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Investigation by Indian Government warranted - Faulty Indian Rifles caused defeat for Nepal Army against Maoists in recent battle: Nepal Army
Nepal Army is blaming Indian manufactured guns as the cause for their defeat against the Maoists in a recent battle. Indian Government must investigate and report immediately on this because if it is true, Indian Army can suffer too. In addition this just provides a scar on Indian manufacturing standards in defense industry that is expanding fast.
According to media reports, the Nepali army said on Friday faulty Indian assault rifles were partly responsible for its heavy death toll in a gun battle with Maoist rebels as troops hunted for 75 soldiers still missing after the fighting.
Forty-three soldiers and a civilian were killed when hundreds of rebels attacked an army base in the remote Kalikot district, 600 km from the capital, Kathmandu, late on Sunday.
The Maoists, fighting to topple Nepal's monarchy and establish Communist rule, say they captured 52 soldiers after the raid, a claim rejected by the army.
Army spokesman Brigadier-General Dipak Gurung said the Indian-manufactured INSAS rifles malfunctioned during the fighting which continued for about 10 hours.
"Soldiers complained that the INSAS rifles did not function properly during the fighting which lasted for a long time," Gurung told a news conference when asked why the army death toll was high.
"May be the weapons we were using were not designed for a long fight. They malfunctioned," he said.
There were also fewer troops at the base as it was a road construction project and not a fighting base, he added.
The army casualties were the heaviest since Maoist violence escalated after King Gyanendra seized direct power in February by sacking the multiparty government.
"There were stoppages during the firing, the rifles got hot and soldiers had to wait for them to cool," another officer said.
India is a key military supplier to the poorly equipped Nepali army. But New Delhi suspended arms supplies six months ago after the King's power grab to press the monarch to restore multi-party democracy and civil liberties.
Nepali troops have complained in the past about technical problems with the Indian designed and built INSAS or Indian Small Arms System assault rifle.
Indian troops using the rifle are also known to have faced difficulties using it, Indian defence experts say. Indian defense officials declined to react to the Nepali comments.
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