At a time when the armed forces along the borders and those tasked with internal security are at a high level of alert against terrorist strikes, a long pending move is taking shape. Formations on the ground, long-used to ‘making-do’ with what was available on the ground are in the reckoning.
It was confirmed that most ground formations had received notifications, primarily from the Army and BSF. They were asked to list out their requirements at the earliest. In a move made before the surgical strike, the Army also cleared the procurement of about 250 Mine Proof Vehicles (MPVs) which are useful when tackling terrorists as they secure the troops and allow them mobility across all types of terrain.
WHAT INDIAN ARMY WANTS
From rifles, ammunition, bulletproof jackets, hand-held thermal imagers, night vision devices, sandbags to fresh communication lines, the troops on the ground have responded with their demands. It remains to be seen how soon and how much materialises. “This happens every time things tense up. While a few things will be made available, most will not. Invariably, matters fall back to the same old pace. We hope things are different this time,” said an officer who was commanding a battalion posted on the LoC.
While the Army requires over 3.5 lakh bulletproof vests and an order for 50,000 has been issued earlier this year, the BSF is in no better position by itself. The BSF spokesperson refused to provide details but sources pointed to massive gaps in quality and quantity.
ARMY’S BIGGEST ORDER EVER
Meanwhile, the Army has, in one of the biggest ever orders placed, asked for about 250 Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs). These vehicles, routinely spotted on the streets and highways of Jammu and Kashmir and Northeastern states, secure troops from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) explosions and gunfire.
These MPVs, which can carry up to a dozen fully armed personnel, also have a provision for gun sights in bullet proof glass from where troops can take on targets outside. There is also a provision to install a rotating, heavier gun on top of the vehicle. Those operating MPVs say it helps them move cross-country across most terrain even while taking fire and hitting back at terrorists. A Bullet Proof (BP) bunker or BP vehicle has limits on mobility and the security it can offer, when considered against an MPV.
WHEN WILL THE ARMY GET WHAT IT WANTS
From information obtained by speaking to sources in the Army and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), it was learnt that ‘indent’ or an order for acquisition had recently been placed with the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ), which comes under the Ordnance Factory Board of the MoD. The delivery of these MPVs will begin by 2018. The Amy will use these vehicles in Northeastern states apart from Jammu and Kashmir.
In J&K, which is witnessing an escalation of sorts, intelligence inputs indicate a presence of 409 terrorists of which 315 are operating in the Kashmir region and the rest in Jammu. Instances of mine/IED blasts in Jammu and Kashmir have significantly reduced on account of better roads and detection by the security agencies. However, terrorist strikes have forced the hand of not just the Army but also the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed there and they are responding with MPVs. The Army and CAPFs have been using ‘Casspir’ MPV manufactured by the VFJ. The Army, which was the first to use MPVs, began doing so since the early 1990s when it was tasked with tackling the first bout of insurgency in the Kashmir Valley.
A senior officer aware of the case said: “While we are looking at replacing our existing fleet which is ageing, there will also be an enhancement of numbers. We have found these MPVs to be extremely useful. The ones we will now procure are the upgraded ones and have been finalised after several rounds of testing.” For security reasons, the specifications pertaining to these MPVs were not shared.
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