New Delhi : The Indian Army has launched ‘Bharat Rice’ for defence personnel in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi. The initiative aims to ensure the direct delivery of quality rice to Army Supply Depots, including those in remote areas of Ladakh and the Northeast.
The event also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Army and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to utilise FCI’s warehousing infrastructure, manpower and material-handling resources during operational contingencies.
Rajnath Singh described Bharat Rice as a link between farmers and soldiers, reflecting the spirit of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.” He emphasised that soldiers’ welfare, access to quality food and resilient supply chains are integral to national security.
Highlighting lessons from Operation Sindoor, the Defence Minister stressed the importance of strengthening logistics networks to sustain military operations, particularly in scenarios involving limited warning time. He said FCI’s warehouses, storage facilities, modern silos and trained manpower could support the Army’s operational preparedness.
The MoU reflects a dual-use approach to national infrastructure, integrating civilian resources with military logistics to improve efficiency and ensure timely supplies to forward areas.
Pralhad Joshi welcomed the initiative, stating that providing quality food to the personnel protecting the nation is a responsibility of his ministry. Senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, FCI, NAFED and other departments attended the event.