Defence Ministry Kicks in Big Reforms in Army, 57,000 Soldiers to Be Redeployed

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Defence has just kicked in a series of reforms for the Indian Army, which it has also described as first ever exercise of its kind after Independence. To begin with, MoD has just approved redeployment of 57,000 soldiers in non-core areas to operational duties.

The recommendations were made by Shekatkar committee. The 11-member committee was appointed by former defence minister Manohar Parrikar in May last year, to find ways to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and re-balance defence expenditure, and improve the teeth-to-tail ratio.

The ‘tooth-to-tail’ ratio refers to the amount of supply and support personnel (termed as tail) for each combat soldier (tooth). The committee had submitted its report in December last year.

Among the big decisions taken in the current round of reforms, MoD announced a decision to redeploy 57,000 soldiers in non-core areas to operational duties.

“This committee had given about 99 recommendations. The Government in consultation with the Indian Army has been going through them and the first batch of 65 recommendations has been accepted yesterday. All of them will be operationalised by 2019,” Defence minister Arun Jaitley told the press in the capital after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

He added that perhaps for the first time after Independence, such a big and “far-reaching” reform process is being initiated in the Army.

The ministry, in a note released to the press, also added that the areas of reform will include redeployment of ordnance echelons to include vehicle depots, ordnance depots and central ordnance depots apart from streamlining inventory control mechanisms. The reform will also be carried out to ensure better utilisation of supply and transport facilities and animal transport units. There will be enhancement in standards for recruitment of clerical staff and drivers in the Army as also improving the efficiency of the National Cadet Corps.

"Restructuring by the Indian Army is aimed at enhancing combat capability in a manner that the officers/Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO)/ Other Ranks (OR) will be used for improving operational preparedness and civilians will be redeployed in different wings of the armed forces for improving efficiency," the statement added.

The 11-member committee headed by Lt Gen (Retd) Shekatkar was appointed by the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in May last year and the report was submitted to the Defence Ministry in December 2016.