Army to Focus on Modernisation Efforts

Indian Government News, The Army is focusing on areas like improved night-fighting capability, better command and control and precision-guidance systems for modernisation of the force, the results of which will be visible in the next two years. 
 
“Improving missile capability and all-weather battlefield surveillance are other thrust areas we are looking at. In the next two years, we may see the fructification of our efforts in modernisation,” Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Planning and Systems) Lt Gen Z U Shah said at an army-industry interaction organised by the FICCI in New Delhi. 
 
Stressing on the importance of increased self-reliance in defence production, he assured the private sector of ensuring a “level-playing field”. Shah said with the revision of the defence procurement policy 2006, the status of “grey areas” like the offset policy may also be cleared. 
 
Replying to concerns raised by the industry, he said the Army will ensure “total transparency” on defence goods requirement and look into the issue of sharing information with the industry at the early stages of products. 
 
The Army is planning to acquire artillery guns, air defence missiles and T-90 tanks, request for proposals (RFP) for which should be issued this year, he told reporters later. 
 
“We are also looking for light helicopters, may be in the range of 200. We may need to import some and HAL also may step in at a later stage. The RFP may come in two months,” Shah said. 
 
Speaking on the occasion, FICCI Secretary General Amit Mitra said the private industry, including the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can play an important role in the defence sector, including in areas like “digitilisation”, tactical communication and air defence surveillance. 
 
FICCI Defence Committee chairman and BEML CMD V R S Natrajan mooted the idea of setting up a centre of excellence in defence technology with public-private partnership as also special economic zones in defence sector. 
 
The co-chairman of the FICCI Defence Committee and Tata Power CEO Rahul Chaudhry said partnership among public and private sectors, DRDO and armed forces can be helpful in the field of indigenous defence production. 
 
The day-long army-industry interactive meet has on its agenda topics like tactical communication system, modernisation of infantry and air defence.