‘Mountain corps is being armed by reserve equipment’

 

The Vice-Chief of Army Staff is learnt to have told a parliamentary panel that the Army’s War Wastage Reserves is being “held” and equipment is being taken out to be given to the Mountain Strike Corps which is being raised in the Northeast.

“As far as equipment is concerned, to meet our requirements in such a short time frame is a problem. But what we have done is we have dipped into our War Wastage Reserves. So, we are holding War Wastage Reserves of all sorts of equipment, weapons, and stores. All this has been taken out from the Reserves and given to the new raisings. So, the new raisings are having reasonable amount of equipment which is enabling their timely raising,” the committee’s latest report which was tabled in the Parliament has quoted the Vice Chief as having told the members of the committee.

“Firstly, why the mountain corps has been sanctioned and why did we request for it? This is in keeping with our 15 years’ perspective plan. The process started with our analysis of the threat perception after 15 years and in that analysis it was predicted that the way @@@ has been getting more aggressive in resolving its disputes with neighbours, especially, in view of what we have seen with its maritime disputes in the South China Sea, it was our attempt to make sure that we are fully prepared to deal with this threat if at any time @@@ decides to raise the ante and get more aggressive,” the report read.

The committee withheld the country’s name, referring to it as “@”, probably hinting towards China, given the context of the South China Sea.

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