Indian Army shows its mettle Apart from successfully resisting Chinese incursions along the LAC, the Indian Army was busy in other sectors also during 2020 protecting the nation’s sovereignty
General Manoj Mukund Naravane PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC Chief of Indian Army 2020 was a significant year for the Indian Army as it
was kept engaged in several sectors, especially along the
Line of Actual Control (LAC). The confrontation with Chinese troops on the LAC also led to emergency troop buildups and inductions. Historically, Indian Army’s acquisitions are focused on building new capabilities as well as making up deficiencies in inventory. Modernization of the mechanized forces is intended to meet the requirements of the future battlefield. Indigenous development of future vehicle combat vehicle platforms is also being carried out. Upgrading gun and missile systems is yet another area of importance. The Army has also enhanced its interactions with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the purpose. One of the major events related to India’s Armed Forces during 2020 was the Ministry of Defence (MoD) releasing the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP)
2020 to achieve the goal of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ or self-reliance in Defence production. Subsequently, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by the Defence Minister, approved acquisition of weapon systems worth 28,000 crore of which equipment costing Rs 27,000 crore are to be sourced from Indian industry. Meanwhile, steps were initiated to clear the first set of Acceptance of Necessity (AoNs), with the majority of them in the category of Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM). The proposals approved include Modular Bridges for the Indian Army. Earlier, DAC had delegated powers to make emergency purchases worth up to Rs 300 crore to the three services to meet their emergent operational requirements. The devolution of financial powers came against the backdrop of the border
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