NEW DELHI: In its bid to augment the fighting arms Indian Army has commissioned a new study to rationalize troops of the Army Service Corps (ASC).
“Army has ordered a study to optimize the manpower of the ASC. It is part of the ongoing process to augment the teeth to tail ratio” told an officer aware of the development.
Under the ongoing study, duplication of work was found between the two units of the ASC which are part of the peace areas. Every division, a formation of around 12000 troops, in peace has one battalion of ASC Depot and another for Second Line Transport (to move stores).
“The study group in the initial stages has found that a compliment of 30 to 40 troops can carry out the task for which around 100 troops are involved at present,” informed the officer. This duplication is taking place in peace areas where troops from the supply depot and second-line battalion of transport do the same work.
The work has already been successfully started at Mamoon Cantonment, Punjab and at Kalimpong, West Bengal. The troops will be optimized in the field areas in the fighting formations, said the officer.
Tooth to tail ratio is a military term that refers to the amount of military personnel it takes to supply and support (tail) each combat soldier (tooth).
The ASC is entrusted with the responsibility of mainly provisioning, procurement and distribution of supplies and petroleum products to the Army, Air Force, Navy and other Paramilitary forces.
Indian Army is undergoing the biggest overall restructuring after independence with the initiation of recommendations given after the four studies completed in December 2018.
Also, Lt Gen DB Shekatkar Committee had recommended 99 measures which will be implemented by the end of 2019. Shekatkar Committee was set up to recommend measures to enhance combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure of the armed forces.