Faced with scams like VVIP helicopter deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the Government is evolving processes to make defence deals “more transparent” and “less vulnerable to unethical practices.”
Stressing upon this fact his address after laying the foundation stone of the Indian National Defence University (INDU) in Binola near Gurgaon, he said his Government will continue to seek the highest standards of probity in defence acquisition.
As regards defence preparedness, the Prime Minister said India now has the capability to become net security provider to the Indian Ocean region. This region has strategic interests for India and New Delhi is strengthening its relations with all the littoral States located on the rim of the Indian Ocean region.
He said steps are on to indigenise defence procurement and stimulate the development of the domestic defence industry adding the Government is conscious of the fact that adequate defence preparedness is critically dependent on sound defence acquisition policies. Singh also said indigenisation will spur industrial and economic growth of the country.
On the issue of operational readiness of the armed forces, the Prime Minister said while the Army and IAF have got better equipment in the past few years, the Navy has seen “enormous expansion” in the last five years.
“We have placed special emphasis on strengthening the capabilities of our Navy, which is fully equipped to operate at great distances from our shores, protect our maritime interests, respond to natural disasters and provide humanitarian assistance to the need,” he said.
Noting that India faces multiple security challenges as it is in a difficult neighbourhood, Singh said the country’s deterrent capabilities have increased and is in a position to be a net provider of security in the Indian Ocean Region.
At the same time, he underlined the need for reorientation of the strategic thinking of country’s higher defence organisation to meet the challenges and opportunities in the fast changing world “witnessing change on a scale and speed rarely seen before.”
The Prime Minister said the country was better equipped now to deal with non-conventional threats, especially in the cyber and space domains. He said the Government is implementing a national architecture for cyber security and have taken steps to create an office of a national cyber security coordinator.
Highlighting the importance of INDU, Singh said the defence university was meant to ensure that the country, Government and armed forces benefit from the best military advice that was available.
Defence Minister AK Antony said INDU will promote and nurture intellectual strength and cater to our needs of defence technology and management. It will be of international level and will be ready by 2018-19, he said.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Defence Jitendra Singh and the three Services chiefs were present on the occasion.