From: "Annavajjala SarmaDate: August 14, 2016 at 10:46:16
For such an onerous responsibility, it is natural to expect a highly experienced defence expert/veteran to be occupying the chair. After all, to ensure defence of the country (including preparation and execution) is no routine job. But MoD is different. Any bureaucrat can foot the bill, even if he cannot differentiate between a mortar and a howitzer or a rocket and a missile.India has had Defence Secretaries whose earlier service had been limited to Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry. Most do not know even the basics of defence imperatives. To mask their ignorance and inadequacy, they resort to the time-tested expedient of deferring decision-making. India is the only country that considers experience in fisheries or handlooms to be good enough to equip a bureaucrat to handle defence of India. No wonder we claim ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’.
The world over, promotion of defence industry is considered to be a highly specialised assignment. However, India is an exception. Any bureaucrat can be appointed as Secretary DDP. Some come with no experience of industry or defence. Their incompetence manifests itself in their prejudiced and blinkered approach towards the private sector. Blocking the entry of the private sector to ensure regular flow of orders to the public sector becomes their sole mission. Instead of exploiting the enormous technological prowess of the private sector, DDP impedes its participation in defence production.In all ‘Buy and Make’ cases, DDP always nominates a public sector unit to receive technology for indigenous production. Instead of absorbing technology, most units choose the easier path of assembling imported sub-assemblies and selling to the services at a huge profit. The case of TATRA vehicles exposed the rot that has set in. Rather than undertaking the onerous task of manufacturing, most public sector units have become traders of imported systems under DDP’s patronage.Utter failure of DDP can be gauged from the fact that India has acquired the dubious distinction of being the largest importer of conventional weapons in the world with 14 percent of the global share. Some achievement after seven decades of independence! DDP ought to be ashamed of it. But, we still have the audacity to claim ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’.
Although DRDO’s annual budget is close to Rs 14,000 crore, its total success is limited to the replication of some imported products (commonly called ‘reverse engineering’ and ‘indigenisation’). Time and cost overruns are taken for granted. The history of three key projects (Arjun tank, Light Combat Aircraft and Kavery aero engine) undertaken by DRDO is a true indicator of the gross inadequacy that afflicts it.Failure to perform its primary task of developing weapon systems has forced DRDO to delve into bizarre areas to justify its existence. Many will be shocked to learn that DRDO expends defence funds on projects like developing new breeds of angora rabbits, collecting newer varieties of orchids and identifying sharpest chillies. No other country can boast of such defence R&D, except ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’.
A comparison of DESW with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) will be enlightening. All the top officers of DVA are ex-servicemen. It is headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert A. McDonald, a veteran of 82nd Airborne Division. Most of the subordinate functionaries also possess extensive military experience. They appreciate that soldiering is a unique profession with challenging convolutions.DESW has acquired notoriety as the first barricade of bureaucratic negativity. Most proposals get rejected at DESW level itself. Instead of looking after the welfare of veterans and standing up for their rights/entitlements, DESW contests every judicial verdict that goes in favour of ex-servicemen, war-widows and even war casualties. As a result, troops and veterans view DESW as an antagonistic entity. India must be the only country where MoD does not enjoy the trust of its veterans. What a sad state of affairs in ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’.
Notwithstanding the colourful taxonomy of Defence Financial Advisors, Defence Finance officials are ill-equipped to provide any financial advice. Most are graduates in subjects like Sanskrit, English Literature and History. As they are not familiar with even the basics of finance or economics, it is unfair to expect them to grasp minutiae of financial imperatives. How can officials who know nothing of finance and are totally ignorant of defence issues contribute to the evolution of a sound defence finance plan?
MoD is a citadel of bureaucracy and is totally devoid of professionalism. The world abhors dealing with it. Since 2014, a measly sum of USD 1.12 million has come in as FDI despite the government raising the cap to 100 percent. Incompetence results in vacillation and lack of decision making; and that dissuades all prospective investors.
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(Source : Fwd via e-mail from BHARAT BHUSHAN GHAI)
What MES does in Military,the DRDO does in civil.Waste of Defence money.In the name of of research they loot military.The weapons or missiles they produced wait for their war worthiness to be proved.
ReplyDeleteTo further augment your comments sir :-
ReplyDeletea) In the last 70 yrs we find abysmal professionalism displayed by the babus who, not only have stymied every progressive thought but passed the buck of its failure from military to politicians . Here they have mastered politics better than their masters.
b) For every critical issues bureaucracy has thrown the basket in front of judiciary .. . be it NGT cases , land reforms , police reforms , caste and religious issues , hawala cases , river water sharing and not to mention even the basic the human resource issues . There is not an area where they have not abdicated their rights and ran away from professionalism.
c) The name and reputation of the politicians and bureaucracy has touched such a nadir in public eye that neither of them feel uncomfortable with open public disapprovals, jokes and cinematic depictions & caricatures. yet want to judge the military with no scale in hand.
d) With reserved seats, 100% promotions ,open subservience to politicians and a conduit for them, this service has lost its relevance , meaning and the very existence envisaged during the constitution in making. Time for total cadre review with lateral and professional entries to rejig this so called one of the pillars of democracy.
When we find our national security is in the hands of incompetent officers and politicians, why do not we take up the position in defense of our country. all top brasses are thinking of themselves, have they ever bothered about the men serve under them of the country. self serving officers will never put forward the realty before politicians
ReplyDelete