The Indian Army launched the 'Bharat Rice' initiative for defence forces on October 12, 2026, in a ceremony attended by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Shri Pralhad Joshi. This initiative will provide superior quality rice milled to prescribed defence specifications directly to Army Supply Depots, including those in far-flung areas of Ladakh and the North East, rather than having army depots collect from local FCI facilities. The rice will be supplied through NAFED during Financial Year 2026-27 and will undergo requisite quality-control checks to ensure it is free from foreign matter and admixtures, with minimal broken, damaged and discoloured grains.
Concurrently, the Indian Army signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) that provides a formal framework to utilize identified FCI warehousing infrastructure, labour resources and material-handling equipment during operational contingencies. This MoU is extendable by mutual consent and draws upon operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the requirement for resilient logistics arrangements during contingencies that may arise at short notice and extend over prolonged periods. Coordination will be undertaken at formation level between the Army's Supply and Transport elements and FCI's Regional and Divisional Offices, integrated into operational logistics plans.
The initiative follows nearly 18 months of coordination among the Army, FCI, NAFED and the Department of Food & Public Distribution. Procurement in 10 kg and 30 kg bags is designed to ease handling and transportation, particularly at forward posts. The arrangement will enable additional storage, rapid mobilisation, dispersion and forward positioning of rations, stores and equipment closer to operational areas, thereby strengthening the responsiveness and resilience of military logistics while optimising existing national infrastructure.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized that the initiative embodies the spirit of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' and represents a bond of trust from farmer's field to soldier's plate. He stated that soldiers' operational readiness depends not only on weaponry but also on physical health, mental balance, morale and stamina, especially in harsh conditions. The initiative reflects a whole-of-government approach aligned with the vision of PM Gati Shakti and demonstrates how existing national capacity can be aligned with national security requirements.