To begin with I congratulate Brigadier Chatterjee on a very good and informative article. However, there is always a room for improvement at the top. The Modi-Parrikar combine must be congratulated for taking the bureaucratic bulls of the MoD and MoF by the horns. The 'Make in India' itself, if followed through vigorously and sincerely, has the ingredients to scrap the old DPP in the hands of the deeply ingrained corrupt officials and the opportunistic non-government experts, but that is not enough. Procedural changes are very much necessary along with transparency as well as authority and responsibility (both together mean accountability)going together. I wish the author had directly brought the preceding DM into the picture for his obsession with his non-corrupt image that basically caused the blacklisting of various companies, cancellation of orders and ordering of inquiries at the drop of a hat. All these caused avoidable delay in procurement. The DPP itself was a flawed concept prone to unsurmountable delay without an iota of a concern for the same. Therefore Mr. Parrikar deserves to be applauded for trying to modify/replace it. The author's reference to the US F-35 stealth multi-role aircraft is hopefully limited to the dependence of any nation on the corporate conglomerates to drive defence research and futuristic combat platform design and manufacture. Pl. refer next letter.
If at all anyone can do this, it can be only Parrikar of the Modi Government. He is clean, intelligent (being an IIT alumni) and has the intention to clean up the system; and he is given a free hand by PM Modi.
Defence is one sector which attracts huge money. Bofors and other scandals proved the intent of our politicians where they actually want to import rather than make them in India. Importing 100 million worth goods with some percentage means that our babus and netas actually pocket more than they do by giving petty contracts on buildings and roads and other things. So, the projects in India get stalled, they do not see the light of the day years after years. India has the capability. If they can successfully send Mangalyan to Mars in its first attempt, it can surely defend itself given that we have to first believe ourselves and take firm decision to stop the corrupt babus who always try to get something from the foreign land just to ensure their commission. Till that is not done, our defence will remain the same
If Parrikars record of about 2 years in office is any indication, it is highly doubtful he will be able to rein in even a clark in the MOD leave alone companies involved in defence procurement. The earlier we realise this the better. If the Defence Secretary in 1962 escaped unscathed by the "Himalayan" size blunders--does anyone even recall his name?? there is little hope of any improvement in affairs od indian defence.
Instead of questioning the capabilities of the minister, the media should have given a positive note encouraging, and motivating him to do it. If media try to motivate, many impossible things could have been possible.
Re: Can Parikkar overhaul defence procurement ?
by KRISHNAMURTHY V on Mar 28, 2016 08:54 PM
While the Media are stooges of the corrupt Congress, how can they encourage Parrikar, instead of playing to their master's tunes ?
