After confusion over who would decide the commercial aspects of the order, the case is set to move to the Defense Acquisitions Council (DAC), headed by the defense minister, for Acceptance of Necessity (AoN).
The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has been forced to summon Defense Secretary R.K. Mathur over his ministry’s non-compliance with AFT and Supreme Court rulings to implement DACP pay rises for military doctors.
Before the new Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar holds the first meeting of his Defense Acquisitions Council on Friday, Air Vice Marshal (retired) Manmohan Bahadur has some ideas on energizing Indian defense industry.
The Indo-US Defense Policy Group meet to be held in Washington DC this week comes shortly after a perceived snub to the US offer to co-produce Javelin ATGMs with the Indian order for Israeli Spike ATGMs.
The team is in the US to discuss the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) and terms for the new Defense Framework Agreement in a trip timed just before the Modi visit.
The Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement has asked PM Narendra Modi to implement One Rank One Pension, withdraw pension and benefit cases against veterans and set up a Military Veteran’s Commission.
Although the Council of Ministers has been sworn in, the priority accorded to defense modernization by the new prime minister in terms of allocation of portfolio and exclusive responsibility remains uncertain.
The Indian defense ministry could now be blacklisting companies because of their association with other companies that have been debarred from doing business due to allegations of malpractice.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has moved swiftly to convince New Delhi into an entente which is obviously directed at the containment of China.
“There are close to 140 Private Security Companies operating in the North Indian Ocean, which hire out Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel or PCASP,” said navy chief, Admiral DK Joshi, adding, “It has obvious security implications for us, including infiltration of terrorists.”
The Indian defense ministry has till October to take the US government offer for the purchase of 145 light weight howitzers at the price of USD 694 million, after which the increased price of USD 885 million will come into play.
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne told reporters that the aircraft would be able to operate from the country’s northern-most Advanced Landing Ground at Daulat Beg Oldie close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Reactions from industry pointed out that the general rule remained the same, with investment restricted to 26 percent, subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board.
Noting the Indian rupee crash, FICCI’s Secretary General, Dr A. Didar Singh, wrote to Defense Minister AK Antony criticizing the failure of the DPP 2013 to create a ‘level playing field’ for Indian private industry.
A lawyer looks at the defense ministry reference of the Rank Pay issue to the Attorney General and explains why he lacks confidence that this will lead to an equitable resolution.
