SOURCE: TIMES NOW
The Indian Army wants far-reaching structural changes in its Headquarters, and preferably by Independence Day. Several major decisions, like moving the Rashtriya Rifles headquarters out of Delhi have already been implemented, but the effort to modernise the Indian army continues.
Several major changes are on the anvil:
• The Human Rights or HR issues, it has been proposed, would be dealt with by the Army vice-chief.
• There will be a third deputy chief of Army staff. There are currently two, looking after procurement of weapons and training respectively. The third deputy chief or DCOAS (Strategy) will handle the Additional Director General (Public Information), an office headed by a major general that deals with media. He will also be involved in Information Warfare, currently with Military Operations.
• The Master General of Ordnance or MGO will now be Master General (Sustenance). A large number of maintenance issues will be dealt with the MG (S).
• The WE or Weapons and Equipment section will now be called the Capability Development. All capital purchases will come under this section, headed by one of the Deputy Chiefs. It may also decide on GSQRs or General Staff Qualitative Requirements. This is roughly what the Army’s requirement is, vis-a-vis a weapon system.
• A vigilance department has also been planned. This is a government requirement and has to be done. This could include representatives from the other services – the Navy and the Air Force – and also, from the police.
Meanwhile, the plan to ready Integrated Battle Groups, each one headed by a major general, has already begun. Two are on their way to being formed. They, of course, are not part of the changes in Army headquarters.
