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New Delhi (UPI) Aug 10, 2010 India's military has been on a spending spree over the last few years. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's 2009 report noted that for the period 2005-09 India was the world's second-biggest arms buyer, importing 7 percent of the world's arms exports, exceed only by China with 9 percent. New Delhi's attempts to foster an indigenous arms industry haven't been so smooth as purchasing off-the-shelf foreign weapons systems. India's comptroller and auditor general has criticized the Defense Ministry's "hasty" plans, which have left the army short of guns, the Deccan Herald reported Tuesday. A further issue noted by the CAG was the Defense Ministry's decision to establish the armaments factory in Amethi, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's constituency. The CAG has requested that the Defense Ministry make a "pragmatic decision," a subtle suggestion to scrap the entire scheme. The CAG blamed poor site selection, defective planning and hasty decision making in the Indian army's 2005 plan projected an operational need to acquire 200,000 carbines and 160,000 close quarter battle carbines. By 2006 the Defense Ministry decided both to import carbines from foreign companies willing to implement technology transfer and to manufacture carbines indigenously. A Ministry of Defense panel shortlisted Kanpur's Field Gun Factory and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd Korwa facility at Amethi out of 12 sites it had inspected. Despite the availability of more land in Kanpur, the panel chose Amethi, which has traditionally been the Nehru-Gandhi family's constituency. The CAG reported to Parliament last week that the designs for the carbines had yet to be finalized despite the project's approval, while OFB-DRDO carbine trials had been unsuccessful. India continues to import rather than build its defense equipment. Russia has traditionally been India's major arms supplier, with recent imports include 82 Sukhoi-30MKI fighters and T-90 tanks, along with the purchase of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and an attendant air wing of 30 Russian Mig-29K fighters. India has also increased its arms purchases from Israel, including a A-50/Phalcon Airborne Early Warning system. The United States, currently India's sixth-biggest arms supplier, will see its arms sales increase amid the growing closeness between New Delhi and Washington. India has recently committed to purchasing of C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft for $1.1 billion along with $2 billion of P8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft. India has also submitted procurement requests to the Obama administration for 10 C-17 Globemaster airlifters, worth $2.4 billion and for 145 M777 ultra-light howitzers worth about $647 million.
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Gates plans to slash 'top-heavy' Pentagon hierarchyWashington (AFP) Aug 9, 2010 US Defense Secretary Robert Gates moved to slash a "top-heavy" military hierarchy Monday, announcing plans to close a major command, eliminate at least 50 posts for generals and admirals, and cut back on the use of contractors. Mounting the most ambitious Pentagon reform in a decade, Gates said harsh fiscal and economic realities require that it "make every dollar count" as it fights two war ... read more |
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