Says “Soldiers’ welfare integral to national security”
“Bharat Rice to reach remote depots, FCI pact to strengthen supply chains”
New Delhi | October, 12: Stating that soldiers’ welfare is integral to national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said lessons from ‘Operation Sindoor’ have underscored the need for resilient military supply chains.
Addressing a function organized to launch ‘Bharat Rice’ for troops and the Indian Army signing a 5-year agreement with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), sources said Singh said“The strategic analysis of Operation Sindoor indicated that warning times could be extremely short in future conflicts. We must build logistics resilience to sustain our operations. This MoU with FCI represents a significant step in that direction.”
The Defence Minister emphasized that soldiers’ operational readiness depends not only on weapons and equipment but also on their physical health, mental balance, morale, and stamina, particularly in harsh conditions. He said healthy food, robust equipment, and complete training helped boost morale, adding, “The welfare of soldiers is not a peripheral issue, but an integral component of national security.”
Under the Bharat Rice initiative, quality rice will be delivered directly to Army supply depots in remote areas, including Ladakh and the Northeast, instead of being collected by Army depots from local FCI facilities. Describing Bharat Rice as a bond of trust extending from the farmer’s field to the soldier’s plate, Singh said the initiative embodied the spirit of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.”
“This superior-quality rice will be provided in accordance with standard specifications. Furthermore, we are ensuring ergonomic packaging. While this initiative might appear small, it offers immense operational relief to the soldiers responsible for transporting rations to remote and difficult terrains,” he added.
Officials said the MoU provides the Army with a formal framework to use identified FCI warehouses, labour resources, and material-handling equipment during operational contingencies. It will support additional storage, rapid mobilisation, dispersion, and forward positioning of rations, stores, and equipment closer to operational areas.
Highlighting that modern warfare depends on storage capacity, transportation networks, warehousing, and timely replenishment, Singh cited fighter aircraft landing on expressways and infrastructure built by the Border Roads Organisation as examples of dual-use infrastructure serving civilian and national requirements.
The MoU will remain valid for five years and may be extended by mutual consent. The rice will be milled to prescribed defence specifications and supplied through NAFED during the 2026–27 financial year in 10-kg and 30-kg bags to ease transportation to forward posts.
