INDIA
DEFENCE CONSULTANTS
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WHAT'S HOT?
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ANALYSIS OF
RECENT HAPPENINGS |
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Revolutionary Changes in India’s Higher Defence Set-Up –– An Exclusive IDC Analysis of the DECISIONS of the GoM
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New
Delhi, 06 June 2001 Preamble The
NDA Government with George Fernandes as Minister were naive on matters
Defence and the cabinet were still getting to grips with the newly
acquired Nuclear power, which was like a galloping horse needing to be
corralled. The National Security Council was still-born, with a yet to
deliver secretariat headed by a super efficient bureaucrat Satish Chandra
of the JIC and the part-time National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra
ensconced in PMO as the powerful Principal PS to the PM. The PMO was
running most shows and doing the fire fighting for all ministries. The
Raksha Mantri had just dismissed the Navy Chief Vishnu Bhagwat and was
running the Defence Ministry as he ran the Railway Ministry –– with
dispensations. Now
in hindsight, it is no wonder that India's decision to use air power to
support the bogged down Army units in Kargil, was paralysed from 5 to 22
May 1999 (Chapters dealing with this are deleted from the Subrahmanyam
Committee Report). It was after the CCS meeting on 22 May that the PM
decided to consult the Service Chiefs, and thereafter the offensive air
operations commenced in Kargil. IDC believes that this was a time and occasion when a CDS was sorely missed, as even ‘recce’ sorties were denied to the hapless Jawans fighting the Pakistani troops up on the hills. The tide slowly but surely turned, but the Army’s losses were high and the Government realised it needed to put the country’s higher defence and intelligence systems in order. After
a preliminary Report on facts by Mr Subrahmanyam, four Task Forces were
set up to recommend corrective measures. These were Higher Defence
Management (headed by Arun Singh), Intelligence (under Gary Saxena ex RAW
and presently Governor of J&K), Border Management (headed by Madhav
Godbole) and Internal Security (under NN Vohra). Just when the matters
were being finalized came the ‘Tehelka’ bombshell toppling George
Fernandes in its wake. The Defence Ministry was handed over to Jaswant
Singh and this brought him
even closer to Arun Singh. Finally we have the decisions of the Group of
Ministers on the path breaking recommendations of the four Task Forces
which IDC now analyses. The effects of ‘Tehelka’ have also been
summarized, as we have had a lot of queries on the subject after the
opening up of the Defence sector to private and foreign enterprises. Effects
of Tehelka IDC
feel that ‘Tehelka’ was the best thing that could have happened to
this country after Kargil. As we have often cried out even as a lonely
voice, defence agents must be legally permitted now that 26% FDI is also
being allowed, otherwise touts and middlemen will make hay. Just recently
Roland Dumas ex Foreign Minister of France and his mistress (some
similiarity) have been fined and sentenced for making money from ELF the
oil giant. What many may miss is that ELF was the conduit for money
laundering in the sale of French frigates to Taiwan and its head has been
prosecuted. Admiral
Mansurul Haq former CNS of Pakistan had recently been extradited from
Austin, Texas (USA) to answer the charges of making money in the $ 750
million 4 Agosta 2B submarine deal from DCN of France. It
means in Defence, kickbacks are a fact of life even in France, but India
has a crazy ‘no agents’ policy that makes all defence deals enigmatic
and shrouded in mystery. India is negotiating with the same firm DCN for
the Scorpene Type 75 submarines to be built at Mazagon Docks. DCN have no
legal agents or representatives in India but may soon depend upon THALES
–– formerly Thomson CSF, which has a big office in India and employs
senior ex-Service officers. The whole situation is farcical. IDC has also
learned that retired Maj Gen Murgai of Tehelka fame, has admitted using
his professional knowledge and contacts to offer consultancy, without
transgressing the Official Secrets Act in any way and firmly believes he
did no wrong. Half of India’s bureaucrats and some brilliant technocrats
like Dr Arunachalam former head of DRDO now in Carneige Melon University
do or did just the same –– consultancy and many even hold diplomatic
passports after retirement. It is ridiculous but as they say India is the
best country in the world for under the table work. Rules are made to be
broken or bypassed under the dictum ‘show me the face and I will show
you the rule’. Defence
procurement in India has now come under scrutiny by the retired Supreme
Court Justice Venkataswami who is inquiring into the corruption scandal
exposed by Tehelka. Two journalists of tehelka.com posing as
Agents of a non existent British thermal imaging firm Westend, tried
to hawk their fictitious product and successfully bribed senior Army
officers, bureaucrats and politicians to the tune of $28,000. They
ingeniously posed as 'middlemen', because Defence Agents have been legally
banned since 1986 and videotaped the entire operation stealthily. On 13
March the internet firm aired the sordid ‘expose’ on prime time TV and
Indians saw it all in the comfort of their drawing rooms. BJP Party
President Shri Bangaru Laxman, was caught on camera accepting $2200.
Defence Minister George Fernandes had to resign as his close associate and
Samta Party President Mrs Jaya Jaitly received $4400 at his official
residence, ostensibly for the party fund. Maj Gen P S K Chaudhry,
ADG Weapons and Equipment responsible for Army’s procurement took $2200
and some other bureaucrats, Brigadiers and Colonels accepted lesser sums
to assist in the selection process. A lot of muck was raked up. The five Army
officers are awaiting disciplinary action, which could include Court
Martial. IDC hope not as a Court Martial will rake up further muck. Changes
in Higher Defence Set-Up The
major far-reaching recommendations of the Group of Ministers (GoM) put out
in a 117 page report, omitting the Intelligence aspects, which are
proposed to be implemented are tabled below with our analysis and we would
welcome viewers response:
This
is good news and we see a Special Secretary with experience in procurement
in London and earlier in MOD, Shri Ajay Vikram Singh has already been
appointed. The IAS are already off the mark and a Vice Chief status
vacancy has been made on the civil side while the Armed Forces are still
to see any action. The
step will be fruitful only if the three Service Chiefs sit down and demand
more powers for the Services HQ and explain to the GOI that Agents should
be legalized for the sake of transparency and professionalism. Otherwise
the MOD with a Special Secretary in charge will continue to perpetuate the
existing system with greater impunity. At present the Service HQ go to the
MOD for procurement files to be cleared, literally with begging bowls in
their hands.
VAdm
O P Bansal who has an Army Brigade under him and conducts amphibious
operations regularly is the FORTAN. The Air Force as it is wont to do,
operates there separately. This
step is a beginning in the right direction, for other Tri-Service Commands
to be set up. There needs to be cooperation from all the three Services to
make it work. The IAF will not be too happy but then it is the writing on
the wall, that with technological advances in the weapon systems and
communications, the concept of C3 (command, control and
communications) viz ‘Jointness’ in any operational command is
inescapable. The earlier we adopt it the better. This may pave the way for
more tri-service operational commands and the Command of them should be
rotated or follow the principle of preponderance. That should not be
difficult to work out.
However,
whom the DIA will report to is a moot question at the moment. Logically it
is the CDS who should control it. However, the decision to appoint a CDS
has been held back. Till then tasking it and checking its funds as also
its cloak and dagger doings, may immediately be done by a bureaucrat and
get frozen as such –– which is exactly what should not happen. Once we
know who writes the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) of the DIA Chief, we
will be able to predict the success factor and how the co-ordination will
flow because the status of RAW and IB Chiefs has not been clarified. Many
may not remember, but years ago Jaswant Singh was told to head a committee
on reorganization of Intelligence. Nothing came of it. Intelligence is
vital and India has inputs but lacks a proper processing and analysis
system with due accountability. This needs tremendous skills and
dedication. An IPS cadre based set up, with vested interests for
promotions will not give the desired results.
In the Northeast and Kashmir the two hot spots, IDC had earlier
commented that intelligence officers go on brief postings, retain houses
in Delhi where they spend more than due time, without getting the feel of
the place or the pulse of the local organization, so vital in intelligence
work.
Thus
the Coast Guard could become independent of the Navy with direct reporting
to the Defence Secretary. At present the Department of Revenue funds the
Coast Guard, which practice may change. The first non-naval officer,
Rameshwar Singh has been appointed Director General Coast Guard and
is due to retire late this year. Earlier serving naval Vice Admirals
headed this organization. There
has been an internecine battle on the issue of top command and control of
para military forces. The majority of them are border forces assisting the
Army. IDC had earlier pointed out India's defence budget nears 3% of GDP
if expenses on PMF are added. This dichotomy makes the unified
command concept difficult to implement in the North East and Kashmir.
The IAF has been worried about its secretly held responsibility to deliver the nuclear punch and possession and control of ‘space’, a new medium for warfare. This should be well left to it. The low level surveillance system should be integrated with the national ATC set up and IDC hopes IAF can maturely take charge of the coordination and control and infuse latest technology into the traffic in Indian skies. The western world has excellent coordination as technology in this sector has advanced and it is cheap, but this proposal needs to be kept out of a turf war between various Air Control Agencies.
This
is common sense and long overdue. It is estimated India has 40 million
immigrants from Bangla Desh alone. In fact, Election Commissioner MS Gill
when he was Agriculture Secretary had stated that India’s green
revolution had been possible with the cheap labour from Bangla Desh and in
Delhi most of the cheaper domestic workers in jhuggi jhopris are ex
Bangla Desh. It is a pity
that a few years ago, crores of rupees were spent on making voter ID
cards, but local ID cards at least in border areas have not been brought
into force as yet. The
task is mammoth. IDC attended a seminar at IIC, on the Bangla Desh border
clashes, which hosted speakers of eminence including ex BSF Chief Prakash
Singh, ex RAW and later Governor of Nagaland Srivastava, who we believe is
knowledgeable and is married to a Naga. All spoke from the heart and
admitted lapses on demarcating the enclaves and the remaining border.
Other grey issues of smuggling between India and Bangla Desh and the
Chakmas were discussed but ex Foreign Secretary K Raghunath who is due to
go as our Ambassador to Russia, defended the Government well. He said only
6.5 km of border remained to be demarcated hence some credit should go the
MEA. A BSF officer got up and said, “Let me tell you honestly,
development work in the entire NE area has been neglected so the main
vocation in the area is smuggling and illegal migration. The boats in
riverine areas are not marked so when BSF catches illegal immigrants the
Sarpanch identifies them as he wishes. The border is porous “. IDC
admits the task is difficult but ID cards are a step in the right
direction.
But
the move has been deferred thanks to the internecine turf battles over the
duties and responsibilities of this post. CNS and Chairman, Chiefs of
Staff Committee Admiral Sushil Kumar who was tipped for the post withdrew
his name, adding to the Government's dilemma. IDC feel the key to this
post lies with the Chiefs of the three Services and not the politicians.
Dissension among them will only confer advantage to the bureaucrats. It is
well known that most countries have a CDS over the other Chiefs, but India
wants to try it otherwise. Italy tried it and IDC believes that we Indians
are a little like Italians –– but it did not work. In fact things got
worse and some years ago Italy decided to have a CDS over the other Chiefs
with accountability and responsibility. It is working. MOD
Annual Report Finally, the Annual Report of the Defence Ministry including some of the aspects discussed above has been released. There is nothing revolutionary except reiteration that China has ICBMs and nuclear missile capability to target Indian cities and it is helping Pakistan. India will evolve its nuclear command and control for its deterrence. A repeat of last year except that for the first time India’s security concerns have been taken beyond its physical borders, namely Persian Gulf in the West and The Malacca Strait in the East, giving a major maritime dimension to our official thinking. Wait for our full analysis on this document.
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