The foreign agents comments is now hurting the relevant section of the T-90 apologists. How soon they forget that the names they gave to the DRDO scientists in the press and private. As I said in the article Passion of the Arjun Tank, I have no issues with the T-90 Tank. After all it is a piece of equipment, just like Arjun Tank. It has its own failings and successes. It is the people behind them, make the difference.
When the Indian T-90 apologists compared features, we published enough data to debunk their claims. When Indian T-90 apologists ran down Arjun tank in terms of reliability, we published how unreliable T-90 was too. After all people living in glass houses should not throw stone at others. I also have no ill will against the Russians. They are nothing but patriots and they “actually” think about India, than some Indians present in India.
I remember the 1980′s and 1990′s when constant attacks on the Indian defense research and Indian scientists by anonymous Indian army officers. If they thought we are going to take it lying down, they were mistaken. We live in democracy and we need to debate. They should understand that we are not in the Army and don’t have to follow their fancies.
At frontier India, we counter attacked. Suddenly there was the “patriotism” card being played by the apologists. Just because some people are in the army or air force does not mean they are more patriotic than us. How can the Army forget that we the people of India actually fought against the British Indian Army, a tradition which Indian Army is proud of. Army should understand that us “bloody civilians” are no less patriotic. Besides that are people withing the Army who think Arjun Tank is doing great.
Some people talk about Lobbying by DRDO for Arjun Tank. Lobbying is bad? If the apologists can lobby for T-90 at the cost of putting down the Indian scientists, why can’t DRDO lobby for Arjun tank? After all Indian scientists have done country proud in international and national fora. Why is that Indian scientists get a bad name when it comes to products being developed for Indian Army? What have the Indian T-90 apologists called them? Imbeciles? Duffers? and what not?
Times have changed. The “Indian”foreign agents are harping indigenisation card. They say that technology is now flowing in and T-90 is now manufactured in India. So, what about Arjun Tank? It did this feat before T-90 did. I will challenge the people who say that entire T-90 is made in India. If Arjun Tank imports its TI sights, so does T-90. DRDO promised indigenisation of parts as the orders grow. This is true. The MRF had put up a factory for the rubberised tracks. Then they shut it. Why? Army apathy, what else? Who is responsible for this?
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In Malayalam, there is a phrase. If you know how to steal, you should know how to stand trial too.
Thank you Chacko, for saying it as it is. Finally someone with the guts to stand up for the “bloody civilians” versus the anonymous army officers.
Thank you Chacko, for saying it as it is. Finally someone with the guts to stand up for the “bloody civilians” versus the anonymous army officers.