‘NO SHORTAGE OF WEAPONS IN ARMY’
ALLAHABAD: Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Friday that the armed force is not facing any shortage of arms and it can give a befitting reply to the country’s enemies, contrary to claims of the top government auditor that its ammunition stock was in a critical level and will exhaust within 10 days. “We have to keep modernising weapons and arms as the technology is upgrading and we are trying to bring in new and modernised ones in our army,” General Rawat told reporters in Varanasi.
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat said on Friday that the armed force is not facing any shortage of arms and it can give a befitting reply to the country’s enemies, contrary to claims of the top government auditor that its ammunition stock was in a critical level and will exhaust within 10 days.
“We have to keep modernising weapons and arms as the technology is upgrading and we are trying to bring in new and modernised ones in our army,” General Rawat told reporters in Varanasi after attending the bicentenary celebration of 9 Gorkha Rifles at 39 Gorkha Training Centre. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said there was a critical shortage of ammunition in the army in its report in July and that 55% ammunition used by the force would not last long to meet the minimum operational requirements.
It added that for the remaining 45%, the army has stock which could be put to use for a maximum of 10 days in case of an “intense war.
The general also said incidents of stone pelting have come down significantly in Jammu and Kashmir and security forces are making all efforts to maintain normalcy in the restive state.
“The army, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Jammu and Kashmir police are working together in the state. Solution to this can’t be achieved overnight,” General Rawat said.
“The government, intelligence agencies, state administration all are making efforts. Will be successful if things go in this direction, can say this with belief,” he added.
General Rawat arrived in the temple town on Thursday afternoon and witnessed the Ganga aarti in the evening. He paid tribute to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the war memorial at 39 Gorkha Training Centre (GTC) where the bi-centenary celebration of Gorkha Rifles began on Thursday.
He offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple on Friday morning.
We have to keep modernising weapons and arms as the technology is upgrading
GEN BIPIN RAWAT, army chief