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dated March 30, 1955: Minister on defence needs

Replying to the defence debate in the Lok Sabha on March 29, the Defence Minister, Dr. Kailas Nath Katju, declared that the peacetime strength of the Army was largely a matter of policy which had not yet been decided upon in India, because conditions continued to be abnormal. But, he agreed that it would be better to have a small but "well organised, well located and well armed mobile Army" rather than a large Army, which was ill-equipped. The Indian Navy and the Air Force were in a state of infancy and had to be expanded within their own resources. However, their expansion would not be allowed to suffer for want of funds. Dr. Katju said it would be ridiculous in view of India's declared policy and her limited resources to think in terms of having nuclear weapons which "we hate." He went on to assure the House that so far as conventional weapons were concerned, the Government's goal was self-sufficiency and the ordnance factories were already doing excellent service in producing practically all kinds of small arms they needed, with the exception of tanks. Paying a tribute to India's armed forces, he said India's defence establishment was a symbol of the "country's unity and patriotic endeavour." There need be no apprehension that the armed forces were being given "outmoded or even second rate weapons." Establishing a design in a factory was a lengthy process, but still the conventional weapons produced by India's ordnance factories were as good or very nearly as good as any. He wanted the House to remember one fact about the ordnance factories, that they were meant for manufacturing "lethal weapons" and not "sewing suits." In peace time, when the Army stocks were good, some material for civilian consumption was produced, but then there always were some machines which had to be kept in a fit condition to produce only armaments.

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