Defence Notes
New
Delhi, 18 August 2008
New Defence Procurement Policy
SAYS NO TO MIDDLEMEN, AGENTS
By Radhakrishna Rao
Six global defence and aircraft
manufacturers, who are in the race to win the lucrative bid for supply of 126
medium multi role combat (MMRC) aircraft to the Indian Air Force, have
submitted a list of local vendors, from whom they would source components,
systems and service in addition to offering an increased investment to
revitalize India’s defence and aerospace sectors in the event of winning the order.
This development, not surprisingly
was in response to a new investment-friendly weapons’ procurement policy
unveiled by Defence Minister A.K. Antony on August 1. The policy specifically
mandates that all foreign companies bidding for major Indian defence contracts
worth over Rs.3,000-million will have to invest anything between 30 per cent and
50 per cent of the value of the order in the Indian defence and aerospace
sectors.
Interestingly, American defence and
aerospace majors, Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin have already inked contracts
with a number of industrial groups and software and IT services companies to
execute the offset clause forming part of the contract, in anticipation of bagging
the order. “We are already establishing the ground work that will lead us to
success in this large undertaking through early management of Indian industry,
both in the public and private sectors” observed Boeing Integrated Defense
Systems Vice President (India)
Vivek Lall.
On the other hand, the Bangalore-based
aeronautical and defence outfit Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is quite
bullish about the benefits flowing to it from the offset clause. According to its
spokesman, “We will work with the vendors chosen by the winner.” As it is, HAL
will license produce 108 of the 126 combat aircraft to be acquired by India, while
the 18 jets will be delivered to IAF in a flyway condition.
In the race to grab an estimated
US$10-billion order for the supply of 126 combat aircraft: are Boeing’s F/A-18
Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Falcon, Russia’s Mig-35, Swedish Jas-39
from Grippen, French Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon from the British,
German, Spanish and Italian firms consortium. As it is, these six defence
majors had submitted their bid this April. “We will seriously examine all the
bids and shortlist the companies in due course” said a spokesman of the Defence
Ministry.
It was an anticipated delay in the
induction of India’s
home-grown fourth generation, supersonic tactical fighter Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA) Tejas that nudged the IAF to scout the global defence market for the
procurement of the 126 combat aircraft, that would serve as the frontline
fighters by replacing the aging and obsolete Mig-series of fighter jets. As
things stand now, LCA Tejas is not expected to be ready for induction till
early next decade.
As stated by defence ministry
sources, India’s new defence procurement policy (DPP-2008) not only seeks to
end the “murky role of middlemen and agents” in defence deals, but also put the
procurement of armaments and
fighting equipment on a fast track with a clear cut focus on
transparency at every stage. As New Delhi-based defence analysts point out, in
the backdrop of India’s
emergence as a major and lucrative defence market, with plans to spend up to
US$50-billion on the import of defence hardware and equipment over the next
five years, the need for a comprehensive well-drafted defence purchase policy
has become all the more pronounced.
Till recently, India’s defence
procurement scenario was under the vicious influence of middlemen, whose
questionable role had resulted in the cancellation of a couple of recent
military procurement deals. Against this backdrop Antony has made it clear that “we will not
allow middlemen in defence deals”. And, according to the Ministry spokesman, “as
per the new policy, armament companies will have to sign integrity pacts to
ensure that no unethical means will be employed to bag these deals”.
The new policy also lays stress on
enhancing the transparency of technical trials in addition to easing licensing
conditions for India’s
private sector companies to participate in defence production and promoting
joint ventures. More importantly, DPP-2008 also facilitates the concept such as
“offset banking”. As part of this concept, foreign vendors accumulate offset
credits for two years preceding the award of a contract. However, the policy
also makes it clear that offsets can be banked after getting due permission
from the Government, which will examine all aspects of offset banking proposals
to ensure that they are advantageous to our defence sector.
In particular, DPP-2008 promises the
defence vendors advance information on procurement before floating tenders.
Further, it seeks to enhance the financial powers of the Army, Navy and Air Force
headquarters. Similarly, as per this policy foreign companies will be allowed
to park funds in banks in anticipation of future contracts so that they need
not have to manage money for the offset policy when the deal is finalized. But
then this DPP makes it clear that the offset will be direct in that it will be
allowed only in the defence arena. “The offset policy will be fine-tuned and allowing
indirect offset is unlikely, since the Defence Ministry is extremely keen to
build the indigenous sector,” explains its spokesman.
“The new DPP will hasten
indigenization by helping defence public sector units, the Defence Research and
Development Orgnisation (DRDO0 and private industry to enter into a joint
venture with foreign arms’ suppliers,” observes Antony. As he stated, the ultimate aim is to
reduce India’s
dependence on foreign arms’ supplies and to “ensure that our armed forces will
be able to speedily procure world-class equipment from indigenous or foreign
sources”.
The Defence Minister also stressed
the point that a strong and resurgent domestic defence industry, both in the
public and private sector, could contribute to meeting the growing needs of the
defence forces in a big way. The current policy encourages private
participation in the defence production scenario. It also allows 28 per cent FDI
in the Indian defence sector. According to Ministry sources, in the new
procurement policy “suitable amendments have been effected to pave the way for
speedier procurement of weapons, systems and platforms while enhancing
transparency at the same time”.
Importantly, Antony sees a vastly enhanced role for the local
private industry in the country’s defence production matrix. “It should be our
endeavour to achieve the maximum synergy between defence public and private
sectors, in order to create a competitive defence technology edge and
strengthen the industry itself.” He also expressed the view that DPP-2008 will
promote indigenization and encourage wider representation of the industry on
panels doing technical evaluation of indigenously designed military platforms.
Recall, till 2001, entry of private
sector into India’s
production sector was barred. It was only after the Vijay Kelkar Committee recommended
that private firms be allowed to participate in the production of arms and
defence equipment that led to the opening up of the sector in a phased manner
to private participation. Today, a number of Indian private entities including
Tata Power, Larsen and Toubro, Mahindra and Mahindra, Kirloskar Group and Wipro
have all unveiled their plans to enter the defence sector in a big way. “The
role of private players has largely been at the sub contract level. Now the
second step for them is to reach the sub assembly level and that will take
time”, says HAL Chairman Ashok.K.Baweja. A beginning has been made. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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