Security Crisis: Gen. Chauhan Flags Overpromising, Delays in Industry
CDS slams defence firms for ‘false’ indigenous claims
New Delhi: Amidst the push for Atmanirbhar in defence production, a controversy has erupted over remarks made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Anil Chauhan that some companies were lying about indigenous content and firms which were given procurement orders under emergency powers had failed to deliver on time.
“You have to be truthful about your indigenous capability. There could be security-related issues. Lot of industry says this is 70 per cent indigenous, but actually, if you find out, it is not. You have to be truthful in this. Because it is related to matters of security,” said Gen. Chauhan on Friday.
He said that armed forces “expect a bit of nationalism and patriotism” from industry in its profit-driven endeavours.
“I am given to understand, actually, the Army was telling me that they were scouting for 5th and 6th EP (emergency procurement) procurements, most of the people have over-promised things, and they have failed to deliver in that time frame. And this is unacceptable. Defence reforms are not a one-way street. Industry will have to be truthful about their capabilities to us. You cannot leave us in the lurch. You sign a contract, don’t deliver in that particular time, and it is a capability that is being lost,” added the CDS.
The defence ministry had given emergency procurement power to services to sign contracts worth Rs 300 crores to quickly buy weapons and other essentials to meet any urgent shortfall without going into the long-drawn procurement process, which takes years.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh had also, on earlier occasions, expressed frustration at delays by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to deliver Tejas fighter jets.
"Timelines is a big issue... Not a single project that I can think of has been completed on time. This is something that we have to look at," Mr Singh had said.
"Why should we promise something that cannot be achieved? While signing the contract itself, sometimes we are sure that it is not going to come up. But we just sign the contract. Uske baad dekhenge kya karna hai. Of course the process gets vitiated," said Mr Singh.