New Delhi, Oct 12 (NVI): The Indian Army on Monday launched ‘Bharat Rice’ for its personnel and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to utilise its warehousing infrastructure, manpower and material-handling resources during operational contingencies.
The initiative was launched at a ceremony attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi.
Under the initiative, superior-quality rice conforming to prescribed defence specifications will be supplied directly to Army supply depots, including those in remote areas of Ladakh and the Northeast, reducing the need for depots to collect supplies from local FCI facilities.
Addressing the event, Singh said the initiative represented a bond of trust between farmers and soldiers and gave a tangible form to the spirit of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’.
He said the rice would be supplied in ergonomic packaging to ease transportation, particularly for troops operating in remote and difficult terrain.
The Defence Minister emphasised that the welfare of soldiers was integral to national security, adding that their operational readiness depended not only on weapons and equipment but also on physical health, mental well-being, morale and stamina.
Singh said modern warfare required resilient logistics networks, adequate storage capacity, transportation infrastructure and timely replenishment of supplies, noting that logistics itself had become a critical component of combat power.
He said the strategic assessment of Operation Sindoor had highlighted the possibility of future conflicts with very short warning periods, underlining the need to strengthen supply chains to sustain military operations during contingencies.
The MoU with FCI was a significant step towards ensuring logistics resilience, he said, adding that the corporation’s warehouses, storage infrastructure, modern silos, material-handling equipment and trained manpower could be aligned with military requirements whenever necessary.
Singh said the arrangement reflected a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach, allowing existing civilian infrastructure to support defence preparedness while optimising resources.
He cited the use of expressways for fighter aircraft operations and roads and bridges built by the Border Roads Organisation for civilian purposes as examples of infrastructure serving both military and civilian needs.
Joshi said it was a matter of pride for his ministry to provide quality rice to personnel protecting the country, adding that meeting the food requirements of the armed forces was a duty.
According to the Army, the ‘Bharat Rice’ initiative has been developed under the Directorate General of Supplies and Transport following sustained feedback from troops to improve the quality of rations.
The rice will be milled according to prescribed defence specifications and supplied through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) during the financial year 2026-27. It will undergo quality-control checks to ensure it is free from foreign matter and admixtures, with minimal broken, damaged and discoloured grains.
The rice will be procured in 10-kg and 30-kg bags to facilitate handling and transportation, particularly at forward posts. The initiative follows nearly 18 months of coordination among the Army, FCI, NAFED and the Department of Food and Public Distribution.
The MoU provides a formal framework for the Army to use identified FCI warehouses, labour resources and material-handling equipment during operational contingencies. It will remain valid for five years and can be extended by mutual consent.
Under the arrangement, coordination will take place between the Army’s Supply and Transport elements and FCI’s regional and divisional offices, with the facilities integrated into operational logistics plans.
The arrangement is expected to facilitate additional storage, rapid mobilisation, dispersion and forward positioning of rations, stores and equipment closer to operational areas, strengthening the responsiveness of military supply chains.
Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution Sanjeev Chopra and senior officials from the Defence Ministry, the Consumer Affairs Ministry, FCI, NAFED and the cooperative sector attended the event.—(NVI)
