OrionHunter
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Here are some excerpts from the interview of Defence Minister Monohar Parrikar held yesterday.
> What changes have you ushered into the gigantic defence ministry?
The major change is the change in attitude in looking and dealing with different issues. There is more openness, more trust, more confidence, and the mindset to deliver, which was missing earlier. Things are now moving positively. On the welfare side, ex-servicemen have got the one rank, one pension scheme. There is also much faster handling of their grievances.
Then, the exercise to improve the teeth-to-tail ratio in the armed forces is under way . The aim is to improve combat power, while cutting down non-operational flab and old, unwanted things to reduce revenue expenditure. The Shekatkar committee should present its first round of recommendations by July . So, I expect all this to begin from August.
> The much-delayed modernisation of armed forces is yet to pick up?
We have finalised the defence procurement procedure (DPP)2016 to speed up the earlier processes. Acquisition proposals under the new DPP have already begun. The impact will be seen next year.
When this government came to power, there were 388 AoNs (acceptances of necessity or initial approvals for modernisation projects) worth around Rs 5.5 lakh crore.Since then, we have given approval for another 110 AoNs worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore. But we have reduced the total number to 280 AoNs because we speed ed up the processes and weeded out what was not required. Around Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth of projects have been ordered already . In the current fiscal, I intend to clear projects worth another Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
> The estimated 7.8 billion euros (Rs 59,500 crore) deal for the 36 French Rafale fighters is still stuck despite it being over a year since the Modi-Hollande summit in Paris announced it.
Some loose ends have to be tied up. I am out for eight days from next week.After I return, I hope to conclude it. There is no reason why it should not be concluded in June itself.
> But France is refusing to give sovereign guarantee or bank guarantee for the deal. What about the cost?
All issues will be ad dressed in the inter governmental agreement (IGA) to be inked. The IGA will cover everything, in including the guarantee. It will ensure that anything covered under it has to be executed by the two governments. As for the overall price, I would not like to number-crunch at this stage.The figure will depend on the cost of the fighters, the cost of India-specific requirements, and the performance based maintenance contract we want.Then, there are armaments like missiles and bombs.
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/...ale-deal-could-be-concluded-in-27052016011022
Light at the end of the tunnel? Let's wait and see! June is just round the corner.
> What changes have you ushered into the gigantic defence ministry?
The major change is the change in attitude in looking and dealing with different issues. There is more openness, more trust, more confidence, and the mindset to deliver, which was missing earlier. Things are now moving positively. On the welfare side, ex-servicemen have got the one rank, one pension scheme. There is also much faster handling of their grievances.
Then, the exercise to improve the teeth-to-tail ratio in the armed forces is under way . The aim is to improve combat power, while cutting down non-operational flab and old, unwanted things to reduce revenue expenditure. The Shekatkar committee should present its first round of recommendations by July . So, I expect all this to begin from August.
> The much-delayed modernisation of armed forces is yet to pick up?
We have finalised the defence procurement procedure (DPP)2016 to speed up the earlier processes. Acquisition proposals under the new DPP have already begun. The impact will be seen next year.
When this government came to power, there were 388 AoNs (acceptances of necessity or initial approvals for modernisation projects) worth around Rs 5.5 lakh crore.Since then, we have given approval for another 110 AoNs worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore. But we have reduced the total number to 280 AoNs because we speed ed up the processes and weeded out what was not required. Around Rs 1.5 lakh crore worth of projects have been ordered already . In the current fiscal, I intend to clear projects worth another Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
> The estimated 7.8 billion euros (Rs 59,500 crore) deal for the 36 French Rafale fighters is still stuck despite it being over a year since the Modi-Hollande summit in Paris announced it.
Some loose ends have to be tied up. I am out for eight days from next week.After I return, I hope to conclude it. There is no reason why it should not be concluded in June itself.
> But France is refusing to give sovereign guarantee or bank guarantee for the deal. What about the cost?
All issues will be ad dressed in the inter governmental agreement (IGA) to be inked. The IGA will cover everything, in including the guarantee. It will ensure that anything covered under it has to be executed by the two governments. As for the overall price, I would not like to number-crunch at this stage.The figure will depend on the cost of the fighters, the cost of India-specific requirements, and the performance based maintenance contract we want.Then, there are armaments like missiles and bombs.
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/...ale-deal-could-be-concluded-in-27052016011022
Light at the end of the tunnel? Let's wait and see! June is just round the corner.
don't post until Rafale deal completed in real terms 
