To boost the nutritional value of military service members' daily meals, the Indian Army has introduced millets in the rations among all ranks of soldiers, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Traditional millet foods with proven health benefits and suited to our geographical and climatic conditions would be a vital step in mitigating lifestyle diseases and enhancing satisfaction and morale of the troops. Millets would now form an integral part of the daily meal for all ranks," the Indian Defense Ministry's note reads.
It further stated that chefs were being trained to cook "wholesome, tasty and nutritious millet dishes" for Indian Army troops.
Additionally, the Defense Ministry said that the government has already given its nod to the usage of at least 25% of millet flour in the rations of soldiers starting from the 2023-24 financial year, which begins on April 1, 2023.
"Millets have the benefit of being a good source of proteins, micronutrients and phyto-chemicals thus boosting the nutritional profile of a soldier's diet," the release added.
The Defense Ministry elaborated that the army was also contemplating the introduction of millet snacks and other value-added products for soldiers deployed in the mountainous northern borders with China and Pakistan.