New Delhi, February 5: The authorisation and holding of ammunition is as per operational requirement of the Indian Armed Forces. Adequate reserves have been authorised in terms of War Wastage Reserves (WWR) to cater for contingencies during the war. There is an adequate stock of ammunition with the Indian Armed Forces and it is well equipped for meeting any operational requirements. Further, making up of stock of ammunition to the desired level is a continuous process, the requirements for which are identified every year and procurements are undertaken accordingly.
Some of the measures taken to ensure adequate availability of ammunition include placing of a Five Year Roll On Indent on Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), finalization of Ammunition Road Map in respect of certain identified ammunition and procurements thereof. In addition, financial powers to ensure the availability and maintenance of minimum levels of critical ammunition has been delegated to the Armed Forces to meet any emergent requirement and to enable maintain preparedness at all times.
The Government has taken a series of measures to enhance the capacity of ordnance factory boards to meet the long-term requirement of the armed forces. These include modernization of ordnance factories by replacement/ reconditioning of outlived Plant and Machinery to sustain the original capacity, acquisition of modern technology/manufacturing processes for capacity augmentation of existing product mix or creation of capacity for a new product, Civil Infrastructure and services viz. Production & Services of buildings, Power supply, Water supply, Compressed Air supply etc.
This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri Vivek Gupta in Rajya Sabha today.
Last year in October Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said there was no shortage of ammunition for the armed forces. “Such a situation was there in 2013, but not now,” he said, responding to a question about reports on the shortage of ammunition.
Bhamre said India has been the biggest importer of defence equipment in the world, but efforts were underway to make the country self-reliant.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the country to become self-reliant in defence production through ‘Make in India’ campaign,” he said while addressing the media. Indigenous weapon systems were also being developed, the minister said.
“We are putting stress on the transfer of technology from foreign countries through joint production to turn the country self-reliant in defence production,” he added.
(With input from PIB and PTI)