Indian Army remains the black sheep among the Armed Forces when it comes to procurement. Over past three years, I have agonized that Indian Army is its own worst enemy. The Army Generals remain incompetent when it comes to make their own weapon and fight. I have always maintained that we should import officers to Indian Army, instead of weapon systems. It is not that we cannot make a 155 mm gun. We need officers with vision and patience to fight with own equipment and doctrines.
The 145 M-777 Ultra-Light Howitzers (ULH) that is to be purchased from US via an inter-governmental agreement is now under cloud. The old reasons of leaked reports and scams have surfaced. What is new is that, this time the much flogged DRDO made its point. DRDO has always complained that Indian Army has different standards for foreign vendors and the DRDO. While, Indian Army will script space age specification, standards and hostile evaluations for DRDO products, it will bend back and reduce specifications for a imported weapon system.
M777 LTWT HOWITZER, BAE Image
It has been almost 20 years that Indian Army has been requiring an 155 mm gun. It surely knows that it is a political hot potato and massive burden on over taxed Indian masses. Indian Army has not taken an initiative to ask DRDO or private sector to build a gun. Even though the purchases are a function of Ministry of Defence, the Indian Navy has shown the way that it is up to the forces to armed forces on how it can influence its buy decisions.
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When will the Indian Army learn?
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interesting!
All we need is leaked reports and regular delays.
We are probably are worst enemy, why look beyond the frontiers!
Indian craving things that are foreign is nothing new……..I lived in India in sixties and noted how ‘every’ Indian was mad after so called ‘nylon’ shirts from England! I hated the fabric. I preferred cotton and still do. I’m afraid the ‘Indian mind set’, of going for foreign things won’t shift. The worst mind set is probably the Officer core of the armed froces that must think of themselves as something of an elite in Indian society as most of them think it beneath them to even speak in an Indian language!
Well, while I agree that Army is its own enemy but for procurement there are other parties also to blame:-
(a) DRDO. When was the last time they made a product through R&D on their own which was world class for the army.
(b) Defence PSU. Can anyone visit their factory and vouch that they can indeginously make/produce anything. Can anyone certify their quality control (Bursting barrells, Ammunition).
While I agree we require to procure from India, can the armed forces make do with sub standard arms and ammunition untill these organisations do something. foreign procurement is the stop gap and last resort.
Next, when army wants anything it wants the best- but foreign countries will give us only what is second best – either buy it or don’t. So, our industry , org have to make the best which is sadly not happening.
Just saying we can make it will not make the equipment – please check the indeginous content of any product made by OFB/DPSUs for answer.
People should get over the lie that DRDO is a production agency. the OFB and DPSU’s are the production agencies. If Army has problem with Production agency, so does DRDO. DRDO has done some production in piece meals orders and logically the product is bound to have problem. I work in a factory and I know that small order quantities are inefficient.
DRDO word class products are Akash, Arjun, prithvi, Agni, HAPO… and the list goes on.
NAG is another example, which is world class and Army is now trying to scuttle the production.