Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took stock of the progress in implementing the ambitious reform process in the Indian Army under which nearly 57,000 officers and other ranks are being redeployed to enhance the combat capability of the force.
The Government in August had unveiled an ambitious reform initiative for the Indian Army based on recommendations of a committee headed by lt Gen (retd) DB Shekatkar which was tasked with suggesting steps to enhance combat capability of the armed forces.
Sitharaman on Wednesday reviewed implementation of the reform process at a high-level meeting attended by Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and top officials of the Defence Ministry. While accepting the panel's 65 recommendations dealing with the Army, the Government had left 34 suggestions relating to tri-services issues.
In the meeting, Sitharaman also discussed ways to implement some of the 34 recommendations of panel whose implementation will impact all the three services.
One of the major recommendations of the Shekatkar committee was appointing a tri-service chief and Government is yet to take a call on it. The sources said a number of issues including operational preparedness of the forces also figured in the meeting.
Gen Rawat briefed the defence minister about steps taken to implement the reform process in the Army.
