Flag of Indian Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This could be a cry to get more funds, but since the report comes from General who is leaving service, the allegations have a lot of clout. The Indian Army chief General VK Singh is only a few months away from retirement. Singh has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warning that the country’s security is at risk. It underscores the need to bridge the shortcomings and bring the army to fighting level.
According to perss reports, the letter was ostensibly written on March 12, 2012 states that:
1) The army tanks have run out of ammunition.
2) VK Singh has termed 97% of the air defence obsolete.
3) The elite special forces are woefully short of weapons.
4) Air defence doesn’t give deemed confidence to protect
5) The Infantry is crippled with ‘deficiencies of crew served weapon’ and lacks night fighting capabilities.
6) There are large scale voids in critical surveillance.
7) General Singh also pointed out that the ‘hollowness’ in the system is a manifestation of the procedures and processing time for procurements as well as legal impediments by vendors.
8) General Singh also mentioned that the work quality was poor and there was a ‘lack of urgency at all levels’ on matters of national security.
While Bharat is one of the largest purchasers of weapon systems in the world–that by itself is amajor indictment on the ability and stature of the country. A country of the size which aspires to become a regional and indeed a world power should not have to buy any equipment at all. It has not produced planes, ships or subs which it can supply to its own armed forces, and has produced no defense equipment that it can export to the world.
Its purchasing is fraught with indemic corruption. The Swiss Banker’s Association has claimed that 80% of the Swiss accounts belong to Indians.
IBM LIve says:
“Army Chief General VK Singh is set to retire with all guns blazing and leaving behind a trail of controversies. General Singh, who fought a bitter war with the Central Government over his real date of birth and even moved the Supreme Court on the issue and then alleged that he was offered bribe by a former Army officer to clear the purchase of sub-standard Tatra trucks for the forces, has dropped another bombshell with a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he has mentioned that the Army is ill-quipped to fight a war and defeat the enemy.”
The Defence Minister A.K. Anthony said Wednesday the government would respond at an appropriate time. He conceded that there are gaps in the capabilities of armed forces and efforts are on to bridge these quickly.
Many in the Indian National Congress and Opposition are asking for the Army Chief’s head– for what is being seen as a breach of protocol and the leak of the “secret letter”.
The Indian Army chief V.K. Singh is distancing himself from a leak of a letter describing ammunition shortages and archaic air defenses in the world’s second largest standing army. He has called the leak “High Treason“.
“This an outrage! Official communication with the prime minister, defence minister or anybody for that matter with the chief of defence staff is privileged information,” the army chief wrote in a statement, mailed to media houses.
“The leaking of the letter should be treated as high treason. This cynical approach to tar my reputation has to stop,” he added
After inaugurating a defense fair, defence minister A.K. Antony told a media conference he had investigation ordered an investigation. He called the leak “anti-national” but said the army chief had not be fired.
“All service chiefs continue to enjoy the confidence of the government,” Antony said
Right now Bharat faces a “shoot the messenger” phase. Singh is going–the facts that he has highlighted will reamin true for a long period of time.
If anyone celebrating across western borders they should know India don’t need any high level preparedness to tackle any aggression from that end.
High sounding potifications don’t negate the facts on the ground. Your furtive imagination sees “celebrations” and the ISI lurking behind every tree. Pakistan has better things to do than clebrate the augiean stables of inequity and corruption in Delhi!
However the slogans of superpower do ring hollow when compared to the realities as described by the Indian COAS!
Smart india;
Facts remain that india does not need that elaborate defence to match its size.looking east Bangladesh is no danger and western borders are most secure as Pakistan will never attack india as that will be the end of pakistan itself.With these basics, even Nehru had not wasted money on defence untill he was shocked by Chinese in 1960s. Now what ever was chinese they got it. Thus india has to worry only a bit abt its notheren border as it still controls the ‘ disputed territories i e Ladhakh, and nepal/sikkim etc;These pple are chinese in feature and had a beginng with ancient chinese cultural elements, the famous Barzhome sites ( abt 2000 BC).It is a low budget deal now and that was/ is the current plan in operation.Even chinese will no more attack india as long as they maintain huge trade surpluses with india. Defence in india has low priority seems clear. Their major expence is to fight the internal insurgenies i e, Maoist/Naxals etc , ” greatest threat” according to indian PM.
With those leaks, expenses will rise as pple still are scarred of pakistan and china. And politicians will have to put in more money depriving vital areas.
Sanjeev Mishra’s statement should be taken as a serious threat as they are loaded with Elephants, Bulls, Horses (same as the one that pulls Sun around the static earth on Bull’s horn) big Monkeys (Hanuman) that the Hindus will ride on to counter the Pakistani Tanks, Fighter planes, Missiles and other high tech warfare. Be warned that Hindus are expert in arrows and swords fighting. They can cut the Pakistani tank into half by their Indian made swords and shoot down Pakistani Jet fighter plane with an arrow. Gosh I am trembling.
To Muslims:
Take this as blessing from ALLAH and do what is required.
Assalamu-Elekum
Pak never has and never will fear India for as we all witnessed after the 26/11 falseflag that Bharat can never dare even think of invading Pakistan.
Yes i am celebrating how NDTV is exposing the so-called might of the Indian army by making them look like fools! We’ll strike when the time is right without underestimating the enemy.
Pakistan has 350 nukes, and you dont see a threat to Bharat. Fools paradise ifyou ask me.
The point is that Bharat is the largest importer of arms in the world and has a hollow army–with no arms of its commandos, and tanks without parts and so on and so forth.
PM sSingh has identified three threats to Bharat. Pakistan and Bangladesh, Naxalbaris, and Assam and Kashmir.
Fellows:
As I said before never underestimate your enemy. This could be a ploy to buy more arms. We must be ready to counter Mahabharat schemes. We need to understand that Pakistan is an itch which India has to scratch. We are a dagger in their chest. If they don’t pull that dagger out they will die and if they try to pull it out they will die. We must keep our preparedness marching on. We need to attack this enemy via internal strength, Via excellence in Scientific Education and of course immortal defence.