New Delhi: With Modi 3.0 sworn in, the defence sector will continue to be a key focus area with three mega deals set to be inked in the next year besides the biggest military reform in the history of India.
The major defence-related decision to be taken this month is the selection of the new Army chief.
The government took everyone by surprise in May by giving a month’s extension to Army chief General Manoj Pande, according him a rare continuity in office despite having reached the age of retirement.
While vice-chief Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi could still be chosen by the new government since he is the senior-most, others whose names were also sent to the Cabinet Committee on Appointments are strong contenders.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the first mega deal that is likely to get the green light from the ministry is the procurement of 100 additional K-9 Vajra howitzers. The decision on this could be taken as early as this month. The Army’s plan is to eventually have 300 of these guns.
The Vajras were initially procured keeping the requirement in deserts and plains in mind. However, they were tweaked for high-altitude operations when the crisis with China began in 2020. Some of them were deployed in Ladakh, and seeing their usefulness, the Army is now going in for an additional 100.
In 2017, L&T won the Rs 4,500-crore contract to supply 100 units of the K-9 Vajra under the “Make in India” initiative, for which it signed a transfer of technology contract with South Korean company Hanwha Corporation.
According to L&T, the K-9 Vajras were delivered with more than 80 percent indigenous work packages and above 50 percent indigenisation (by value) at the programme level.
What else?
Sources in the defence and security establishment said that in terms of other big procurement projects, the deal for three additional Scorpène-class submarines and 26 Rafale M fighter aircraft for the Indian Navy is to be inked within the first year of the new government.
Asked about Project 75 India, under which six more submarines with newer technology are to be procured, sources said the process was on but could take time.
As ThePrint reported earlier, India and France have already initiated cost negotiations for the Rafale M. The cost negotiations for the additional Scorpène-class submarines are to begin soon, it is learnt.
Besides the procurement deals, another big focus area for the new government will be the Agnipath scheme, which has come under a cloud during this election. The Janata Dal (United), a member of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, has also called for a review of the scheme.
As reported by ThePrint, the military was already carrying out a study of empirical data gleaned so far and is set to suggest a series of steps that could make this scheme more beneficial for itself and for those being recruited.
The likely changes range from a longer tenure than the current four years to higher retention of recruits and better financial payouts and medical packages to Agniveers grievously injured or killed in action.
Amid all this, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan is working on the mandate given by the Modi government to roll out integrated theatre commands within a year from now.
As reported by ThePrint, the Modi 2.0 government had set a time frame of one year from the swearing-in of the new administration to roll out theaterisation. Theaterisation will see unified or theatre commands rather than individual ones and will be the biggest military reform the country has ever seen.
While the eventual theaterisation will take time, the government expects to roll out structured jointness initiatives by the end of this year. This will include structures for joint training, administration initiatives, and logistics.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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