RAJIB CHOWDHURI
Kolkata: Close on the heels of the Modi government’s clearance to procure closed to 7.40 lakhs onset rifles of 7.62 mm calibre which volition supplant the 5.56 mm calibre INSAS rifles for the Indian Army, the Army has flagged its serious questions on the character of the latest weapon existence developed past times the Kolkata-headquartered province defense forcefulness manufacturer: Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Vowing to non to compromise alongside the qualitative requirements (QR) for its weapons the Army too pointed out that the novel onset rifle failed trials piece deliberating that no 1 tin encounter its requirement. The Army’s concerns came after the OFB sounded its preparedness to start the onset rifles’ production which is probable at Rifle Factory Ishapore inward North 24 Parganas alongside the defense forcefulness ministry building assuming that it would cause got 3 to a greater extent than years to house the starting fourth dimension lodge for procurement. According to a Standing Committee On Defence study submitted to both the Houses of the Parliament on March 13, defense forcefulness production secretarial assistant Ajay Kumar told the parliamentary panel, “Sir, I would similar to tell that forthwith inward S.C. 7.6 mm best technology, 7.5 lakh onset rifles cause got been approved which volition hold out made inward the country. Whatever is the requirement of the army, inward that run of making close 7.5 lakh onset rifles volition hold out done inward the country. The OFB in addition to Industries volition built it together.”
On the condition in addition to time-frame for the onset rifles’ production he said, “In S.D.A.C. blessing it has been stated that the starting fourth dimension lodge volition hold out given inward 2020-21.” Replying to the enquiry of the onset rifles’ lodge in addition to production OFB chairman Sunil Kumar Chourasia, too the manager full general (DG) of Ordnance Factories (OF), told the panel, “I am cook for production. (Assault rifle is existence developed in-house past times this R&D inward Rifle Factory, Ishapore. PMT has formed inward it, inward which terra firma forces is the illustration of user quality, all are working together on this).”
Explaining why the orders were nonetheless to hold out placed, DG (Weapons & Equipment) Lieutenant- General Sanjiv Verma told the panel, “Sir, this work has been known for long years. The onset rifle or the carbine, which this service is wanted, nosotros cause got non been able to get. I simply explicate that. For the past times few years, any trials cause got gone for the onset rifles in addition to carbines, nosotros were non satisfied alongside them. So, nosotros cause got non been able to larn the weapons....”
He elaborated, “Recently, inward the Defence Acquisition Council, a real deliberate conclusion at the highest degree has been taken on how to drib dead along ahead alongside the viii lakh addition rifles in addition to carbines which nosotros wanted. In that, nosotros cause got gone for certainly quantity to for the fast rails physical care for from import. But for the balance, that is, 7 lakh plus, out of that, the Ordnance Factory Board is too going to participate. But, yes, Sir, similar what yous are pointing out, nobody is inward a seat to encounter our requirement tomorrow. Sir, it is non upward to my requirement. How tin I laissez passer on order?”
When the panel wanted to know close the QR in addition to OF waiting for orders, Lt Gen Verma informed it that the Army has trie0d but the onset rifles failed inward trials. He said, “Sir, QRs cause got been given to them. It was tried in addition to tested a expose of times. But, unfortunately, it did non encounter our QR. Sir, your request is real valid. For a rifle, I cannot cause got a diluted QR to hold out used on the frontline. So, what nosotros are doing is that nosotros are importing a certainly quantity in addition to for the rest, the run is inward progress. Various prototypes of weapons cause got come upward to us for trials in addition to they are existence tested. It is non that nosotros cause got non tested them.”
Describing the QR every bit ‘very stringent’ defense forcefulness secretarial assistant Sanjay Mitra after assured the panel that OFB would larn engineering scientific discipline to ‘make it upward to the standards of Army’s satisfaction.’
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