Nepal Army was under critical ammunition shortage, Maoist did not know

CRITICAL AMMUNITION SHORTAGE 

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). 

One Bullet Per M-16 

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¶1. (S) Royal Nepal Army (RNA) Master General of Ordnance 

Major General Prakash Bahadur Basnyat told Emboff on February 

28 that the RNA was running critically low on almost all 

types of ammunition.  The RNA had 16,800 rounds of M-16 

ammunition remaining in the depots for its 16,000 M-16s.  In 

other words, the army is down to one round per U.S.-provided 

rifle.  With only 130,000 rounds of INSAS ammunition in 

central stock and 25,000 INSAS weapons, the RNA had an 

average of 5.2 rounds per INSAS.  After China had provided 

7.62mm ammunition for self-loading rifles (SLRs), the RNA had 

only an average of 21 rounds per weapon, although the MGO 

noted that the SLRs were 35 years old and perhaps as many as 

half of the 32,000 weapons were inoperable.  MG Basnyat added 

that the RNA had no other ammunition deliveries scheduled. 

Other Ordnance Also In Short Supply 

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¶2. (S) The RNA is also dangerously low on munitions for close 

air support during missions when it wants to use its 

helicopters in battle.  According to Basnyat, the RNA had 

less than 23 70mm rockets and only nine high explosive 51mm 

rockets.  In terms of heavier ground weapons designed to 

support infantry troops in combat, the RNA was also running 

low on mortar rounds (only 317 rounds of 81mm mortars) and 

M203 grenade rounds.  The RNA has 2,300 hand grenades 

remaining.  The MGO commented that these numbers left nothing 

for training. 

Comment 

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¶3. (S) These numbers and the lack of scheduled deliveries are 

alarming and we hope that the Maoists do not discover how low 

the RNA's stocks are.  Unless something positive unexpectedly 

happens, pretty soon the M-16's we have provided to the RNA 

will be rendered useless.  Shortly thereafter, the 

Indian-supplied INSAS will suffer a similar fate.  MG Basnyat 

told us this information informally and we do not believe 

COAS authorized the MGO to share this information.  We also 

do not believe that the Indians are aware of this lack of 

ammunition.