armour ammunition we are 40 per cent. In the artillery,the problem is with one item,that is the electronic fuse.

While admitting that large shortages existed in artillery where acquisitions have been stalled for over two decades,the ministry told the panel that the Ordnance Factory Board had recently upgraded the calibre of the Bofors gun from 39 to 45 and the the test firing in Balasore last month has been successful.

We expect to induct these guns in a year and a half, the ministry told the panel.

The panel has rapped the government for critical shortages in the aviation assets of the Army. It has said that in comparison to the sanctioned strength,the Army is short of 19 Cheetah/Chetak helicopters,76 advanced light helicopters and 60 armed choppers.

Story continues below this ad

Noting that the blacklisting of defence companies have limited options of the armed forces specially in anti-aircraft guns and artillery ammunition the panel has said that a solution needs to be found as the rarest technologies are getting blacklisted.

On shortages in the Air Force,the panel was told that against the sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons,the Air Force is operating only 34 and even this number is likely to reduce to 31 over the next five years as older aircraft will retire from service.