The feedback I got on the article ‘1/3rd Fauji Retirement at 58' [1]
was illuminating and educative. It brought
forth some fundamental issues which are relevant and must be considered before
a case is taken up to increase the age of retirement of 1/3rd of the
Armed Forces to 58. However, there are issues beyond that. That is what this is
all about.
The ‘Alice in Wonderland’ view of increasing
retirement ages is very currently visible through the Assam Rifles prism. An
officer who did three tenures in Assam Rifles and was an IGAR (equivalent to
the GOC of a Division) mentioned that he had tossed around the issues thrown up
in this debate. He highlighted that retirement age for troops in AR is 60. Once
men cross 40-45 years of age, a very large number of them become medically
unfit. To put things in perspective, on an average, each AR bn has around 120 Low
Medical Categories as per him. That is a company plus strength! Resultantly, they
have many non-op causalities, mostly owing to lifestyle diseases. Some of his battalions
had two sets of food being cooked too! One for the young, and one (less salt,
less fat and no sugar kind) for the elderly. And of course, there is this huge frustration
of having to wait for promotions. The Subedar Majors' on an average do 2-3
tenures as SMs!! To top it off he highlighted that there were many cases of 50
plus year old Jawans who had to be evacuated from remote Company Operating Bases
with acute problems. Is that what we want our Army to look like?
Another officer quoted the statistics
from the Wikipedia. Though Wikipedia cannot be a primary source it is still
partly true. It is stated there that on an average a defence civilian pensioner
costs five times more than a military pensioner. This is attributed to
increased age of retirement and enhanced pension. The civilian defense pensioner
is at the top of the pay scale by the end of his service, has been granted OROP
and NFU! Obviously, he will have a fat pension. The 5th CPC, 6th
CPC, the Koshiyari Committee and all such and many more studies have strongly
recommended to the Government to absorb and sidestep Armed Forces personnel into
CPMFs, Civil Government organizations including Police Organization as is the
custom in many other countries. It is no great imagination or rocket science
that Armed
Forces personnel with their training, discipline and skills should be
sidestepped into other government departments. Everyone agrees with this
thought process but every government since I can remember has done nothing
about it but give lip service. This
government has been no different. So far. As a result, the pension bill is only
ballooning. Can something different be done? That is the real gauntlet to
surmount by the Government.
The
CDS has also spoken about monetizing defence land. Till now I have only heard
suave bankers, seedy politicians, elusive DEOs, self -serving lawyers, sleazy land
sharks and greasy officials talk about monetizing defence land. The very kind
who were responsible for ‘Adarsh’ to happen. For the first time I am hearing
someone serving talk about it in public and being seconded by other respected
personalities. This must be music to people’s ears in some quarters! After 70
years, they have found voice of support from within the establishment. Well, I
will rest my case there.
It
is obvious that increasing age of retirement and disposing defence land off are
contentious ideas which demand a rethink. I am sure the CDS also knows about
this. Having known him for more than four decades now, I ‘do not’ repeat
‘do not’ doubt his integrity or his intent at all. He is an honorable
man with the best interests of the Service at heart. That I will vouch for. However, he has stated these as options in a
public forum. It is therefore, important to understand that either he has been
driven to a state where he feels that one must adopt these desperate measures. Else,
someone is firing this gun over his shoulder! Indeed, these are desperate times
when the mention of even an outlay for a defence budget is conspicuous by its
absence in the Finance Ministers budget speech. The CEA looked as if he has
swallowed a dead fish when someone asked him about the defence outlay or its
absence from the budget speech. Overall it summed up the Governmental attitude.
Naturally the CDS is compelled to think up of something even if surreal.
In
this context I got some valuable perspective from two cerebral generals. One, a
recently retired Infantryman and the other a long-retired Gunner. I must share
it with all. The elder General stated “National Security doesn’t come cheap
not where India is. The Nation must bear this burden. Paucity of funds will
remain a constant. While the Services leadership must do better in resource
management to ensure the optimum utilization of funds the Government cannot
absolve itself of its responsibility to provide adequately for defense besides
finding ways to ensure that the Services are not driven to situations where
they feel compelled to raise retirement ages to save on pension”. The
younger General stated” it’s the Governments call to have an Army, Air Force
and Navy. If it wants, it must find the money too. It is not for the Armed
Forces to self-finance its modernization by monetizing land or cost cutting by
some arbitrary age amendments. If the Government cannot afford the Armed Forces,
shut it down or reduce the strength. Decisions must be based on need, pitfalls,
history and affordability”. Put these two together, and the essence of the
role of Armed Forces in the national security paradigm comes forth. It also
highlights the role and responsibility of the Government in shaping the Armed
Forces of the nation. It is worth reflecting upon this.
What
these two gentlemen are saying is that- Is there any doubt that we are living
under a constant nuclear overhang? We are hemmed in between a toxic Pakistan
and a predatory China who will remain our adversarial constants. Is there any
doubt that we want to be a regional power and grow into a 10 tn $ economy via
the 5tn mark? To achieve that we need strong, modern and fit Armed Forces to
meet the oncoming challenges of a rising power. Is there a doubt that the way
wars are being fought are changing? New
technologies are disrupting military affairs as never before. Is there any doubt that our Armed Forces,
despite the chest thumping are manpower intensive and equipped with some vintage
stuff all set to come apart at the seams? This disjointed mass needs to be
shrunk and modernized to meet realistic threats. All this is common knowledge.
The responsibility for all this does not lie with the CDS alone. It lies with
the Government of India. It is the job of the CDS to nudge the Government into
taking the right call on these issues by putting the cards squarely on the
table. It is not his call to be the handsome prince to wake up sleeping beauty
with a kiss. That is the job and responsibility of the government. That is why they have been voted into power.
It
will do well to remember that a Poor India with a strong leader like Indira
Gandhi and an astute chief like Sam Bahadur built a strong army to trounce
Pakistan and create a nation. It remains
to be seen if a Rich India led by a strong Modi and an enthusiastic CDS can
transform our Armed Forces, which in turn can propel us to the high table of
the world. That is the challenge. The bar is set.
Am I a pessimist? No. I believe that in our PM
we have someone who is not afraid to take the bull by the horns. He has shown
it during the Balakot Strike. He has shown his strategic acumen in Abrogation
of Article 370. He has ensured creation of the CDS to open ways for further
reforms. I think it is time for him to take the next resolute step to downsize
our Armed Forces realistically , weld
and modernize them into a lean and
mean self-dependent force which propels India to achieve its true
potential and thereby its standing it the comity of nations. Nothing like
Strong Armed Forces to muscle on to a seat on the high table. Otherwise forget
it.
I
am also aware that budgets for such endeavors will never be available. They
will always be short if we continue with the same old Indian Rope Tricks of our
bureaucracy – military and civilian. There are very clear and tangible methods
not only to modernize Armed Forces and achieve self-sufficiency but also get India
to be a net defense exporter despite tight budgets. We need to do things
differently. Am I a dreamer? Yes. I was always one in the ‘Imagine’ mode of John
Lennon….
You, may say I’m
a dreamer
But I’m not the
only one
I hope someday
you will join us
and India will be
the one…
Jai Hind
Very interesting read and apt too.
ReplyDeleteWell my personal opinion is that the former COAS and the present CDS should not have mouthed this suggestion in public when we all know it is detrimental to the org interest. Men like him should quit instead of buckling under pressure
ReplyDeleteand damaging the org permanently...
Very well articulated Shankar.CDS has done many things for style rather than substance. I hope he realises it soon.
ReplyDeleteVery decently articulated.
ReplyDeleteWell covered
ReplyDeleteWell covered. Rajagopal
DeleteVery logically articulated
DeleteVery well brought out.The civilian pension of MOD is bulk of the pension bill.Selling defense land or retirement age are no long term solution because land is constant factor.Talking of teeth to tail ratio should also include civilian staff of MOD.Reduce civilian staff and combatants after retirement should be absorbed in MOD/defense civil staff or govt undertaking.
ReplyDeleteVery well articulated.
ReplyDeleteThe CDS remark reminds me of the move to move Service Headquarters
to Gurgaon and vacate the Delhi Cantt during the time Sharad Pawar was the Defence Minister. He was a Land Shark but I am wondering if CDS is following his path.
One should not even think in dream to sell defence land. Now a days land is prime. To get small piece of land for national project like or metero take years. To to get land for any defence project will take yeas.
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