So called Indian "Army"

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A post by an Indian army officer - xrommelx

So called Indian "Army"

8/6/2010 3:19:43 PM

Being a patriotic Indian and an ex-army captain it pains me as much in writing this article as it will distress you when you gain the insight to what actually is going on in the Indian Army.Let me start by saying I joined the army as an officer in 2004,alternative for me being a software professional(as I made it to a reputed firm).Despite all the discouraging and words of wisdom from elders, a tsunami of pride swept away all the warnings.After graduating from training I will briefly posted in Gwalior.Right there I saw the first of the mud-holes coming to life.Food was not upto standard and men lacked basic equipments guaranteed to an infantry-man.Jamming substandard INSAS and AK-47 guns in training should have been an eye opener but worst was to come.Getting the food after standing in a queue at lunch and dinner on a plate the men cursed its vile quality instead of thanking the cook But nonetheless "Ï am ready to give my life for my country" spirit kept me on high morale just raring to go in case of a war with our western or northern foe.Thereafter Kashmir came calling. My posting was at Sangarwain, small town west of Srinagar.Skirmishes and encounters during searches were common.Had a few close calls and saw fellow colleagues being slaughtered - mainly due to jamming guns when they assaulted.The terrorists had rarely had their guns jamming(which shud be proof enuf that a jamming guns is not a common occurance).in no time I found myself as a lieutenant.Back in barracks lamblasting the defence ministry for substandard equipments to services to food were common. But we had to keep all that to ourselves as we were treated like dogs by any visiting politician(visiting for votes and not to boost morale-which no one bothered to do).VIP security duty was most important leaving tired and overburdened boys to stand guard at maybe a chowk for 15 hours at a stretch-always on high alert against an attack(Judge how you will deal with such a inhumanly stressful situation).Rations at army canteens(various gadgets and items) were compulsorily of low quality whereas papers showed otherwise(It is like getting a twin frontech speaker while paper is showing you got a Bose 5.1 speaker).Some brigadiers and generals who were involved in acquisitions and procurements were brazenly rich while some who seemed to be stuck at the same rank for a long time were living upto their means.The world laughs when they hear encounter between Indian army and 2-3 holed up terrorists is going on for 48 hours/72 hours(U too must have heard it n number of times in the news).2 reasons for it.One the boys are too scared to go for a kill as they have seen too many young brave lives lost to spurious weapons jamming and grenades not exploding.Two, we are asked to deliberately lengthen the encounter.why? A glance at an after encounter report shows the real deal. If 20 ammo-boxes and 15 grenades are used during the fight the report(prepared by officers who far out-ranked me) claims 200 boxes and 200 grenades.Where the extra money/ammo goes...is anybody's guess.During encounters artificially lasting 2-3 days we get 1 meal or 2 if really lucky.It consists of a dal and chappatis and a few onion maybe.NOTHING ELSE.And i mean nothing else.This is how it looks.The men(who have been putting their lives on the line seconds go) line up at the food van.They at thrown some chappatis and asked to make room for dal.They take off their helmet and take the dal in it.And the saying goes "An Army marches on its stomach".So think how Indian Army marches.Stress is over the roof.Tip toe-ing through a dormitory at night u can find many men silently crying .... crying at the rag of a treatment,not given a vacation because of VIP duty,daily risk to their lives for nothing and apathy of common Indians to it.This misery which are never reported can go on for pages on end but let me take to the final year of my "inglorious"(as the generals put it) service.

I was a newly promoted captain and went to check an assignment of grenades that arrived.I was astonished at their shapes.They were decades old atleast but labels say newly manufactured and sourced.I put my foot down and marched right into my superior's office but was told that such grievances can only be addressed by someone higher up.Accordingly I took the case to him(sorry i cannot name him).Already skipping rank was an offence but the lives of my men were more important. I was severely told off that I dared question an acquisition. I cowered down at the threat of censure but I shouldn't have!the events the following week would prove the same.

It was a routing 3 hour max encounter stretched to 2 days at the command of superiors.On third day me and 4 of my men were tasked to storm the first floor where 2 ultras had apparently run out of ammo.3 were already down and so were few of our boys.(note:snipers could have easily taken them out from an building across an adjoining field.But no snipers were called in.You know whats the motif for that).After out-flanking them we were at the door of a room on first floor.Both ultras inside.Naik Rounak Onkar pulled out one of those grenades and was about to throw it in when he hesitated and looked at me-a look that haunts me till date.He asked if he should throw it in(knowing very well their quality).I signalled him to time it carefully as grenades explode after sometime the pin is pulled out or handle bent.He timed it to perfection.But only that the grenade did not explode.by the time he was about to throw another in the ultra inside became aware and kicked the grenade through the door.Naik Onkar shouted out sir and jumped on 2 of us to shield us from the blast.the grenade was hardly 6 feet away.It exploded.I was flat on my back with right hand numb and ears buzzing.Onkar was limp.Acting on instinct I took out Onkar's side arm and fired.The bullet hit an ultra and the other lance naik who was shielded by the sepoy beside him hit the other ultra(who actually had run out of ammo as later found).After gaining my composure I realized onkar and the sepoy were shredded.My right arm was nearly dangling and the man to my right was grievously wounded.Normal rituals followed.But I did not forget that day.After 2 months of recovery and reposting at Mathura i barged in to my superiors room who cleared another spurious consignment of RPGs that were from Russia(yes from Russia).It was cleared by a number of levels of men in power starting from politicians.in a fit of rage I hit him to the ground.COURT MARTIAL.I was rebuked,stripped of honours/pension and sacked in public.Today I am 29.I go through articles in websites concerning the army to look for any signs of improvement. I find none.Whats even more painful is the fact that most Indians genuinely love the armed forces and sources pride from it.Little known to them that we are on the verge of collapse. War? Do you have any idea that 100+ jawans died in the mine laying exercise in Rajasthan during operation Parakram in 2002.Why? They were poorly trained u think? God help us if there is a war. Superiority of Indian Army is an illusion. Pakistan is not our prime enemy. Our weapons are our prime enemy, our people in power are our no 1 enemy.This is not even the tip of the iceburg.

Wake up.Just a few war of words with a Pakistani and back-patting will not help in ridding the army from decay and defend the motherland.And lets not even talk about OFB or DRDO.Hope this article is not reposted by a Pakistani in one of their posts.Jai Hind.

Comparing Indian Pakistan War Scenario

[keysersoze]

Well I am not sure of this posts veracity. It seems a little too much. The story of south asian corruption sounds familiar though.