June 16, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 11, 1429

Archives Write to Mr. Jawed Naqvi

Jawed Naqvi

WE have to discover our own Ayesha Siddiqa to do a good job of it or find the expertise of Stephen Cohen to analyse the phenomenon. A look at recent media reports does seem to indicate that the stock of the Indian soldier may be up in the odd neighbouring country like Bangladesh or even in far away Europe but the army is facing a siege within its own ranks. The reason? An increasing number of fine officers are leaving for more lucrative careers in the private sector.

To make matters worse a section of former senior officers are planning to return their gallantry awards to President Pratibha Patil. Their protest is rooted in the same headache an intractable economic crunch, reflected in what the officers consider to be measly raise in the monthly monetary allowance the government announced last month.

‘The executive committee of the War Decorated India (WDI), a nationwide organisation representing the winners of gallantry medals such as Param Vir Chakra (PVC), Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and Vir Chakra (VrC), has resolved to return the medals in protest against the “piddly raise”. That is what WDI general secretary Capt (retired) Reet M P Singh was quoted as telling the media on Saturday. The proposed move comes soon after a separate armed forces veterans’ protest march to seek a better deal for both serving and retired officers and ranks from the Sixth Pay Commission. The fresh round of anger has all the potential to rattle the government. Press Trust of India quoted Singh, a Vir Chakra winner from the 1965 Indo-Pak war, as describing a stormy meeting of the group in Chandigarh where much anger was vented. Last month, the government had announced a 100 per cent hike to the monthly allowance that it paid to the gallantry award winners. “Doubling of the paltry sum already being paid is like doubling the number zero. It amounts to nothing,” Singh said, voicing the views of 13 of the 18 WDI executive committee members. The protest presents a stark contrast to the visit to the Berlin War Cemetery recently by Indian Defence Minister A K Antony, where amid a sombre mood rich tributes were paid to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the Second World War.

As the bugler sounded the “Last Post” at the war cemetery, Antony with senior officials moved towards the memorials built at the cemetery where bodies of 50 soldiers from undivided India were laid to rest during the Second World War. He placed a wreath at the memorial on which “Their Name liveth for ever more” was inscribed. A small detachment of the German Guards stepped forward to aid the minister to place a wreath at the memorial. He showered rose petals as the bugler again blew the “Last Post” signing the end of the mourning period. Two priests chanted prayers as the delegation members placed rose stalks at the graves.

The ceremony should be seen in its right context of course. Thousands of soldiers were mobilised by the erstwhile colonial powers to fight their war in Europe and Africa. They included the Aborigines from Australia, Black and Berber Africans and countless other soldiers from a diverse range of ethnic groups. Indians themselves presented a rich diversity.

In March this year, in a rare gesture given their roller-coaster ties, Bangladesh at last remembered the Indian soldiers who died in action in East Pakistan during the 1971 war. The honour was accorded during an Independence Day parade that was attended by a 10-member Indian delegation including war veterans. This was the first time that Indian officers were formally invited to attend the celebration. The Indian Army men were popularly known as ‘Mitra Bahini’ (allied forces) during the war that led to the creation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan in 1971.

President Iajuddin Ahmed received the elderly veterans and their spouses. No official figure of Indian soldiers killed in the war is available. An unofficial estimate puts it close to 18,000. More than 9,000 Indian soldiers and paramilitary personnel serve on UN peacekeeping missions in Africa and Asia and seem to be in great demand.

Defence correspondent Manu Pubby’s report in the Indian Express last Monday, however, presented a disturbing picture about the army’s troubles at home. The exit of more and more officers opting for early retirement has started to hit where it hurts the most, he says. The contingents seeking early retirement mostly include middle-rank officers who are by and large heading for better careers in the private sector. However, the biggest dent now affecting the army’s actual war fighting capabilities is the exodus from its crucial combat arms, says the Express.

It says that as many as 950 officers from the main fighting arms Infantry, Mechanised Infantry and Armoured Corps have quit over the past five years. Most of them are Lt-Colonels and Colonels that the army will find very difficult to replace. With the army already coping with a shortage of over 11,000 officers, “again mostly in the combat arms”, the increasing number of premature retirement applicants is causing serious concern at Defence Ministry. This year itself, over 800 officers have applied for early release from the army, says the report. “The number of combat arms officers who have left the army has increased from just over 100 in 2004 to nearly 400 last year. As many 150 officers from the three arms have put in their papers just in the first five months of this year. The worst-affected is the Infantry where close to 550 officers have resigned since 2004.”

Most of the departing officers are Lt-Cols and Cols, but an increasing number of Majors and Captains are also now asking for early retirement from the army, indicating that even after foregoing pension benefits, better paying career options are available in the private sector. Already this year, over 150 young Captains and Majors have applied for early release. “The immediate fallout of this exodus is thinning in the number of officers posted in field units and counter insurgency operations,” says the Express. “While the authorised strength of officers in combat units is 20-24, most units posted in active areas have barely half that number of officers.” Former Army Chief General V P Malik has described the phenomenon as a “major cause for worry”. The shortage undermines the war fighting capabilities of the army as it has been forced to do “rationing” of officers to meet minimum combat requirements.

The Indian Army is thus increasingly losing its best officers, who would have easily made it to the top ranks, to the private sector. Last month, 12 officers who had been selected for the higher command course, that is considered vital for promotions to top ranks, opted out as they had decided on quitting the army,” according to the Express report. “A compulsory five year service bond that they would have needed to sign before attending the course did not help matters.

On Thursday, a separate report by NDTV claimed that the problems facing the army were also worsened by its increasing use to combat insurgencies within the borders of India. “Those of us who regularly interact with troops on ground get a distinct feeling of disquiet among officers and jawans on various counts. This is as good a time as any to look at these signs of anxiety if only to kick off a public debate on the issue,” says NDTV.“The biggest anxiety among young and mid-service officers and jawans stems from the proclivity of governments to deploy army in situations, which actually require a combination of police action and political will and not brute force.” Clearly, a serious analysis is overdue.

jawednaqvi@gmail.com