NEW DELHI: India spent around Rs two lakh crore for procuring defense equipment for its armed forces in the last three years, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
“Rs 1.98 lakh crore has been the total expenditure on procurement of defense equipment for armed forces during the last three years,” Defense Minister A K Antony said in a written reply.
India has undertaken a major military modernization drive under which it is planning to spend more than USD 100 billion in the next five years for procuring weapon systems for the armed forces.
It is in the process of signing several big-ticket deals including multi-billion contracts for procuring 126 multi-role combat aircraft, 197 helicopters for Army and Air Force and artillery guns worth over Rs 20,000 crore for the Army.
In recent times, it procured six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft for the IAF, several tankers and warships for the Navy and also embarked on major upgrade programs of existing inventory of tanks and aircraft in armed forces’ fleets.
Giving the break-up of these expenditure in the last three years, the Defense minister said Rs 56,507 crore was spent in 2009-10, Rs 67,138.38 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 74,408 crore in the last fiscal.
Answering another query, Antony said the Indian systems of medicine have not been introduced in the armed forces.
He said there are specific requirements to handle medical emergencies such as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, head injuries which can be best taken care by allopathic physician and surgeons. -PTI
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