Indian Army Begins Implementation Of Radio Frequency Identification Tagging Of Its Ammunition Stock

The Indian Army on Wednesday (9 February) commenced implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging of its ammunition inventory.

The first consignment of RFID tagged ammunition, comprising three lots of 5.56 mm ammunition was despatched from Ammunition Factory Khadki to Central Ammunition Depot (CAD) Pulgaon. The event was flagged off by the Director General Ordnance Services.

The RFID implementation has been steered by the Ordnance Services Directorate of the Indian Army, in conjunction with Pune-based Munitions India Limited (MIL), the newly created entity formed post corporatisation of the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB), the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The RFID tagging is in conformity with global standards and has been done in consultation with GS1 India, a Global Standards organisation set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The RFID tags will be interpreted and used for assets tracking by the Enterprise Resource Application run by the Computerised Inventory Control Group (CICG) of the Ordnance Services Directorate, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the implementation of the RFID solution for ammunition asset visibility will transform management of ammunition and bring in a quantum jump in ammunition lot management and tracking capability.

The endeavour will make ammunition storage and use by soldiers safer and provide enhanced satisfaction to the field Army. The implementation will lead to increased efficiency in all technical activities carried out in ammunition depots and reduce inventory carrying costs, it added.