Is it enough to change the modality of defence procurement policy and feel happy that henceforth everything will be fine with defence ministry’s arms deals? There is something inherently wrong in the defence procurement policy of the Government. Why has the defence procurement process become too notorious and why are scams after scams the fate of this organization? The Defence Minister says that the Government changed defence procurement policy in 2011. But the recent allegations of kickbacks in a Rs. 3600 crore deal for 12 VVIP choppers show that the changed policy was flawed and allowed a massive scam to happen. Or should we infer that the policy planners deliberately leave potholes in the procurement mechanism to make room for scams? This raises many questions on the declaration of the Defence Minister in the parliament that his Ministry would be bringing in a revised defence procurement policy in a few months. We believe that as long as our defence procurements have to be imported from abroad, the kickback syndrome will not fade away. It has adversely affected our polity in the past — Bofors and Jeeps scandals —- and the scourge continues to dog us.
Some pertinent realities, harsh as these are, cannot be brushed aside. We are caught between two unfriendly neighbouring countries that have converged into a nexus to damage our interests in whatever way they can. Rivalry among big nations is part of human history; we cannot wish it away. We are not a small country, either in size or in human and natural resources. We have a role in Asian and in world politics. Keeping that in mind, we have to face and overcome all challenges posed to us in the region or globally. A number of things make a nation strong — the will of the people, the management of affairs and strategy of survival etc. But then everything boils down to muscle power. We have to build that strong muscle which will ensure our defence and preservation of our identity as a great historical nation destined to play a crucial role in the affairs of contemporary world.
We need to import state of art military equipment meaning the most modern defence material if we are not able to produce it indigenously. Not having the ability as yet of producing sophisticated weaponry is not something to feel ashamed of. Technology in the advanced countries has to be made use of either through procurement of defence material or through the process of transfer. Therefore we should be prepared to allocate good percentage of our annual budget for military procurements. This does not mean that we abandon the effort of indigenization of production of war material. No, that is not the point. But we need to accelerate the speed of our defence researches at various institutes in the country. We need to have more intensive exchanges of researchers and specialists in defence productions and quick transfer of technology. We are confident that a day will come very soon when we shall be producing high tech military equipment in our country. But till that time, we have to devise a mechanism that protects our interests and cuts off the hand of middlemen who pocket good chunk of in defence deals.
Let us admit frankly that we have failed to invest accountability process with teeth and claws to strike hard when time comes. Our inability of meting out exemplary punishment to those against whom charges of corruption are established has been the main reason for recurrence of scams in defence procurements. If we are able to establish the rule of law in dealing with the indicted persons and organizations, this scourge can be rooted out. But from our past experience we have so far come to the conclusion that those who are involved in kickbacks are politically very influential and linked to the highest echelons so much so that they become “untouchables” It trivializes all efforts of revising, upgrading and streamlining of defence procurement policy. Defence Minister Antony is very sincere in bringing out a new set of rules ad regulations for defence procurement, but the hard fact remains that modalities of procurement remain a dead letter as long as accountability is not made effective and pervasive.
With all said and done, it is clear that the nation is prepared to make any sacrifice in strengthening our defence potential especially when we know that two bellicose neighbours will spare no opportunity to damage our interests. It is sad that we are dogged by some corrupt and immoral elements while we are engaged in securing our nation against hostile neighbours.
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