New Delhi: A total of 156 Army soldiers and three IAF personnel were killed in terrorist attacks as well as counter-terror operations in the last five years. This information was given Monday by the Defence Ministry in Rajya Sabha .
Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt was responding to a question when he the Army’s fatal casualties in terrorist attacks/counter-terrorist operations in 2017 was 40 that increased to 47 in 2018. The number was 27 in 2019, 23 in 2020 and it was 19 in 2021, according to the data provided by him. There has been no fatal or non-fatal casualty so far in 2022.
Bhatt said the three Indian Air Force personnel (IAF) were killed in 2017 while two of its personnel were injured in 2022.
The number of Army personnel who suffered injuries during terrorist attacks/counter-terrorist operations in the last five years was 323, according to Bhatt’s written reply. “No naval personnel suffered any casualties during this period,” he said.
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Bhatt also said an amount of Rs 7.14 crore was provided to the families of the deceased Army personnel as part of financial support. A total of Rs 3.49 crore was given to personnel who sustained injuries. The minister also provided details of compensation and support extended to the next of kin of the three deceased IAF personnel.
To a separate question on supporting the domestic defence industry, Bhatt said the government has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (in principle approval) to 150 proposals worth Rs 2,47,515 crore approximately in the last three years in line with its priority to boost domestic manufacturing.
“In addition, during the last three years that is from 2018-19 to 2020-21 and current year till January 2022, out of total 191 capital acquisition contracts signed, 121 have been signed with Indian vendors,” Bhatt said.