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Army budget cut by Rs 4500cr, says chief
SUJAN DUTTA
Dalbir Singh
New Delhi, Jan. 13: Army chief General Dalbir Singh today admitted that his force will have to do with Rs 4,500 crore less for modernisation this year even as he said he had identified seven major projects as "critical requirements".
The Telegraph had reported on Tuesday that the government had ordered that the capital outlay for the army, navy and the air force be slashed by Rs 13,000 crore in the current fiscal.
Purchases of new weapons are made with funds from the capital budget. The government has told the forces that Rs 13,000 crore should be cut from the capital budget and be "re-appropriated" for revenue expenditure. Revenue outlays go mostly into payment of salaries and pensions.
"There are a number of projects but sometimes these things happen in the beginning of the year," he said when asked if the cut would take a toll on modernisation. He said the army's share of the cut would be about Rs 4,500 crore.
Earlier, at a press conference - an annual event of the army chief in the week leading to Army Day (January 15) - Gen. Singh said: "We are facing challenges and there is a need to modernise our army as well as enhance our capabilities."
He said the army has a list of about 100 different kinds of equipment that it needed. He had pared down the list to 20 types of equipment that were to be accorded priority. Of these, seven types had been identified as "critical requirements".
At the top of the list of critical requirements is heavy artillery guns of the 155mm/52cal category, not one of which has been bought since the Bofors 28 years ago.
The other platforms on the list of "critical requirements" are helicopters, upgradation of tanks and armoured personnel carriers, assault rifles, bulletproof jackets and helmets and night vision devices for the infantry and the mechanised forces.
"Our focus today is on the northern borders (mostly with China), because there is a large capability gap that exists in the infrastructure. Raising of (a new) mountain strike corps is progressing as per the time lines. With its raising, there will be a significant enhancement in our capability," Gen. Singh added.
The items in the list of "critical requirements", he said, were being put on a fast-track for procurement. "Considerable effort is also being made to make up the deficiency in weapons and ammunitions," he added.
The army chief said it was important to demarcate the Line of Actual Control with China.
"The very fact that the Prime Minister has suggested to China to clarify (the LAC) is a reflection that it is definitely the first step towards the resolution of the border dispute," he said. Gen. Singh described the Indian policy on the frontier with China as "constructive engagement".
Army budget cut by Rs 4500cr, says chief
SUJAN DUTTA
Dalbir Singh
New Delhi, Jan. 13: Army chief General Dalbir Singh today admitted that his force will have to do with Rs 4,500 crore less for modernisation this year even as he said he had identified seven major projects as "critical requirements".
The Telegraph had reported on Tuesday that the government had ordered that the capital outlay for the army, navy and the air force be slashed by Rs 13,000 crore in the current fiscal.
Purchases of new weapons are made with funds from the capital budget. The government has told the forces that Rs 13,000 crore should be cut from the capital budget and be "re-appropriated" for revenue expenditure. Revenue outlays go mostly into payment of salaries and pensions.
"There are a number of projects but sometimes these things happen in the beginning of the year," he said when asked if the cut would take a toll on modernisation. He said the army's share of the cut would be about Rs 4,500 crore.
Earlier, at a press conference - an annual event of the army chief in the week leading to Army Day (January 15) - Gen. Singh said: "We are facing challenges and there is a need to modernise our army as well as enhance our capabilities."
He said the army has a list of about 100 different kinds of equipment that it needed. He had pared down the list to 20 types of equipment that were to be accorded priority. Of these, seven types had been identified as "critical requirements".
At the top of the list of critical requirements is heavy artillery guns of the 155mm/52cal category, not one of which has been bought since the Bofors 28 years ago.
The other platforms on the list of "critical requirements" are helicopters, upgradation of tanks and armoured personnel carriers, assault rifles, bulletproof jackets and helmets and night vision devices for the infantry and the mechanised forces.
"Our focus today is on the northern borders (mostly with China), because there is a large capability gap that exists in the infrastructure. Raising of (a new) mountain strike corps is progressing as per the time lines. With its raising, there will be a significant enhancement in our capability," Gen. Singh added.
The items in the list of "critical requirements", he said, were being put on a fast-track for procurement. "Considerable effort is also being made to make up the deficiency in weapons and ammunitions," he added.
The army chief said it was important to demarcate the Line of Actual Control with China.
"The very fact that the Prime Minister has suggested to China to clarify (the LAC) is a reflection that it is definitely the first step towards the resolution of the border dispute," he said. Gen. Singh described the Indian policy on the frontier with China as "constructive engagement".
Army budget cut by Rs 4500cr, says chief
