The army is daily expending hundreds of rounds of artillery shells and mortar rounds to counter Pakistan's barrage across the Line of Control (LoC).

At least 30,000 rounds of 155 mm shells are required for FH 77B Bofors Howitzers, deployed in large numbers near Kargil. Today, the shells are being offered at an exorbitant price of US$ 2,000 per shell, off the shelf.Detonators, delay devices and fuses for desperately needed High Explosive Extended Rounds (HEERs) for the Bofors Howitzers are also not available.In the terrain around Kargil, the Bofors guns are the most useful and powerful, and in view of the shortage of ammunition, the army might be forced to use 130 mm guns, which may not be that effective, say senior officials in the army. The blame for this can be put squarely on all the previous governments who have used theBofors scandal for their own political mileage, putting the armed forces in a tricky situation.

Even with the 130 mm guns, the army is facing a problem. While the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) does make 130 mm shells, it does not make enough of them. The army needs to maintain war wastage reserves of equipment for times of conflict, but over the years, these have been neglected.

India's main battle tank, T-72, has been facing acute shortages for several years and there is no ammunition for the 125 mm rounds used by the T-72. In fact, sources reveal that out of the 58 regiments equipped with these tanks, they have been deprived of live firing training for years. As one officer says, ``At times, we have had to tell the soldiers on training to just visualise a three-tonne truck as a tank and practise.'' However, on the brighter side, negotiations are on for 100,000 rounds of 125 mm shells and sources are confident of that being expedited.

The army is also being forced to cannibalise damaged guns for thespares, say sources. Parts are being removed from different guns and fitted on to others, they confirm.

Additionally, the soldiers fighting in Kargil are facing a shortage of camouflage tents and surveillance equipment, which makes them all the more vulnerable to enemy fire.

The costs of war have increased over the years. While the 1965 war cost the Indian armed forces Rs 60 crore, 1971 cost Rs 400 crore-these figures are minus the compensations paid and the repairs carried out. Today, on the conservative side, the Indian armed forces will be incurring ten times that expense--around Rs 4,000 crore. This is excluding the compensations for the bereaved families.

-- Huma Siddiqui