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A new set of guidelines for procurement of arms and ammunition can be expected soon.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence will seek a detailed briefing on arms procurement and defence preparedness from the three Services chiefs and the Defence Secretary whom it has summoned on April 20 .
Headed by Congress MP Mr Satpal Maharaj, the panel urged the Defence Ministry and the three Services chiefs to address the issue of corruption in procurement.
The Defence Secretary, Mr Shashi Kant Sharma, and the representatives of the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy appeared before the panel on Monday.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the recent controversies, particularly on the leakage of critical information and letters, a member said. “We wanted to put an end to the blame-game. That's the reason for inviting the three chiefs along with the Defence Secretary for a presentation on the issue,” the member said on the condition of anonymity.
The Defence Secretary told the panel that recently six firms — Singapore Technologies, Israeli Military Industry, Rheinmetall Air Defence, Corporation Defence, TS Kisan and Co Pvt Ltd and RK Machine Tools — were blacklisted for indulging in corrupt practices.
The MPs apparently asked him if any arrangement had been made to ensure that supply would not be hit by the ban.
Mr Sharma is learnt to have said that steps were being taken to ensure that there was no delay in supply of critical ammunition.
Members also questioned the Government on the delay in indigenisation of arms and wanted to know why the country remained the world's largest importer of defence equipment, such as combat aircraft. The Government was also asked to strengthen the research and development wings of defence PSUs.
The Committee decided to suggest measures to improve transparency in procurement. Methods to avoid delay in procurement of critical ammunition need to be developed by ensuring indigenisation of weaponry, rather than depending on imports, an MP said.
The Defence Secretary told the panel that the report on “unusual movement” of troops was baseless. MPs also raised the issue of alleged corruption in the Tatra truck deal and the letter of Army Chief, General V.K. Singh, to the Prime Minister on “defence preparedness.”
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