Infantry modernization brainstorming results

A seminar on modernisation of India’s infantry was held on May 25 by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies in Delhi. Here’s a brief list of some of the immediate recommendations that were drawn up after the seminar:

• An infantry battalion or individual should preferably be rotated between two different or three near congruous terrain profiles only.
• A project to reduce weight of the present medium machine gun, automatic grenade launcher, and anti-material rifle by at least 6-8 kgs should be undertaken.
• Replacement of the existing Hand Grenade No 36 should be expedited with the introduction of a variety of grenades to meet all requirements.
• 81 mm Mortars should be made lighter and possibly based on tracked carriers and their range should be not less than 7,000 metres.
• A man-portable unmanned aerial vehicle troop (four-six aerial vehicles) should be authorised to the intelligence and surveillance platoon of infantry battalion. This would enhance the infantry battalion’s area of influence.
• The ‘bayonet strength’ of a rifle section should be preserved. In a single section, there should at least be 6-7 persons available for launching an assault on the enemy.
• Custom-built obstacle crossing expedients should be made available to infantry for negotiating water obstacles as well as mine fields.
• Infantry company ‘F’ echelon should be based on two 1.5 ton capacity low silhouette vehicles.
• Ghatak platoons should be trained for helicopter-borne operations and provided with light strike vehicles.

Open for discussion!