The Indian Army continues to thwart infiltration attempts by terrorists sneaking from across the border from Pakistan. Now, the Indian Army is going two steps ahead and plans to lay around one million anti-personnel mines in the border area between India and Pakistan to impede infiltration.
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In what could be the Indian Army’s biggest order till date, private firms have been invited to participate in the bidding process for a contract of over one million anti-personnel mines, according to reports. Surprisingly, it is only the private companies who are being asked to bid.
Anti-personnel mines are used regularly along the Line-of-Control (LoC) to hinder infiltration attempts by terrorists who sneak-in to create unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. The LoC remains the world’s most mined zone after the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea.
At present, there is no Indian private organization which produces or supplies anti-personnel mines; some do however provide parts for anti-personnel mines manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), so responses to the invitation are expected from such private players.
The organisation which secures the contract will be required to supply one million anti-personnel mines within five years. The mines, according to ET, which the Indian Army is keen to procure are of the Non-Metallic Mine (NMM) 14 type, which is especially difficult to detect as it is primarily made of plastic.
