Deputy Army Chief Lieutenant General SK Saini calls for national production.
With the army seeking to strengthen troops in high-altitude areas in eastern Ladakh due to the ongoing clash with China, the deputy army chief, Lt. Gen. SK Saini, called on Saturday to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce the import of special clothing and mountaineering. . team.
“A large number of our troops are deployed in high altitude areas where the temperature touches (minus) 50 ° C. However, we are still importing cold weather equipment, mainly due to the lack of viable indigenous solutions,” said Lieutenant General Saini. A collaborative effort is needed to fulfill Atmanirbhar Bharat’s vision, he said at a webinar hosted by the Center for Joint Warfare Studies.
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The Army has maintained troops in high-altitude areas of the Siachen Glacier at heights of 20,000 feet for decades. With the ongoing clash along the disputed border with China, the Army has secured clothing and shelter to house troops for the winter in Ladakh, as there has been no progress in the withdrawal talks.
Establishment security
Lt. Gen. Saini also highlighted the security of defense establishments and vital facilities, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and drones as priority areas for finding domestic solutions. “Although the industry has risen to the challenge, the solutions provided lack innovation and integration,” he said, calling for efforts to ensure reduced workforce engagement through the integration of physical and electronic surveillance and the incorporation of automation.
Lt. Gen. Saini said improvised explosive devices appear to be gaining traction as a tool of choice for terrorists and anti-national elements. “It ends up causing physical and psychological trauma and seriously undermines preparedness, forcing us to allocate scarce resources for our protection,” he said, highlighting that technological innovation is the key to combating the threat.
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“Among other threats, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) stand out for their innovative use and destructive potential,” said Lt. Gen. Saini. Considering their low cost, multipurpose and dense proliferation, he said, “Both hard-kill and soft-kill counter-drone solutions, including swarm technology, are the need of the moment.”
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