Need funds to buy ammo, take on China, Pak: Army
GRIM PICTURE Tells panel threat of twofront war real but limited funds hampering capability NEWDELHI:
The army has painted a very grim picture of its financial status, saying it does not have sufficient money to make emergency purchase planned after the Pathankot and Uri terror strikes, procure ammunition and build strategic roads along the Chinese border.
Setting off alarm bells about how a lack of funds was crippling its capabilities, the army told a Parliamentary panel that the threat of a two-front war with Pakistan and China was real and it was crucial to pay attention to the military’s modernisation and plugging yawning gaps in capabilities.
A series of reports tabled in Parliament on Tuesday revealed that an allocation of ₹21,338 crore for modernisation was barely enough for the committed payment of ₹29,033 crore for 125 ongoing schemes and emergency procurements.
There’s also a shortfall of ₹6,380 crore to build up ammunition stocks for fighting 10 days of intense war.
Army’s vice chief Lieutenant General Sarath Chand told the panel, “Budget of 2018-19 has dashed our hopes and most of what has been achieved has actually received a little setback. The marginal increase in budgetary estimates barely accounts for inflation and does not even cater for taxes.”
The army told the panel that the military should get its due and more attention should be paid to it, stressing that the armies of Pakistan and China were modernising at a very swift pace.
The army told the panel that it was saddled with old weapons and systems — 68 % of its equipment is vintage, 24% current and only 8% state of the art. It also said there was not enough allocation to buy ammunition, spares and armament after the Pathankot, Nagrota and Uri terror strikes.
Also, it has emerged that the army is short of ₹902 crore to build strategic roads along the Chinese border.
Only 14% of the army budget goes into modernisation and it should be around 25%, the panel was told.
“The threat perception has been ever increasing... we have the Doklam issue going on and China has become increasingly assertive. We have seen more and more patrolling and transgressions.
Activities in Tibet has also increased over a period of years whether it is the quantum of troops or whether it is the number of personnel undertaking the exercises and also the level of exercises,” an army representative told the panel, making a strong case for pushing modernisation.