New Delhi: The government will ensure that ‘the best of weapons and protective armour’ are provided to the soldiers, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said Wednesday. He said this while handing over the 100,000th bullet proof jacket (BPJ) to Army Chief General MM Naravane at a ceremony here, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
As per the statement, Naik said at the event that the Modi government has placed high emphasis on the operational safety of soldiers and it has honoured its commitment of protecting their ‘precious lives’ while fighting the enemy. Naik assured that ‘the government will ensure that our soldiers will be provided with the best of weapons and protective armour and such requirements will always remain uppermost in priority’.
The minister appreciated manufacturer company SMPP Pvt Ltd for supplying the first one lakh BPJs four months ahead of the delivery schedule.
The minister noted this BPJ is an indigenous product manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and the company is even exporting the product all over the world making India a global hub for supply of such defence items.
The minister said this BPJ has been appreciated by Indian soldiers who are using them on the borders and in countering insurgency.