![]() ![]() It sets down the guidelines for the armed forces of India and the US to share each other’s assets and facilities for repairs, maintenance, supplies and training on an equalvalue exchange basis. In 2016, the government signed the longpending logistics exchange memorandum of agreement (LEMOA) with the US. The strikes demonstrated India’s hardened military resolve to the world. India not only carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2016 but also claimed political ownership of the targeted operations. The army, for instance, is facing a shortage of ₹12,296 crore under the capital expenditure head. ![]() The military is facing a funds crunch and it will be a challenge for the government to make sure adequate resources are available. ![]() Projects that haven’t taken off as the Strategic Partnership model is still being finetuned include local production of next generation submarines, fighter planes, and helicopters. The government inked a $100-million contract with an Indian firm this year for supplying 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets to the army, a key battlefield requirement that should have been fulfilled years ago. On the modernisation front, the main projects concluded were a $8.7 billion deal for 36 Rafales, a $3.1-billion order for 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers, a $2 billion deal for advanced surface-to-air missile systems from Israel, a $750-million deal for 145 ultra-light howitzers (M777) from the US, and a $720-million contract for 100 K9 VAJRA-T artillery guns. Nearly three million ex-servicemen and widows have benefitted from the scheme. The government deserves credit for implementation of the OROP scheme in 2015 though some issues are still being resolved. ![]()
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