Centre sets up panel to relook defence spend

The government has appointed a committee of experts to recommend measures to enhance the combat capabilities of the over 13-lakh strong armed forces and “re-balance” the overall defence expenditure in view of the escalating salary and pension bills.

Details:

• The 11-member committee is led by Lt Gen D B Shekatkar (retd). It includes several other top military officers as well as civilian experts.
• It has been given three months to chalk out an action plan.
• The overall aim of the committee is to ensure India’s combat capabilities and potential are enhanced, with a better teeth-to-tail combat ratio, within budgetary constraints.
• This move is aimed at ensuring leaner, meaner and cost-effective fighting forces.

Why this is necessary?

At present, the revenue component (day-to-day costs/salaries) in the defence budget by far outstrips the capital outlay every year, leaving very little for new modernisation projects for the armed forces.

Way ahead:

The Army has followed a policy of `save and raise’ since the 1999 Kargil conflict to improve combat capabilities without manpower increases. With modernisation and induction of cutting-edge technologies, some more scope for manpower optimisation can be created.

What is tooth-to-tail ratio?

The tooth-to-tail ratio, referred to as T3R in the Army, is the ratio of fighting arms, which wage the actual battle such as infantry and armoured wings, to support services, such as logistics, signals and ordnance.