Artillery gun purchase stalled again

[CONNAN]

New Delhi, July 13
http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=658704&category=Security&Country=INDIA

The much delayed purchase of crucial artillery guns, which will replace the existing lot of around 20-year-old Bofors guns in the Indian Army’s arsenal, has been stalled yet again.

This is the fifth time since 2002 that the process has hit a roadblock due one reason or the other, seriously impinging upon the Army’s capability to fire at the enemy.

The latest hurdle is on the ground that only one bidder was remaining in the race and the Ministry of Defence does not allow purchases in case there is only one vendor selling the equipment.

Sources in the Army confirmed today that the scheduled trials of the 155-mm guns had been stopped.

The Army has reportedly informed the Ministry of Defence and asked it to find a way out as the artillery guns are needed immediately.

Sources said in case the ministry saw an exigency, it could opt to buy the guns directly through the foreign military sales route.

BaE-Mahindra and the Singapore technologies-Punj Lloyd were in the race to supply around 1,580 guns. Sources in the Army said one of the conditions was to ensure that the guns could also fire the ammunition produced in India. Singapore technologies wanted some more time to re-calibrate its gun to adapt to the Indian ammunition, sources added. On the other hand, as the BaE guns owed their parentage to Bofors, there was no problem with those guns on that count, they added.

Separately, sources pointed out that the CBI, in a communiqué last week, to the Ministry of Defence, had sought that Singapore Technologies Kinetics and three other foreign firms should be blacklisted. The ministry would go by the CBI advice, sources said. This was another factor behind stalling the trials of the guns, they added.

At the start of June, Defence Ministry sources had indicated that 155-mm gun would be purchased immediately.

 

[Spitfighter]

Excellent work by the MoD and the armed forces. I expected nothing better of them, who needs enemies when these dumb bastards are more than happy to shoot themselves in the foot? Its only been 22 years, lets wait another century.

F......g Chu...s.

 

[CONNAN]

Probe stalls upgrade, Army to get new guns - Indian Express

The Indian Army is set to order new artillery guns worth approximately Rs 1,000 crore as plans to upgrade existing guns have been stalled after a probe was initiated against the Israeli firm Soltam which had been awarded the contract.

The Army has issued a Request for Information, which will be followed by formal global tenders, to acquire new 155 mm/42 calibre towed guns to fill vital gaps in its artillery arsenal. The Army is planning to acquire close to 400 guns at the earliest.

A contract for upgrading the older generation M46 guns to modern 155 mm/45 calibre standards had been signed with Soltam earlier. Soltam is partially owned by arms agent Sudhir Choudhary, wanted by the CBI in several arms procurement cases.

While Soltam has already upgraded 180 Russian M46 guns, further orders have been stalled, forcing the Army to place orders for new guns.

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The Army’s artillery modernisation programme, which is years behind schedule with scandals hitting most defence vendors like Bofors, Denel and lately Singapore Technologies, envisages a force of more than 500 of the 155mm/45 cal towed guns. While the Army has not received even a single new gun in the past two decades since the Bofors scandal, there is a line of thought that the stringent requirements laid out for new guns has come in the way of purchases.

As a result, all tenders floated by the Army in recent years to acquire new guns have come to a naught.

 

[ejaz007]

Indian Army’s artillery guns purchase stalled for fifth time

NEW DELHI: Despite the Indian Army's depleted capability of artillery with nothing except 20-year-old Bofors guns in its arsenal to fight an enemy, the Rs 15,000-crore purchase of the towed long-range heavy artillery guns has been stalled yet again for the fifth time since 2002.

The field trials that were to take place this month have been called off as only one bidder was left after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asked the Defence Ministry last week to blacklist the only competitor, Singapore Technologies Kinetics, and three other foreign companies.

Once tested, the guns were to undergo final trials in the Pokhran range in Rajasthan in peak summer and near Kargil in peak winter.

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony was quick to stop the trials, as the lone bidder left was no one else but the new avatar of the Swedish gun maker, Bofors.

He obviously dreads to touch Bofors even with a barge pole as it haunts the party men with memories of how the kickbacks of Rs 640 million allegedly paid by the Swedish firm in the deal during late Rajiv Gandhi's regime brought down the Congress government.

The issue of the Bofors kickbacks apart, the Defence Ministry rules also do not permit purchases if there is only one vendor selling the equipment. BAE Land Systems that now owns the Swedish firm manufacturing the Bofors guns had tied up with Mahindra to bid for 1,580 howitzers of 155mm/52calibre.

The Singapore Technologies Kinetics that had tied with Indian firm Punj Lloyds had sought some more time to re-calibrate its gun to adapt to the Indian Army's condition that the guns should fire the ammunition produced in India, but it is now out of race after the CBI sought it to be blacklisted for alleged corrupt practices. iftikhar gilani

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Kinetic]

Now its becoming funny!!!

 

[d14gtc]

New Delhi, July 13
http://www.southasianmedia.net/cnn.cfm?id=658704&category=Security&Country=INDIA

The much delayed purchase of crucial artillery guns, which will replace the existing lot of around 20-year-old Bofors guns in the Indian Army’s arsenal, has been stalled yet again.

This is the fifth time since 2002 that the process has hit a roadblock due one reason or the other, seriously impinging upon the Army’s capability to fire at the enemy.

--------

The latest hurdle is on the ground that only one bidder was remaining in the race and the Ministry of Defence does not allow purchases in case there is only one vendor selling the equipment.

Sources in the Army confirmed today that the scheduled trials of the 155-mm guns had been stopped.

The Army has reportedly informed the Ministry of Defence and asked it to find a way out as the artillery guns are needed immediately.

Sources said in case the ministry saw an exigency, it could opt to buy the guns directly through the foreign military sales route.

BaE-Mahindra and the Singapore technologies-Punj Lloyd were in the race to supply around 1,580 guns. Sources in the Army said one of the conditions was to ensure that the guns could also fire the ammunition produced in India. Singapore technologies wanted some more time to re-calibrate its gun to adapt to the Indian ammunition, sources added. On the other hand, as the BaE guns owed their parentage to Bofors, there was no problem with those guns on that count, they added.

Separately, sources pointed out that the CBI, in a communiqué last week, to the Ministry of Defence, had sought that Singapore Technologies Kinetics and three other foreign firms should be blacklisted. The ministry would go by the CBI advice, sources said. This was another factor behind stalling the trials of the guns, they added.

At the start of June, Defence Ministry sources had indicated that 155-mm gun would be purchased immediately.

-------- Wat Else Cudne1 Expect frm these.........

 

[Kinetic]

-------- Wat Else Cudne1 Expect frm these.........

Wanna stop any IA purchase? Just make some sound that that firm violated rules or kickbacks or the system doesn't work!!! With in days the tender will be canceled and proceeded by a CBI inquiry. So another 7/8 years gone. New RFI? New allegations.

But they will never rectify the bureaucracy itself.

 

[Dash]

God knows whats happening.....Whats the new Army chief doing????....
Looks like he is following the foot prints of his ancestors..?

 

[jha]

Every thing points to just one direction..FMS again..and it will take not less than another 2-3 years...

 

[chachachoudhary]

This is getting out of control now. PM must intervene, but PM.........leave it.

 

[Break the Silence]

The bribery was less..... for these MoD f****rs!!!

 

[!!craft!!]

WELL WE WILL SO F#$%KED IF CHINA OR PAKISTAN WOULD DECLEAR WAR!!!!

 

[IndianArmy]

WELL WE WILL SO F#$%KED IF CHINA OR PAKISTAN WOULD DECLEAR WAR!!!!

Do you know what you just said????????????????????

 

[Lord Snow]

why r there tenders for bloody artillery guns??? why cant we just buy them like we did the t-90 tanks from russia.....no tenders, no trials - just went up to them and told them to deliver the bloody things (and give tot )

 

[Dash]

Do you know what you just said????????????????????

Sir -

your openion is needed here. how do you think this will impact our prepardness?