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Incurring the DRDO’s rath

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It should disturb us all gravely that a motorised battery-powered chariot is the level of “technology” the DRDO feels proud to pass on.
25-11-2014
SHIV AROOR @shivaroor

I love this story. Everything about it numbs the brain. What I love best about it is that nobody could have made this up: An Indian military laboratory tucked away in a leafy Pune neighbourhood, tasked with building combat support vehicles, has built and supplied a gleaming battery-powered rath to the grateful Alandi Temple nearby. Correct. A chariot. For a temple. You see what I mean? Can’t make this stuff up.

Details sometimes kill a great story. In this case, they really crank up the W-T-F value.

The story emerged on the front pages of the New Indian Express which reported that the rath was built at a cost of Rs five crore and “donated” to the temple. The laboratory reportedly explained that the work was done as “seva” and that a scientist who apparently blew the whistle on what he felt was a totally improper use of public money and laboratory resources, was shunted and buried in a lower profile role in Nashik. The clincher now, the NIE report says, is that the Bombay High Court has stepped in and ordered the DRDO and MoD to explain what this rath business is all about. I know nothing beyond what’s been reported, so I decided to poke around. When I called a DRDO spokesperson asking him what the fuss was about, he fobbed me off. “It was done as seva. What is wrong if some military research helps some civilian cause also?” he asked. Well, plenty, I thought, but decided to sit on it. Let’s see just how farcical this can get. Other than a little hilarity and outrage on Twitter, the story hasn’t turned too many people on. That may change if the DRDO decides to officially comment.

First off, only an idiot would hope to find any justification at all for a public-funded combat vehicle research lab spending any resources (money, man-hours that could be better spent, materials, electricity) on a rath. Second, excuses like “seva” etc don’t hold. If the rath project eats into laboratory time or resources even slightly, it’s unacceptable. Period. Three, inappropriate diversions of this kind are an insult to the hundreds of DRDO scientists actually doing stellar, quality military research, even at the same laboratory. Indulgences of this kind hurt the reputations of scientists who have to work harder just to make up for the incompetence, laziness and vacuous sahib culture of their colleagues. Finally (and this is my favourite reason) it should disturb us all gravely that a motorised battery-powered chariot is the level of “technology” the DRDO is dabbling with and feels proud to pass on. As someone on Twitter pointed out to me, a small group of engineering kids could have built the thing in two months or less. (Less. Definitely less. Have you seen the stuff engineering students make these days?)

The Bombay High Court has better things to do than intervene in preposterous issues of this kind, but I for one would love to know how this one plays out, especially since the DRDO chief himself has been asked to explain. The DRDO chief is a good man, a strong missile scientist, who I hope will send out the right message. Because for far too long, the DRDO has gotten away never having to explain itself, always shielding itself with a pretend-patriotic forcefield, crying foul at the slightest criticism and accusing its detractors of being anti-nationals.

“Not just high-altitude chikki”. That was the title of the final column I wrote for the Indian Express before I left in 2007. The column welcomed a rare formal awakening within the government about the need to completely overhaul and reinvent India’s doddering, plagued and villified Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). The government’s decision to find ways to kick the DRDO into a shape was, if not directly a result of, at least catalysed by a relentless eight-part series that the Express had frontpaged just days earlier, carefully picking apart the breathtaking incompetence and sense of entitlement that had allowed the DRDO to balloon into a nightmarishly out-of-control and wasteful organisation. The title of my parting column was a reference to the mind-boggling products the DRDO found (sigh, and still finds) the need to expend its energies on, instead of focusing on giving India its basic weapons. (The DRDO’s Defence Food Research Laboratory in Mysore actually researches, among other things, stabilised chikki and cashewnut burfi for troops at high altitude). DRDO chief at the time M Natarajan had written an letter to all employees asking them not to be affected by the “malicious news columns” that seek “distract us from our goal of self-reliance”.

Comment Writing about DRDO for almost exactly ten years now, the one thing I’ve noticed is that hilarity about its misadventures always diffuses into anger. The truth is, the organisation has nobody but itself to blame. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi chastised the DRDO at a public event, informing it that the world wouldn’t wait for it, and that delays in crucial weapons projects was unacceptable. The DRDO has enjoyed “friendly” defence ministries in the past, notably under AK Antony. Modi has signalled that the time for fun and games is over. The message is simple: That’s public money you’re using. Soldiers need the stuff you make. You don’t have a moment or a rupee to waste. Get your shit together. Now.

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Pranab Mukherjee, Narendra Modi ask people to use technology to fight corruption

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Press Trust of India | New Delhi October 27, 2014

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for making optimum use of modern technology in tackling corruption.

In his message on the beginning of ‘Vigilance week‘ starting today, the President said “use of modern technologies can play an important role in eliminating human interface in service delivery systems.”

Emphasising that it is a collective responsibility of citizen as well government officials to fight corruption, Mukherjee said corruption is a complex problem that needed multi-faceted action.

“One of them is the use of technology that can help promote openness and transparency,” he said and asked people to adopt technology initiatives in combating corruption to maximise benefits.

The Prime Minister stressed on the integrity of public servants. “It is needless to point out that integrity of public servants and transparency in public offices is utmost necessary in making transparent and efficient administration free of corruption,” Modi said.

“I appreciate the CVC’s outreach initiatives and endeavours to combat corruption with optimum use of technology,” he said.

Vice President Hamid Ansari said in his message that eradication of corruption from society is not only a legal obligation but also a moral duty of every Indian.

The vigilance awareness Week will be observed till November 1. The theme of the week is “Combating Corruption – Technology as an enabler“.

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PUBLIC OPINION & SURVEY ON CONTRACTUAL APOINTMENT OF SHRI AVINASH CHANDER AS DG,DRDO, SA TO RM & SECRETARY, DRD EVEN AFTER HIS RETIREMENT

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Sri Avinash Chander, Distinguished Scientist and Chief Controller Research & Development (Missiles & Strategic Systems) as Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development–cum-Director General, Defence Research& Development Organisation and Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri vide letter No. 12/9/2013-EO(SM-I) dated 31st May 2013,Secretariat of Appointment Committee of Cabinet, DOPT, Ministry of Personal, Public Grievances and Pensions, New Delhi. [copy of order dated 31 May 2013  enclosed]

According to the said letter dated 31 May 2013 , The appointment of Shri Avinash Chander beyond his date of retirement i.e.30.1 1.2014 would be on contract basis with the same terms and conditions as he would be entitled to Secretary (DRD) before the date of retirement.

The Chief of DRDO is holding three post simultaneously DGR&D,DRDO, SA to RM and Secretary, DRD and having control over 30000 employees, 52 establishments and Rs. 15283 crore of public money.

The said appointment order of Sri Avinash Chander was illegal on the grounds-

(i)            Shri Avinash Chander is not having International Stature that is basic requirement for extension in service from age of 62-64 years; hence the extension in service beyond the age of 62 years to Sri Avinash Chander was illegal.

(ii)          appointment from Distinguished Scientist to Secretary is promotion cum appointment (promotions in extension in service is illegal as FR 56(d)

(iii)         Shri V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office replied to Parliament in the year 2012 that “there is no policy formulation for appointing the Secretaries in Union Ministries and Departments on contract”.

(iv)         According to News published on 28 May 2012 in Hindustan Times stating “Contractual appointment post-retirement not in rules” based on reply given by DOPT, Ministry of Personnel in 15th Lok Sabha.

(v)          Orders for regular appointment and contractual appointment could not be clubbed in one order as both are totally distinct action as per recruitment rules.

(vi)         An official appointed on contract after retirement cannot function as Head of Office for all administrative & financial matters in the department. It is apparent from his appointment letter that he will exercise all administrative and financial powers on contractual appointment as he was having in his regular appointment before retirement.

In this matter several applications under RTI Act 2005 was filed to DOPT, Cabinet Sectt. , DRDO and MOD. In some applications vital information was provided by Government.

Recently on 06 August 2014, one DRDO scientist filed complaint to Hon’ble Prime Minister who is also the Chairman of ACC. The said complaint is under consideration to Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

India Today in its issue of 13 Oct 2014(English Edition) and 15 October 2014(Hindi Edition) published detailed News about post retirement appointment and extensions business in DRDO.

Besides several complaints against Sri Avinash Chander was filed by corruptionindrdo.com to Hon’ble Prime Minister regarding following matters.

  1. DEEMED SUSPENSION OF DR. G. MALKONDIAH, DS AND CCR&D (HR), DRDO AS under the provisions of Rule 10(2)(b) of CCS(CCA) Rules 1965, dated 06 Oct 2014.
  2. Shri Avinash Chander SA to RM , DG DRDO, Secretary (DRD) patronizing organized corruption in procurement by Dr. A. K. Saxena, Director, DMSRDE, DRDO, Kanpur, Dated 13 September 2014
  3. CORRUPTION IN DMSRDE (DRDO), KANPUR BY DR. ARVIND KUMAR SAXENA, DIRECTOR, dated 11 September 2014
  4. Non-Implementation of DOPT, Govt. of India, Office Memorandums regarding submission of IPR and put the same in Public Domain in Defence Research & Development Organisation, Min. of Defence, dated 28 July 2014
  5. The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet appointed Sh. Avinash Chander on contract basis, dated 27 May 2014
  6. Conspiracy and propaganda for reverse technology transfer to USA by forged TOT of EDK by DRDO under guidance of Shri Avinash Chander, DGR&D, DRDO and SA to RM, Secretary, DRD.
  1. डीआरडीओ में श्री अविनाश चन्दर, वैज्ञानिक सलाहकार की चल रही है जागीरदारी (Example of Sh Avinash Chander’s feudalism in DRDO) (Appointment of SK Patel case).

corruptionindrdo.com arranged a survey to know the view of DRDO  officials , Whether DRDO officials want that Sri Avinash Chander continues as SA on contract basis after 30th November 2014?

All Scientists, officers and officials of DRDO are requested to participate in the survey so that DRDO officials view and emotions could be put before the Government.

Above all the contractual appoint of Sri Avinash Chander a massage to whole world, that 125 crores of Indian doesn’t have a single capable scientist who can lead the DRDO, a big question to Modi ji government.

Regards

corruptionindrdo.comSA appointment order0001 (1)

 

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An old age problem -DRDO has become ageing body with top scientists on extension

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For a country that boasts of one of the youngest populations in the world, it is strange that the field that perhaps deals with the most cutting-edge technology is dominated by scientists past their prime. Most top scientists at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) who are tasked with creating future weapons are past the retirement age of 60 and are on service extensions.

Indeed, such is the state of affairs that the head of the research organisation, which encompasses 54 establishments and labs dealing with fields as diverse as ballistic missile defence and insect repellent cream, will get an 18-month contractual tenure from November when he turns 64, the maximum age till which service extensions can be given. This extraordinary contract, beyond the remit of extensions, was specially approved by the previous UPA government more than a year in advance for the present DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander.

Though not new, the old age crisis of the lumbering organisation has worsened as private sector prospects have brightened for young scientists. Internal surveys have found that nearly 87 per cent of the young scientists who join DRDO soon get disenchanted with the archaic, rigid structure of the research body that does not reward extraordinary performance with proportional career growth. Annual intake of new scientists has dropped to just 70, barely enough to replace those who take early retirement, thereby, rapidly increasing DRDO’s age profile.

It is still early to judge the Narendra Modi Government’s policies, but the perception that it is taking a strong stand on the issue has brought cheer to hundreds of young scientists itching to prove their worth in DRDO’s labs across India. A series of events, from the Prime Minister’s remark on promoting young scientists to the cabinet secretariat’s stinging order curbing DRDO’s unilateral age extensions to its scientists, have raised hopes that the problem is finally being addressed.

It’s about time, too. As many as 10 of the 16 top DRDO scientists are on extension. Apart from Chander, nine of the top-graded `Distinguished Scientists should have retired, but most are now on their second extension.

Rules mandate that DRDO scientists must retire at 60. They can, however, be given two two-year extensions under,extraordinary circumstances. Beyond the age of 64, there is no provision for service extension. Yet, the UPA government, in May 2013, approved an Appointments Committee of the Cabinet note to give an 18-month extension to Chander following his “date of retirement of 30.11.2014 on contract basis, with the same terms and conditions as he would be entitled to before the date of retirement”.

By doing this, the UPA went back on its promise to appoint a younger head to DRDO. (Both V.K. Saraswat and M. Natarajan, who preceded Chander, retired at 64.) The special provision made for Chander has become the subject matter of several complaints, the latest by one of DRDO’s own, younger scientists to the cabinet secretariat in August. “The post-retirement contract is not legal and has been made against the rules. A contractual employee can be taken for an advisory role but not to head an organisation,” Navin Gupta, the Kanpur-based DRDO Scientist ‘C’, said in his complaint.

While a convincing argument can be made that age is no criterion for innovation and that experience and continuity is needed to deal with certain technology areas, most scientists on extension in the DRDO are handling primarily administrative positions- from most director generals at the headquarters to the heads of six of DRDO’s 54 labs and establishments.

The impact of the extensions policy on DRDO’s talent pool is immense: an internal survey found that most of its entry-level scientists are unhappy about their career prospects and some 57 per cent of all scientists leave the organisation prematurely due to lack of professional satisfaction. Since 2008, nearly 500 entry and mid-level scientists have resigned or taken early retirement while intake of new scientists has barely kept pace. At a seminar on August 20, Chander admitted this was a problem that required urgent attention. “DRDO’s annual intake of young scientists has dipped to 70 per year, resulting in a rapidly rising average age which certainly is not a good sign for an innovation-centric organisation,” he said. The average age of DRDO scientists is creeping closer to 40.

When Modi, speaking immediately after Chander at the same function, said that at least five DRDO labs should only employ scientists under 35, it was the first indication that his Government was addressing the problem. Many thought that the PM picked the number, five, randomly, unaware that it had come from the most in-depth review of the DRDO ever done.

The review, conducted by the Rama Rao Committee in 2008, had identified five labs working in critical fields such as solid state physics, metallurgy, cryptology and lasers for ‘empowered‘ status in order to give them the liberty to quickly induct young talent, bypassing the cumbersome selection process.

The voluminous report suggested other far-reaching reforms, but the UPA government never fully implemented it. The new Government has dusted it and top officials are studying its recommendations. These include revamping the human resource structure to enable DRDO to hire talent from outside, including Indians working abroad, for key technologies; identifying a set of ’empowered labs’ that have the freedom to hire and fire scientists; lowering the age of entry of talent; and looking abroad for key innovators. “A balance has to be struck. The optimised path may be being selective in granting extensions for specific research projects and not for administrative roles,” says Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani (retd), who was a member of the review committee.

As for the old age issue, one of the first things the Modi regime has done, at least, is get the cabinet secretariat to issue a terse circular on September 26, directing DRDO to stop the practice of unilaterally granting age extensions to its scientists without the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which is headed by the Prime Minister. Sources say extensions have been put on hold and all such future requests would be critically examined. Whether the Government is firm in this resolve will be tested by the upcoming grant of a contract extension to the DRDO chairman.

India Today
India Today
DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
DRDO Chairman Avinash Chander with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

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No extensions sans ACC okay: Government to DRDO

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By Aman Sharma, ET Bureau | 27 Sep, 2014,

NEW DELHI: In a message to the Defence Research Development Organisation that has over a dozen scientists working on tenures beyond 60, the government has frowned at the tendency of giving extensions to scientists without consulting the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to be unhappy with DRDO’s functioning and had recently advocated that five out of the 52 DRDO labs be manned by young scientists after reports with the government revealed that as many as 358 scientists had quit DRDO between 2009 and 2013.

A government note sent on Friday to nine ministries and departments which have specialists in scientific or medical fields, including DRDO and Department of Space, the Department of Personnel and Training has said that the ACC headed by the prime minister has observed that in some cases, departments have unilaterally extended the service officers beyond the age of superannuation without obtaining the approval of ACC.

“It is reiterated that in absence of specific approval of ACC towards extension of services beyond the date of superannuation, an officer should stand retired on his date of superannuation and under no circumstances should the Ministry/Department extend his services beyond superannuation unilaterally without approval of ACC,” the note says. This also comes on the heels of the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission where Modi had praised scientists at ISRO for the feat.

In Friday’s note, the policy drawn up by the NDA government in 2002 was pointed to, which said that any tenure extensions to scientists should be “only in really exceptional circumstances” and only if the retiring specialist “is not just one of the outstanding officers but is really head and shoulders above the rest”.

That policy also said that too many cases of extensions are likely to cause “frustration and affect morale of upcoming scientists who have exposure to latest technological developments.” In 2012, DRDO admitted that 37 scientists — 12 of whom were in distinguished category — were on extended tenures. This was despite the Rama Rao Committee, which carried out the first external review of DRDO in 2008, calling for a younger profile of top scientists. DRDO secretary Avinash Chander is also working on an extension.

ET had reported on August 23 that Modi was not happy about this situation and had sought all details after he was told about the high attrition rate among younger scientists. Friday’s note also goes out to the departments of Atomic Energy, Science and Technology, Scientific and Industrial Research, Information Technology and Environment Ministry.extension dopt

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Upbeat PM Narendra Modi plays taiko drums, wows Japanese businessmen

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Sitaraman Shankar, Hindustan Times Tokyo, September 02, 2014

A day after signing a clutch of DEALS with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Narendra Modi was in upbeat mood on Tuesday – and this time he wowed a set of suited businessmen by playing traditional Taiko drums with great verve.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi plays the Taiko drums in Tokyo
Modi’s performance came at the launch of Tata Consultancy Services’s Technology and Cultural Academy, a programme to send young Japanese employees to India for training in technical and cultural skills.

After TCS CEO N Chandrasekaran finished his opening remarks, inviting Modi to play a note on the drums after the professional drummers had finished, Modi asked “Pehle drum bajaiyen?” and could barely wait his turn.

The two drummers – one man and one woman — did their number and then Modi took over, playing the drums at a rapid beat and holding his own when the male drummer joined him. The audience – some of it on videoconference — burst into applause when he had finished.
The TCS programme involves eight weeks of classroom training and six months project work at various locations in India, and Modi asked the young Japanese not to get locked into a classroom, to get out every weekend and spend some MONEY.

“Come back not just as a TCS employee but as an ambassador of India,” he said, before wading into the crowd to interact with the chosen students.

Earlier Modi addressed girl students at the Sacred Heart University, fielding questions from college and school children. He dealt mainly in allegory, talking of India’s “cabinet” of female goddesses in the Hindu pantheon.

He sidestepped a question on how to face the Chinese threat, saying that India and Japan should focus on progress, and it was possible to take on a dark room not by fighting it with swords and brooms but by lighting a diya.

In the afternoon, Modi calls on Emperor Akihito and delivers the keynote address at a business seminar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi plays the Taiko drums in Tokyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGh54jv931Y

Sir, www.corruptionindrdo.com looking forward for you drum sticks on corruption of DRDO

 

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Narendra Modi extremely unhappy with DRDO’s failure to meet deadlines in delivering products

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BHAVNA VIJ AURORA,ET Bureau | Aug 23, 2014, 12.19 PM IST – The Times of India
NEW DELHI: When defence minister Arun Jaitley commissions Indian Naval Ship Kamorta on Saturday in Vizag, it will be bereft of the critical mediumrange surface-to-air missile (SAM) and advanced light towed array sonars (ALTAS) — both of which Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has failed to deliver.
This is not the first failure for DRDO, the only body in the country doing research in the field of defence systems. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had commissioned INS Kolkata on August 16 in Mumbai.

That too was without the crucial long-range SAM systems and ALTAS.drdo award 2014

Extremely unhappy about the state of affairs, Modi has put DRDO on notice. With the government approving 49% FDI in defence, the PM has asked the tardy organisation to shape-up in the face of competition from the private sector. Officials in the security setup of the country told ET that Modi has asked the defence minister to conduct a detailed review of the organisation, and if need be come out with a white paper on it.

Modi personally delivered a stern message to DRDO, asking the officers to give up their “chalta hai” (lackadaisical) attitude, during the annual award ceremony of the organisation on August 20. The PM had started the DRDO clean-up project even before he attended the award function. He ordered scrapping of a committee that was reviewing cases to grant extension of service to scientists, who had superannuated. The committee sent its recommendations to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

As many as 15 top scientists of DRDO, including Director General (DG) Avinash Chander, are on extension. Chander, in fact, is now on contract after two extensions. Incidentally, he holds three posts — Secretary (Defence) R&D, DG (DRDO) and Scientific Advisor to the defence minister. It was the previous ACC, under the UPA government, comprising Manmohan Singh, AK Antony and Sushil Kumar Shinde that had granted him extensions and finally appointed him on contract in November 2013. About six to eight people were believed to be getting extensions each year in DRDO.

“The PM was not happy about it. As per a department of personnel and training (DoPT) ruling, only the best scientists of international stature should be considered for extensions. He asked for all the details. He was told about the high attrition rate among the younger scientists,” disclosed a senior defence ministry official.

The review committee, scrapped by the government, comprised secretaries of Department of Atomic Energy, DRDO and ISRO as members. Modi is believed to have said that the secretaries of the same departments could not review extensions of their own personnel. He has now constituted the committee to include the Cabinet Secretary and secretaries of unrelated departments of science and technology and earth sciences.

“It is to weed out the dead wood that Modi made the announcement about employing only young scientists, not over the age of 35, in five of the 52 DRDO labs. It is a beginning and will send the message to everyone working in DRDO to deliver,” explained the defence ministry official.

DRDO spokesperson Ravi Gupta could not be contacted for a comment.

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World won’t wait for you, PM Narendra Modi tells laggard DRDO

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Rajat Pandit,TNN | Aug 21, 2014, 05.46 AM IST
NEW DELHI: The “Chalta Hai” attitude will no longer do. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the DRDO to ensure delivery of cutting-edge weapon systems to the armed forces in time to keep India ahead in the national security arena.

Though the stern message was couched in mild language, the intent behind it could not be lost. Most of DRDO projects, ranging from Tejas light combat aircraft to long-range surface-to-air missile systems, after all, are running years behind schedule with huge cost overruns.

The fact that India, which aspires to be a superpower, still embarrassingly imports over 65% of its military requirements is basically due to failure of successive governments to build a strong domestic defence-industrial base (DIB) as well as tardy performance of DRDO and its 50 labs, five defence PSUs, four shipyards and 39 ordnance factories.

India does not lack the requisite scientific talent and capability but this “chalta hai” attitude (lackadaisical) has put paid to all endeavours, said Modi at the annual DRDO awards function on Wednesday.

“The world will not wait for us. We have to run ahead of time. We should not say in 2014 that a project conceived in 1992 will take some more time,” said Modi. With defence technology evolving at a rapid rate around the globe, India cannot afford to conceptualize systems that are two steps behind what will soon hit the MARKET.

“DRDO has to decide whether it will only react to the situation, or become pro-active and set the agenda for the global community. I have hopes from DRDO because I know it has the capability to perform,” said Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the DRDO Awards 2013 function in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Defence minister Arun Jaitley also stressed that defence scientists had the “intellectual talent” to turn DRDO into “a hub for defence manufacturing” if they worked towards it in the right earnest.

But this might take some doing. For one, DRDO wants more FUNDS for R&D. For another, though it has over 7,500 scientists on its rolls, it wants to attract bright youngsters from top-notch institutions like the IITs with better incentives.

“Our intake of young scientists is down to just 70 per year. This is certainly not a good sign for an innovation-centric organization. Sanction of additional manpower at the rate of 300 per year for the next seven-eight years is essential for meeting technology challenges,” said DRDO chief Avinash Chander.

But it’s equally true that DRDO itself needs to be revamped and reformed. As reported by TOI earlier, the Rama Rao Committee (RRC) in 2008 held DRDO should focus only on 8 to 10 “critical technologies” of “strategic importance”, instead of making everything from dental implants and mosquito repellents to nuclear missiles and fighter jets.

Two key RRC recommendations, for instance, to establish a new Defence Technology Commission and a commercial arm for DRDO (as a private limited company with Rs 2 crore as seed capital) are yet to be implemented.DRDO missiles

 

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India, US agree on arms deal, but technology transfer remains key

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Rajat Pandit, TNN | Aug 9, 2014, 05.34AM IST

NEW DELHI: India and the US on Friday agreed to go in for co-development and co-production of advanced weapon systems, with Washington pushing New Delhi for early decisions on offers ranging from the next-generation Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).Modi-Chuk

But India will not jump headlong into any venture without first ensuring the US sticks to its promise to provide “ground-breaking technology” on par with its closest allies, even though the Modi government is keen to strengthen the moribund domestic defence production sector.

The decision to revive the floundering Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) between the two countries, as also work towards the extension of the 10-year India-US defence framework, was taken after visiting US defence secretary Chuck Hagel held delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley.
But India is still not fully convinced about the US as a reliable long-term, high-end defence supplier, given its propensity to impose sanctions and stringent export control laws. The US, however, believes it can effectively marry trade and technology, with benefits for both.

Stressing that “security, stability, freedom of sea lanes, economic development and energy” is in the interest of the two countries as well as the Asia-Pacific region, Hagel said the US wants to be a partner in India’s military modernization and recognises its needs to strengthen its defence-industrial base.
The US will be led by its under secretary of defence acquisition, technology and logistics Frank Kendall in the DTTI. The Indian points-man, in turn, will be the defence production secretary, which is a comedown from before since former national security advisor Shivshankar Menon earlier led the initiative. Jaitley, incidentally, accepted Hagel’s invite to visit Pentagon when he goes to Washington to attend the annual meetings of IMF and World Bank.

Of all the joint development and production offers, the US is especially keen to push the case for fourth-generation Javelin ATGMs, which even President Barack Obama has personally pushed with Modi. The Indian ATGM project, after all, is going to be worth over $2.5 billion. Javelin is in contention with the Israeli “Spike” tank-killing missiles to bag the project, as was earlier reported by TOI.

With the 1.13-million Indian Army grappling with a huge shortfall of 44,000 ATGMs of different types, the project involves an initial direct acquisition of the man-portable “tank killers”, with a strike range of 2.5km, followed by technology transfer to defence PSU Bharat Dynamics for large-scale indigenous manufacture. The Army is keen to equip all its 382 infantry battalions with third and fourth-generation ATGMs.

Comments

Vladimir Sikorski (Ulyanovsk. Russia) 3 hrs ago
In the 50’s and 60’s the Russians supplied us with their MIG’s, T-72 tanks and other weapons. The technology was transferred at that time. What happened after that. Were you guys able to develop further from that platform and make your own planes. No. The French transferred their Mirage aircraft technology in the 70’s and 80’s. Did you develop your own from that platform. No. It took 30 years to develop a 3rd generation aircraft called the Tejas. The Arjun tank was forced on the Army. So why do you Indians keep harping about technology transfer. Even after we give you all the books and manuals and the design features for a product, your paan chewing babu’s of the DRDO and the Defence Ministry are unable to develop anything over and above that. It is way better and cheaper to employ German and Japanese engineers and scientists, pay them well in India and they will develop your arms industry for you. You don’t have much time. World War III is round the corner.

Himanshu Agarwal (Location) replies to Vladimir Sikorski 54 mins ago Bronze : 189189 PointsWordsmith 1News King 1Frequent Flyer 2
Yeah probably India should focus of Developing worlds class universities and then investing similar amount to restructure and new-hiring in DRDO.

Jagdish Sinha (Patna. Bihar) 1 day ago
The USA now is willing to give all the technology India wants as it knows that the idiots in DRDO cannot duplicate or build on anything. The technology for the MIG and the T-90 tanks was transferred by Russia long time ago but we are still unable to build on it and innovate based on the earlier model. It took 30 years to build the Tejas. What a joke it turned out to be. The tech for the French planes was also provided, but just to upgrade the planes they spent billions and had to send them to France. Poor show India.

Swami Vas (Hong Kong) 103 Followers1 day ago Gold : 19.5K19495 PointsInfluencer 7Wordsmith 7Networker 2
PULSE OF INDIA: The fact that India is unconvinced of the reliability of US as a trustworthy defence supplier is absolutely understandable and perfect, considering the past experiences where the US had utterly failed to keep its promises on some important deals. So, it is only right for India to insist that all major deals should be fair and wherever appropriate include transfer of technology which was rightly pinpointed by the Prime Minister. The US belief that it can “effectively marry trade and technology” benefitting both is simply yet another striking example of marriage of convenience! The defence needs of India are indeed varied and important, some even urgent, but the Indian requirements are also huge and long-standing. Thus, it is important for India to ensure continuity in the supply chain which can only be achieved by establishing manufacturing facilities within the country. The keenness of US to strike deals with India on the latest weapons is also equally understandable, especially considering the money-value of the deal as well as its own role as a leading defence equipment exporter but the US should know that from now on all deals with India will have to be on a win-win situation basis! However important or urgent the defence needs are to modernize its armed forces, India should indeed not hurry or plunge into any deals without knowing the depth! India is the largest democracy in the world followed by the US but whether they have been truly friendly or why the US has failed to extend a hand of friendship befitting that status are debatable issues. But one thing is for certain which the world should know that the 21st Century India presently under Modi leadership is going to be a power to be reckoned with! (cc: BJPCALL-LC / PMO /MOD)

Krishna Jha:22 hours ago US Is the leader in front line technology. Before signing any agreement we must ask for TOT. Why to reinvent the wheel. As our limitations to re engineer MIG has been unsuccessful but translating blue more..

 

Drdo

डीआरडीओ में ताजमहलो का निर्माण – दूसरी क़िस्त

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माननीय श्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी                                                                       दिनाक 18 जुलाई  2014
प्रधानमंत्री
कक्ष संख्या  152 पीएमओ
साउथ ब्लाक  नईदिल्ली -110011

 

विषय : डीआरडीओ में ताजमहलो का निर्माण – दूसरी क़िस्त

माननीय श्री प्रधानमंत्री जी एक तरफ हम समाचार  पत्रो व् टी वी में पड़ते व् देखते  है कि

” Modi austerity drive, no new cars for ministers, PMO to monitor spending               by Marya Shakil, CNN-IBN Jun 25, 2014 at 08:57pm IST.

Modi, whose working style had garnered headlines in less than a month of assuming office, has also asked the ministers to take PMO’s approval for any purchases above Rs 1 lakh, according to sources.

वंही दूसरी ओर डीआरडीओ में ताजमहलो का निर्माण बदस्तूर जारी है I इसी सन्दर्भ में करप्शन इन डी आर डी ओ   वेबसाइट   को एक ईमेल द्वारा आज जानकारी मिली डी आर डी ओ  द्वारा कि लॉन्ग व्हीलर आई लैंड में करोड़ों रूपए खर्च करके सिर्फ चार अदद कमरो का एक वी आई पी गेस्ट हाउस का निर्माण कार्य जा रहा है जिसकी खास बात यह है कि उसके हर कमरे का डिजाइन दुबई के एक सात सितारा लक्ज़री होटल के कमरो के अनुरूप किया जा रहा है I

यह निर्माण कार्य 100 मजदूरो द्वारा रात दिन लगातार कार्य जा रहा है और अगले सप्ताह इस   गेस्ट हाउस का उद्घाटन होना है I यह सब निर्माण कर्नल सत्पथी के देख रेख में चल रहा है जो की लभग दस वर्षो से वंहा कार्यरत है  इसके अलावा एक लक्ज़री बोट भी किंग्स एंड क्वीन कंपनी से खरीदी  गयी है I क्या आपको लगता है की किंग्स एंड क्वीन की बोट में बैठ कर जाने से मिसाइल ज्यादा सटीक निशाना लगाएंगी I जंहा एक और सामान्य कर्मचारी सरकारी आवास समस्या से जूझ रहे है काफी लम्बी प्रतीक्षा सूची चल रही  है वंही दूसरी ओर इन  तथाकथित विज्ञानिको को विलासिता सूझ रही है I

आपसे नम्र निवेदन है कि शीघ्रता पूर्वक इन तथाकित वैज्ञानिको को देश के बहुमूल्य पैसो की बर्बादी से रोके सादगी का सन्देश दे क्योंकि कोई भी रिसर्च के लिए इन सब विलसिताओं की कोई भी आवश्कयता नहीं होती I सर जे सी बोसे ने कोई भी अविष्कार फाइव स्टार होटल में बैठकर नहीं किया था I

ऐसा न हो की आप अपने सांसदों  व् मंत्रियो को सादगी का सन्देश देकर  देश का लाखो रुपये बचाये और दूसरी ओर ये  तथाकित वैज्ञानिक देश का करोड़ो रुपये बर्बाद कर दे I

धन्यवाद

प्रभु डंडरियाल
21-सुंदरवाला, रायपुर, देहरादून
फ़ोन  0135- 2787750, मोबाइल – 9411114879,
e-मेल  id prabhudoon@gmail.com  वेबसाइट  www.corruptionindrdo.com

सलग्न  – करप्शन इन डी आर डी ओ वेबसाइट को प्राप्त ईमेल

prabhudoon@gmail.com” <prabhudoon@gmail.com>
date:   Fri, Jul 18, 2014 at 6:57 AM
subject:           Corruption new inputs
mailed-by:      guerrillamail.com
Received: by 10.152.131.193

Prabhu ji, I want to inform S.A. saheb’s latest gift to himself a multi crore guest house with just 4 rooms with 7 star facility at wheeler island. He is going to inaugurate it next week. Each room is modelled as per designs from Dubai luxury hotel and more than 100 labourers are working day and night under Shri.Col. Satpathy who is the permanent Construction c.c.e. for the past ten years at the same sensitive and maney making post at Baleswar and Kolkata for the past 10 years. He has made similar seven star guest house in Kolkata also for his VVIP bosses to please them. A luxury boat(yact) is also being purchased for the Kings and queens of D.R.D.O. in Wheeler Island. Please do something to stop this. Like the fake degree scam, another big chunna to govt is by employees building houses in same station with H.B.A. and still staying in lab quarters by renting their house. Such like artificial scarcity of quarters is created and the waiting list is too long. moreover, taking this artificial shortage into account new quarters are being built by the construction department at exorbitant costs (much higher rates than C.P.W.D.)our department has become more of a construction dept. than R&D. That too contracts are issued only to some big fish contractors close to these corrupt officers without any transparency. When the whole country is following e-mail tendering, our dept. follows selective tendering. These construction engineers have even started taking projects from other than our dept. due to the huge kick backs provided in the over priced contracts. Please please do something otherwise we are going to be doomed. Wellwisher.