RFPs for 152 projects valued at ₹21,000 crore have been issued for procurement, says Army Chief.

As the borders with China remain hot, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, recently, said that requests for proposals (RFPs) for 152 defence systems, valued at ₹21,000 crore, have been issued for procurement through emergency route from indigenous companies.

Speaking to reporters on the second day of the five-day long Aero India 2023 at Yelahanka Air Force station, General Pande stated that under Emergency Procurement (EP) cycles of 1, 2 and 3, RFPs for 68 projects worth ₹6,000 crore have been issued inviting bids. Similarly, he pointed out that for the current EP 4 cycle, RFPs for 84 projects, valued at ₹15,000 crore, have been put out in public domain.

“Currently we have put out RFPs and only when the bids come we will get to know correct figures,” said the Army chief, on the growing shopping list, owing to insecurities on the borders with China and Pakistan. A cross section of weapon systems and surveillance systems apart from attempts to replace machine with men is on the cards of Army which is attempting to modernise and right size the armed force keeping pace with futuristic battle requirements.

Post May 2020 Galwan face off with China in Eastern Ladakh, the government had given emergency powers to the three armed forces to address immediate requirements and overcome capability deficiencies. After 2020, acquisition through EP were divided under four cycles with current one ending on March 23, explained a senior Army officer. These emergency powers have been given by the ministry of defence for a limited period of time, the officer added.

General Pande also said that the 250 odd aegeing Cheetahs and Chetaks that are servicing Army Aviation Corps will be replaced in a phased manner by HAL produced Advance Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) to augments its combat profile especially along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

General Pande stated that the Army Aviation Corps currently has 45 squadrons of ALH and 5 LCH squadrons. But to meet the required combat profile strength, we need 90 to 95 LCH, the Army chief stated.

HBL