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The chief of the army, General M.M. Naravane has said a comprehensive Integrated Battlegroup (IBG) “bed test” has been completed, but its deployment has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Army planned to introduce the IBGs, which comprise a combination of infantry, artillery, air defense, tank and logistics units, as part of a far-reaching renewal of their war-fighting capabilities, particularly along the borders with China. and Pakistan.
“The deployment of IBGs has been delayed due to the outbreak of the pandemic and the need to divert critical resources towards containment efforts,” said the army chief. PTI.
“However, I can assure you that we will deploy IBGs within the required timeframe as conceptual work has already been established and extensive testing has already been done prior to the outbreak,” he said.
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The Army chief also said there could be some disruptions to defense production and acquisition in the wake of the pandemic, but it will be a “temporary phase.”
After years of deliberation, the Army decided to elevate IBGs along the borders with China and Pakistan that will help it carry out rapid attacks in case of war. Each IBG will be headed by a major general and will comprise around 5,000 troops.
Prior to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in October, the Indian Army conducted the “Him Vijay” exercise in Arunachal Pradesh, primarily to test the effectiveness of IBGs in the mountain combat exercise.
Each IBG would be modeled according to specific operational requirements considering the topography and perceptions of threats.
When asked whether the financial burden triggered by the pandemic will influence the Army’s long-term pending military procurement program, he said it could have some impact in the short term.
“Defense production and acquisition are long-drawn and elaborate processes that involve the integration of various systems and subsystems and rely on global supply chains. Due to the pandemic, there could be some disruptions, but I see this as a temporary phase, “he said.
At the same time, General Naravane said there have been “numerous buffers” that will be used to accelerate production once the situation returns to normal “as it is a question of when and not if.”
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Although indigenous manufacturing will be affected, he said, its magnitude will be much less.
“Therefore, we are reviewing our contracts and procurement plans in detail to ensure that delays are minimized and that local suppliers are not greatly affected and are in continuous dialogue with all interested parties,” said the head of the Army.
He said that the Indian military has invested heavily in the indigenization of supply chains and inventory in recent years.
“So this crisis will not affect us as adversely as other countries. Most of our ongoing acquisitions are in the “buy Indians” categories of Indian industries that retain adequate reserves of assemblies / subsets of foreign suppliers to meet contingencies, “said General Naravane.
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