Vijay Mohan,Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, December 19

While the Army pitches for increased strike capabilities and continues to validate its transformational concepts for a high intensity war and surgical strikes, its mechanised forces — the key offensive element — is bogged down by serious deficiencies. This has not only adversely affected operational preparedness but would also have an adverse impact in the 12th Army plan as five more Mechanised Infantry Battalions were planned to be raised.The Army’s fleet of BMP combat vehicles — the mainstay of its mechanised forces — is short by a staggering 47 per cent. The main reason for shortfall is the delay in supply of 389 BMPs by the Ordnance Factory Board, (OFB), which has also entailed an extra liability of at least Rs 270.97 crore due to cost escalation.Against the authorisation of 2,827 BMP vehicles by the Mechanised Infantry and 323 BMPs by the Corps of Engineers, the current holding of these vehicles is 2,521 numbers and 170, respectively, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed in its latest report.The Army began inducting various versions of the Soviet origin BMP, including combat vehicles, command posts, engineer support and recce vehicles from 1986 onwards. These are tracked armoured vehicles equipped with their own cannons and anti-tank missiles along with the capability to carrying soldiers into battle. Their role is to complement tanks and support infantry during assaults. At presently they are manufactured solely by the Ordnance Factory, Medak (OFM). CAG observed against indents for 389 BMPs placed on OFM in 2009, with delivery to be completed by 2011-12 for the Infantry and by 2013-14 for the Engineers, Only 179 BMPs were delivered till January 2015. Further, against the production capacity of 600 BMPs at the rate of 100 per year, OFB could produce only 265 BMPs during the last six years resulting in shortfall of 55 per cent of its assessed capacity.

What CAG report says…

• The Army’s fleet of BMP combat vehicles is short by 47%
• The main reason is the delay in supply of 389 BMPs by the Ordnance Factory Board
• This has escalated the cost by at least Rs 270.97 crore
• Of the total 2,691 BMPs held by the Army, 1,025 were due for overhaul up to 2014-15