The Indian Army - Reforms (PART 2)

Warm Welcome to Blogskypass..!! 

In the last blog we discussed about a few reforms needed in the Indian Armed forces and this blog will be a continuation of the same. If you haven't read it yet, please read that first at The Indian Army - Reforms (PART 1) and then continue with this.

Body Bags for Fallen Soldiers

    Armed Forces need reform, excellence and change for dynamic security challenges and new technologies. On 6th of October 2017, a video was circulated in social media by Army/Air Force personnel, reportedly shooted at the Guwahati Air Base.

    The video showed the dead soldiers being carried in sacks or wrapped with cloth. Initially, the soldiers killed in action were either buried or cremated in the field area itself and only the ashes were sent back home. In fact, the Armed Forces had a Grave Registration Unit that was responsible for maintaining a record. Ever since Kargil War, the bodies of fallen soldiers were delivered to their relations in caskets wrapped with tricolours. But caskets were made available only at Head Quarters. So the corpses of soldiers were carried in such a way, before being kept in casket. Defense Ministry rejected the request of body bags for fallen soldiers transportation. These heroes, though given high respect at ceremonial cremations, their bodies were ill-treated.

Women in Combat

    In 2019, General Bipin Rawat said that women in combat roles would have to be cocooned from the prying eyes of subordinate soldiers; commanding officers of fighting units might require long maternity leave which the army can ill-afford; our soldiers are not ready to accept women leading  them; and the society is not ready for women coming back in body bags. Though he was very rude in saying so, a part of society accepted to it as biologically women could be at disadvantage for battle.

    Women were first inducted into service in 1992 as officers. Over the years, they were commissioned as fighter pilots in Air Force and as sailors in Navy. Women are in almost all the branches, except infantry, armored corps and artillery, that handle close combats and counter-insurgency strikes. Some women are obviously more powerful than men, in physical terms but not all. Post marriage and Post pregnancy women seek transfer, that affects Army's organisational strength. However there are a few changes that could be done in the Armed Forces, in favor of women, without affecting the organisation.

• The armed forces must lay down physical fitness standards that are necessary for women in service.

• Military rules, laws and regulations to address gender crimes and problems must be laid down, to ensure women safety.

• To begin with, 5% quota can be fixed for women without lowering the standards for induction.

• Only volunteer women officers/soldiers must be allowed to join fighting arms, subject to meeting the psychological and physical fitness standards.

Reform on Gallantry Award System

    The need for reform in awarding medals to brave soldiers arised when Ashok Chakra was awarded to Anti-Terrorist Squad chief and former Joint Commissioner Hemant Karkare, who was killed in a chance encounter with terrorists in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. First let me tell you the procedure of giving Gallantry Awards.

    A case for Gallantry Award is initiated by the unit and forwarded to army headquarters with recommendations of all commanders in the chain of command. This is considered by Awards Committee at service HQ before forwarding to Ministry of Defense with the approval of respective chief. 

    Evidence for citation of awards to soldiers and officers are not needed. They hear upon only the narration of other fellow soldiers. They try to exaggerate their personal work to receive awards. However commanders, Chiefs and service HQ always makes an attempt to stop exaggeration. Mission accomplished or sacrifice -getting killed or wounded in action - must not be confused with acts of gallantry. Best way to avoid exaggerations are helmet-mounted video cameras. These cameras have gone a long way in refining the system in US Armed Forces. False claims must be strictly dealt with under military law.

Reforms of CDS

    Chief of Defense Staffs. General Bipin Rawat, planned for a virtual transformation with ambitious military reforms. Reforms need reviews necessitated by emerging threats, changing patterns of conflict and new technology. CDS wants to make reforms not only on Army ranks and files, but also to media, defense analyst and veterans. 

    He has tasked his top brass with discussing, analyzing, formalizing and, where necessary, testing envistigated reforms. This agenda includes restructuring of the Army Headquarters and maintain a youthful profile for the officer cadre. Among lots of reforms proposed by the CDS, inorder to reduce man power they need to be replaced by high end technology which is costlier.

    CDS General Bipin Rawat also inaugurated Young Leaders Training Wing at Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai. It's target is to make jawans/soldiers crack tough Service Selection Board (SSB) and become officers. This is because shortage of officers cause difficulty of operation efficiency at counter insurgency areas. This would also result in empowerment of soldiers and junior leaders, and management of officer's corps. Increasing capability of military academy decreased officer shortage to 15%.Chennai based OTA has a capable intake of 700 Officers, but functions only with 500 cadets. Indian Militiary Academy at Dehradun also functions 11% below it's capacity.

It is not the gun that matters, but the man behind gun does. There are yet more reforms needed in the Armed Forces. We hope that the present Government and CDS would do the needful to develop and improve our forces.

Meet you all soon at my next blog.

Until then, it's KK signing off. Ba Byeeeee.

(P.S. All the idea here are a part of the book The Indian Army - Reminiscences, Reforms and Romance by H.S.Panag. Those idea are just briefed up here for normal understanding.)