India Plans Big Military Spend

New Delhi, Jul. 8 2002 (INS News) -- India, growing conscious of its regional super power status and facing heightened tension with Pakistan, is gearing up for military equipment acqisition this year.

The defence ministry is executing an extensive plan to upgrade the country's land and air surveillance capabilities.

Recent Retired Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain told reporters that the ministry hopes the entire 22,000 crores allocated this year will be fully utilised.

The armed forces will soon be equipped with French made killer scorpene submarines, The Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and Isreli made Phalcon early warning aircraft.

Other defence equipment like hand-held night visiondevices counter-improvised explosive device equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles were also being procured. Yogendra Narain said.

The Defence Ministry has also sought permission from the Finance Ministry to carry forward the un utilised budgetry allocation for weapon system purchased. It is a practise in countries like france and Italy mr said there has been 33% increase of defence purchase from 12,000 to 16,000 crores in 2001-2002. The setting upon a defence prcurement board has lead to a quantum jump.

The board adopted the fast track rule to clear 273 crucial deals ranging from purchase of hand-held thermal images used for night vision to unmanned aerial nd counter improvised explosive device equipments. The negotiations for buldingd six killer class sub marines thereown the verge of conclusion with French Ship building giant DCN international, he said.

-- Sam Asharaf - South Asia Correspondent in Trivandrum, India
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