Context: The Army is in the process of procuring Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles from Israel and Igla-S Very Short Range Air Defence Systems (VSHORAD) from Russia through a set of new financial powers for emergency procurements sanctioned by the Defence Ministry earlier this month.

Features of emergency financial powers given to Army:

• After the Pulwama attack, the government has given emergency powers to the armed forces for buying equipment to enable them to fight wars on the western border with Pakistan.
• Under the latest emergency financial powers, armed forces have been given a free hand to procure equipment worth upto ?300 crore on a priority basis.
• The government also relaxed certain rules to cut delays in military purchase like allowing the three services to procure required weapons and equipment from a single vendor.
• Entirely new systems not in use can also be procured under the new powers.
• For the procurement under the emergency orders, the forces need not even take concurrence of the Integrated Financial Advisor from the defence finance department.

Need:

The defence Ministry feels that since the forces have to fight wars, they should decide on their requirement and priority in the acquisition and buy that equipment.

Spike-LR Anti-Tank Missiles: 

• being procured from Israel.
• range of 4 km.