DELHI – India taking steps to ensure the preparedness of its armed forces has inked a number of ’emergency’ arms deals worth 200 billion Indian Rupees (INR) over the past two or three months, Times of India reported on Monday.
Defence ministry sources said the purpose of the deals was to ensure that India’s armed forces can carry out intense fighting for at least 10 days without worrying about ammunition, spares and other reserves, the Indian newspaper stated.
The authorities have expedited the efforts to conclude new contracts, especially with Russia, Israel and France after the Uri army base attack in September 2016.
The Indian Air Force has inked 43 contracts worth more than 92 billion INR for ammunition and spares for fighter jets such as the Sukoi-30MKIs, Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s, transport ircraft like the IL-76s, and mid-air refuellers like the IL-78s and Phalcon AWACS, it added.
The Indian army has signed around 10 contracts worth over Rs 58 billion with Russian companies alone. These include engines and 125mm APFSDS (armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot) ammunition for its T-90S and T-72 tanks to Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles and Smerch rockets.
Earlier, a soldier of the Indian army, which is currently busy in buying arms, posted along the India-Pakistan border has pointed fingers at appalling working conditions blaming the high level of corruption in the Army.
The paramilitary soldier, who identified himself as Tej Bahadur Yadav of Border Security Force (BSF) accused senior officials of massive corruption that has forced soldiers to starve.
Yadav posted a couple of videos on Facebook showing the deplorable circumstances in which jawans are discharging their duties without being provided proper meals.
