Lok Sabha Question No. 2593 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Achievements in Defence Sector
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2593

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  JANUARY, 2018

## ACHIEVEMENTS  IN  DEFENCE  SECTOR

2593.  SHRI  BHAIRON  PRASAD  MISHRA:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  new  achievements made  by  the  Government  during  the  last  three years in Defence Sector; and
- (b) the details of the action plan formulated for the next two years in this regard?

A    N    S    W    E    R MINISTER OF STATE (DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE) IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE र  ा रा य मं ी (डा. सुभाष भामरे)

- (a) The  details  of  new  achievements  /  initiatives  of  the  Government  in Defence Sector during the last three years are given at Annexure.
- (b) Some  of  the  new  initiatives  taken  during  the  last  three  years,  as mentioned in reply to part (a),  are long gestating by their  nature and  will bear fruit in the medium / long term.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN THE REPLY GIVEN IN PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2593 FOR ANSWER ON 3.1.2018

## Details of New Achievements / Initiatives of the Government during the last three years in the Defence Sector:

- (i)    Reform  Measures:    Based  on  the  recommendations  of  the  Shekatkar Committee, the Government has decided to restructure posts of different corps  of Army.  This  will free  up approximately  57,000  positions  of Officers/JCO's/OR's and civilians which will be redeployed to improve the 'teeth  to  tail'  ratio  of  the  Indian  Army  in  future.  Further,  seven  Military Farms  have  been  closed  and  the  cattle  of  these  Farms  have  been transferred  to  other  Military  Farms.  Further,  the  closure  of  six  Military Farms is in progress.
- (ii)    Decentralisation in decision making:   To empower the Armed Forces as also to reduce the time taken in decision making a number of powers exercised  hitherto by  the  Ministry  of Defence  have been  delegated to  the Armed  Forces.  These  include  powers  relating  to  procurement  of  critical Ammunition/Spares; post-contract management  of capital acquisition contracts as well as revenue expenditure; full powers in respect of revenue and capital account with respect to perimeter security etc.
- (iii)    Strategic Partnership:    Government's policy on Strategic Partnership in  the  Defence  Sector  has been finalised.  It is intended  to  institutionalise a  transparent,  objective  and  functional  mechanism  to  encourage  broader participation of the private sector in  manufacture  of major  defence platforms and equipment.
- (iv)  Capital Acquisition for the Armed Forces:  During the last three years and current year, 119 contracts involving Rs. 1,16,522.89 crore have been signed with Indian vendors and 68 contracts involving Rs. 1,24,291.33 crore have been signed with foreign vendors for capital procurements of defence equipment.
- (v)  Policy initiatives in respect of Defence Production:  'Make in India' in defence sector is primarily driven by providing preference to procurement from  Indian  vendors  under  the  Defence  Procurement  Procedure  (DPP), promoting  indigenous  design,  development  and  manufacture  of  defence equipment,  and  other  policy measures  such  as  liberalization of the licensing  regime  &  FDI  policy  by  raising  the  cap  on  FDI  in  the  defence sector,  simplification  of  export  procedure,  streamlining  of  defence  offset guidelines etc.

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## (vi) Major Achievements by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs):

- Goa Shipyard Limited delivered Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels, Damage Control Simulator, Fuel Barge, Fast Patrol Vessel for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
- The  Bharat  Dynamics  Limited  developed  Akash  Weapon System for  Army,  Long Range  Surface  to  Air  Missile  for  the Indian Navy and test fired the Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
- The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited launched the Visakhapatnam Class Destroyers and  commissioned the  INS Kalvari, the Scorpene class Submarine.
- During the period the Light Combat Helicopter attained initial operational  clearance,  first  technical  flight  of  Light  Utility Helicopter  was  undertaken  and  Brahmos  Integration  with SU-30MKI Aircraft was undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- Bharat  Electronics  Limited  (BEL)  commissioned  the  secure CDMA Cellular Network at Srinagar.
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited delivered the Anti  Submarines  Warfare  Corvette,  Offshore  Patrol  Vessel, Water Jet Fast Attack Aircraft and Landing Craft Utility during the period.

(vii)  Research  &  Development  in  Defence  Sector:  A  number  of  major products  has  been  developed for defence  and  civilian  use  by  the  DRDO. These  include  the  Light  Combat  Aircraft  (LCA)  Tejas;  Airborne  Early Warning  and  Control  (AEW&C)  System;    155  mm  /  52  Calibre  Advanced Towed  Artillery  Gun  System  (ATAGS);  Weapon  Locating  Radar  (WLR) Swati;  High  Speed  Heavy  Weight  Ship  Launched  Torpedo  (Varunastra); Arudhra-Medium  Power  Radar;    Akash  Weapon  System;    Abhay  Sonar; Hull  Mounted  Sonar  (HUMSA); Advanced  Indigenous  Distress  Sonar System (AIDSS); various types of Ammunition for MBT Arjun; Anti Torpedo Decoys;  Electro-Optical  Fire  Control  System  for  Naval  Ships;  ElectroOptical  Sensors  for  Airborne  Platforms;  Mountain  Foot  Bridge;  Submunition  warheads  for  Pinaka;  Terrain  Assessment  System  for  Transborder Deserts etc.

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- (viii)    One Rank One Pension (OROP):  The Government has implemented the One Rank One Pension (OROP) for Defence Forces Personnel. (ix)  Facilitating servicemen to register and vote from their place of posting: Government has already introduced e-Postal Ballot System in October 2016 to  facilitate  participation  of  service  voters.  The  Election  Commission  of India  (ECI)  directed  to  undertake  the  process  of  de-novo  registration  of Service Voters.    As  per  ECI  data,  13.37  lakh  service  voter  requests  from Armed Forces (Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard) have been registered with ECI. (x)  Army  Battle  Casualties  Welfare  Fund:    A  Fund  namely,  'Army  Battle Casualties Welfare Fund' has been set up w.e.f. 1.1.2016. Under this fund, assistance of Rs. 2.00 Lakh is provided to the army battle casualties which are fatal, 60% and above disability and battle casualties invalided out due to  disability and Rs.  1.00 Lakh to disability less than 60%. This will be in
- addition to other admissible dues.

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