Page 65 - NIS-English 16-31 May 2022
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Duty
Towards Duty
Towards
Path
Path
REVAMPING Years
Years
THE DEFENCE SECTOR
he image of the Ministry of Defence in India had been built over the years as a gigantic
organization that was lacking adeptness and working at a tardy pace. This ministry not only
Thandles the defence of the country but also the administration of a huge army (Army, Navy,
Air Force, and Coast Guard) with about 15 lakh soldiers. This ministry traditionally receives the
highest allocation in the budget. Amidst these challenges, a new government was sworn in under
the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. For several decades the issue of building
defence capabilities was largely ignored which has to be given attention on a priority basis. The
government took the initiative of Make in India in defence production and at the same time gave key
priority to the construction of necessary infrastructure for the army to counter external exigencies...
DEFENCE PROCUREMENT POLICY GIVES
LEVERAGE TO SWADESHI
The announcement of the Defence Procurement Approval for purchase of India was among
Policy 2016 was the first step toward bringing about indigenous Tejas at the top
a fundamental change in the procurement of defence
equipment in the country. This policy itself acts as `48,000 25
a guide. As per its provisions Indian companies, Crore. To strengthen the exporters for the first
which envisage and develop defence products in Air Force, 36 Rafale were time.
the country and are capable of producing them here, purchased from France.
should be given priority while buying equipment and
weapons for the three armies of the country. So far, 3
lists of a total of 310 defence products/systems have
been issued, the import of which will be restricted and It was decided to buy 36 Rafale aircraft from
purchased within the country. India has earmarked France. By February 2022, 35 of these aircraft
68 per cent of its capital procurement budget for the have reached India. Their squadrons have been
defence sector for the domestic industry. deployed at Ambala and Hasimara airbases.
TAKING CARE OF EVERY NEED...
The next step for the Ministry of Defence was
to identify those important schemes in the three
services, which required immediate funding and
implementation. For example, the work of procuring
50,000 bulletproof jackets was done on a fast track
basis as there was an acute shortage of bulletproof
jackets for the jawans deployed in counter-terrorism
and anti-infiltration operations. The helmets which are
very important for the safety of the soldiers were not
available to them in adequate numbers. The work of
buying helmets for the soldiers was started after
a long gap of almost two decades. The
deal, worth about Rs 180 crore,
was entrusted to a Kanpur-
based company, MKU
Industries, to manufacture
1.58 lakh helmets. After the
surgical strikes on Pakistan
New India Samachar May 16-31, 2022 63