New Delhi: Nearly a year after defence minister Rajnath Singh told parliament that the Narendra Modi government “has plans” to procure 1.86 lakh bullet proof jackets (BPJs) for a sum of Rs 639 crore by April 2020, the government today, March 11, evaded in the Lok Sabha a categorical question on the complete status of availability of such jackets for members of the Armed Forces.

Singh, on July 8, 2019, had informed the Rajya Sabha during the supplementary question session, about his government’s April 2020 deadline for meeting the shortage of such jackets. 

“In 2009, there was a shortage of 3,53,755 bullet proof jackets in the country, but procurement was not done for a long time. An RFP for procurement of 1,86,138 bullet proof jackets has been issued in April 2016 and the tender in this regard was allotted on April 9, 2018 to an Indian buyer.

The total value of the contract is for Rs 638.97 crore, for procurement of 1,86,138 bullet proof jackets, which will be supplied within 36 months and it has to be completed by April 8, 2020," Singh had said. 

In September 2019, Bureau of Indian Standards deputy director Rajesh Bajaj reportedly said that the domestic players “have already supplied about 1.86 lakh jackets to defence forces and the tendering process for further supply is underway.” 

Also read: MEA Doesn't Want 1947-49 Kashmir Files of Then Indian Army Chief to Be Public

However, on March 11, in a statement laid on the table of the Lok Sabha in response to member Chandra Prakash Joshi’s query seeking “the status of availability of bullet proof jackets in the armed forces of the country”, defence minister Singh merely said:

“BPJs are authorised as per laid down scale and are procured from time to time and made available to soldiers as per specifications and authorisation.”

The statement doesn’t give the status of full procurement of the jackets to meet the entire shortfall of 3,53,755 as per 2009 official data even though Bajaj had stated last September that “the tendering process for further supply is underway.” 

What Singh’s statement, however, has highlighted was what the government has been emphasising for some time – the export of such jackets to various countries.

“Industrial licences have been issued to 15 companies for manufacturing BPJs, ... [which will result in] production capacity in the country of over ten lakh per annum to meet the domestic and export requirement,” he said.    

What is to be pointed out is that while Bajaj had said last September that India has begun exporting bullet proof jackets to over 100 countries, Singh’s March 11 statement in parliament contradicted the number:

“Bullet proof jackets are also being exported to 18 countries. In view of the strategic requirement, names of the countries are not disclosed.” 

Bajaj had then said India is the fourth country to have its own national standards on such jackets and it was done in December 2018 as per the directions from the Niti Aayog and the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.