The Indian Defense Ministry has decided to delegate substantial financial powers to the armed forces for undertaking works for perimeter security of sensitive military installations. The move has been announced following dire need of securing installation after repeated attacks on these camps.
New Delhi (Sputnik) — Defense Minister Arun Jaitley is said to have fixed strict timelines to ensure the works are undertaken on priority and in a time-bound manner to ensure full security of critical defense assets. Few days back, the ministry authorized its regional command unit to purchase arms and ammunitions worth up to $6 billion for a "short and intense war".
New Delhi (Sputnik) — Defense Minister Arun Jaitley is said to have fixed strict timelines to ensure the works are undertaken on priority and in a time-bound manner to ensure full security of critical defense assets. Few days back, the ministry authorized its regional command unit to purchase arms and ammunitions worth up to $6 billion for a "short and intense war".
"This has been done primarily to expedite the decision-making process involved in the modernization of the security apparatus of airbases and defense installations. The vice-chiefs of the three services have been empowered to place orders, procure equipment and carry out civil works without further seeking approvals of the MoD," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"The financial delegation represents a significant jump in the powers currently exercised by the services," the ministry said.
The Indian government had received a report in May last year from a committee, which was constituted under the chairmanship of Lt. Gen Philip Campose, a former Vice Chief of Army Staff, after the attack on the Pathankot air base in January 2016. The committee was authorized to recommend short and long term measures including introduction of technological solutions and other reforms in the present system of security of armed forces establishments among others. But after spending more than a year, little steps were taken as the armed forces and the government did not reach common ground on wide-ranging measures suggested by the committee.
The current step by the Indian Defense Ministry will expedite work on perimeter security, especially in Kashmir, where only basic perimeter defenses are available and could pose a major threat to lives to soldiers deployed in the region.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.