Ammunition availability has improved: Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said the availability of ammunition with the army has improved and resources were being augmented at ordnance factories to improve it further.

A report of the CAG tabled in parliament recently said that if India was to go to war now, 90 percent of its available ammunition would not last even for 10 days.

"The CAG report was for the 2008-13 period, the situation has changed since then," Parrikar said at the 'Manthan' conclave organised by TV news channel Aaj Tak.

"We are two years ahead now. Last year alone the production of arms and ammunition output was 18 percent more than what it was earlier," Parrikar said.

He said stocks for four days were available "in field". The minister said production was being increased.

"Earlier, production order was given for one year. Now we give it for several years," he said.

The minister also said that factors such as cost, shelf life and storage requirements played a role in determining how much ammunition should be in stock.

"The direction is to have ammunition for 40 days... No one thought from where this 40 days emerged... There are many factors that need to be considered, like what is the price... If it is expensive, it can be produced when needed," he added.