Not battle-ready before 2027, admits Indian Army

Not battle-ready before 2027, admits Indian Army

Kartikeya Sharma & Gaurav Sawant (Headlines Today)
New Delhi, December 3, 2009

The Indian Army, one of the world's largest, has admitted it is far from being battle-ready. The force is 50 per cent short of attaining full capability.

The admission is part of the army's internal assessment report submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence. Headlines Today has exclusive access to the report.

The report says it will take around 20 years for the army to gain full defence preparedness. The infantry, artillery and the armoury would be fully ready for battle only by 2027. This means that in the event of a war in the next two decades, the country may prove to be a virtual sitting duck.

Going by the report, the force seems most vulnerable as far as combat helicopters are concerned. The report says the army has attained an abysmal 17 per cent capability in combat choppers. Full combat capability by helicopters would not be possible before 2027.

Another problem is the army's inability to develop a communication network. India will not have a real-time information sharing network before 2027. The current capability is just 24 per cent despite the country's stellar show in information technology.

What's really shocking is the shortage in fighting arms. The artillery has just 52 per cent of the total capability required to defend the country. The country will near 97 per cent capability in artillery only by 2027.

The infantry too is struggling at a 65 per cent capability. The infantry wants to replace its indigenous INSAS rifles, acquire night-fighting capabilities, new generation anti-tank missiles and rockets. Shields for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare too are not properly in place.

The picture isn't rosy for the mechanised and special forces units either, which are way behind their required defence preparedness.

truley said ,now it is public maybe something will be done about ,the only unit which is prepared is the tank regiment . now if any war happens ( god forbid it does not) there will be many casulaties and peolple will blame the army for wrong tactics whereas it the balme of the goverment not providing them with finance to buy weapons

it's article like these that will keep the money flowing to the services, not ready till 2027 oh dear let's throw a couple of billion that way.

Lol!!! We won our last war just 10 years back. The enemy did not even dare to fight an open war. Kept it's best fighter well within it's borders for the fear of being shot down. China only keeps talking aggressive and nothing more as it knows India is not the same as 62.

Yes there are some capabilities lagging behind but not to a tune that we are nit battle ready. Even in 2027 we will say we are short of one thong or the other. Capabilities keep evolving. There is no end. God how did they come up with the year 2027?

Without a strong protected network, India's military will truly be paralyzed if the Chinese or other capable network attack group begins war. I found this to be India's single greatest weakness...followed by having very limited ability to fight battles at night.

I think it's a big mistake releasing this report especially with growing regional instability.

The more I watch Headlines Today, the more I laugh at these guys. Now, how they come up with the year 2027? Do the reporter feels that the capability of Chinese and Pakistani military will remain same in those years. This is all for TRP, nothing else.

We all know India has a very slow procurement policy. But that does not mean Indian Military is not upgrading its systems. But the only reason for worry is it is taking a lot more time.

man I love such reports good one no information or real data given just twisting around and woha not ready for war good good good go ahead enemies let the real war begin

Please elaborate what do you mean by capable network attack group? Are you taking about any particular country or organization?

How you came to the conclusion that India has a very limited ability to fight at night? Which section of the Indian military lacks night fighting capability; Army, Navy or Air Force?

What report you are talking about? This is reported by a new channel. This is not an official document of the Indian army.

"The admission is part of the army's internal assessment report submitted to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence."

Read the article.

"The infantry too is struggling at a 65 per cent capability. The infantry wants to replace its indigenous INSAS rifles, acquire night-fighting capabilities"

^^@Koji, Headlines Today has not made this report public. Neither have they provided any facts of the report. Anyway you are fully entitled to draw your own conclusion. Best of luck to Japan if it wants to attack India.

There are numbers! Read the article.

the point should be take that and it is know ,that army is not yet fully 100% capable that is true . we need better assult riffles and grenades

I am sorry I missed these wise words from koji in first sight

These are all news to me and some new spices has came up called "network attack group" I guess it is from Mars

you are right Dude..even Pakistan and China are not 100% war ready. Pakistan's status is poorer than us and he knows it's not easy to win war over India without rogue China. China is a big threat but it doesn't mean he is full 100% capable of protecting himself from India's attack.

I agree with you that China doesn't have the gut to invade India directly. We are also capable of scratching China and damage him.

Most of the major assaults in the Kargil war were started in the night and that too in that treacherous terrain with one hand tied behind the back.