Ready to fight to whatever weapons available says Army Chief Gen Rawat

The Indian Army is ready to fight with whatever weapons are available, General Bipin Rawat said. The Army chief also said that the process of arms procurement is on.

The statement comes days after the parliamentary committee submitted several reports, including one where the Army flogged a financial crunch which prevented it from procuring new equipment. It was also stated that the financial crisis was crippling its combat capabilities.

"Weapons don't become obsolete overnight. What is new in these reports? This has been said in the past years too. Our jawans are trained in a manner that they can fight with whatever weapons are available with them. The paramilitary forces are also using these weapons," General Rawat also said.

"Weapon procurement is not an overnight process. It's not that you go to a grocery store, pay the amount and get the weapons. The process is on," he also said.

The Army Chief was at Dehradun to inaugurate the Garhwal Rifles War Memorial Boys and Girls Hostel, when he made the comments.

On the parliamentary panel's suggestion that five years of military service must be made compulsory for anyone wanting to join government service, General Rawat said that the National Cadet Corps is a good platform to begin with. The youth must opt for it, he said.

OneIndia News