(The Hindu) In Defence | Time for Tough Decisions

Three Challenges : 

1. Raising of 17 corps : (Country’s 1st mountain strike force)

• Mountain Unit
• Require helicopters, light artillery
• Original Plan – (80,000 men costing > 10 b $ with 1.2 b $ spent annually till 2020 + { 16 b $ Army allocation for 15-16 )
• solution — > 35,000 men

2. Rejigging of a deal to purchase France’s Rafale aircrafts : 

• Earlier 126 with technology transfer
• Now 36
• Last 3 yrs, Indian arms imports have grown 56 percent.
• Mig 21  < —— > Swedish Gripen NG aircraft.
• But — > i) /\ variety of aircrafts — > /\ training & maintainance.
• ii) Gripen & Rafale are diff aircrafts.

3. Unified services Chief

Apr. 30 2015 

Art. Ref. : In defence, time for tough decisions

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