'Army is facing shortage of 11,300 officers'

New Delhi, Jan 18: Dismissing the reports that it had opposed a military strike against Pakistan following the Mumbai terror attacks citing ill-preparedness, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Saturday, Jan 17 said army was fully prepared to execute any task given by the nation and the leadership.

He was addressing at National Cadets Coprs (NCC) camp in New Delhi. “I think you can bank upon an Army, which is prepared for the tasks given to it by the nation and the leadership," Army chief said.

“I do not know from where you (media) got those reports of Army not being prepared," Gen. Kapoor said, reacting to reports of Army differing with the Air Force and Navy on going in for a military strikes against terror camps inside Pakistan territory. The reports had suggested that the Army faced shortage of equipment and systems, and had thus opposed carrying out attacks against selective Pakistani targets, while the IAF and the Navy were eager to strike.

Earlier, Gen Kapoor said the Army was planning to increase the intake of the NCC cadets in the force as officers. The Army is facing a shortage of about 11,300 officers and is now planning to start another Officers Training Academy (OTA) on the lines of its Chennai-based training institution. Moreover, the Army provides for 10 per cent reserved seats annually in its officers training institutions, the IMA and the Officers Training Academy, for cadets from the 13-lakh-strong NCC.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agency)