indiatech
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This blunt speaking son of the soil dares to point out the mistakes commited by the Govt in the past decades and challenges the govt policies eventhough he is apparently the next candidate to be the Chief of the Air staff. He has already started his job
IAF Vice Chief, Air Marshall Pranab Kumar Barbora, who is setting the bar for plain-speaking by senior military officers
by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 20th Nov 09
Private sector companies engaged in aerospace manufacture and R&D now have an influential new supporter: The Indian Air Force (IAF). In New Delhi today, the IAFs vice chief, Air Marshall Pranab Kumar Barbora forcefully called for government policy changes to encourage the private sector in aerospace production, to kickstart a sector that has long been dominated by public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Industry bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have pushed these measures earlier. But the military has so far toed the Ministry of Defence (MoD) line, which automatically grants Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) like HAL a predominant position, effectively confining private companies to the ancillary supply of aircraft sub-systems.
But Air Marshall Barbora, a blunt-speaking MiG-21 veteran with a reputation for plain speaking on controversial matters, contrasted the private sectors success in modernising more than 50 airbases, with HALs dismal export performance.
Pointing out that even Pakistan had more defence exports than India, the IAF vice chief said, I visited HAL a few days back. They are proud that they are making parts for Airbus. But a few days back, China produced the whole Airbus. We are happy producing a door here and something else there.
Air Marshall Barbora listed out policy changes that the government urgently needed to implement to energise the private sector. These included:
Government must fund R&D and manufacture by private companies, like it has done for the DPSUs. They (private sector) have to be part of the new structure. If you dont give them finance, they wont come up.
Assuring firm orders (or Minimum Order Quantity) to private companies, which will allow them to recover the money they spend in developing a product. If they know they have to produce 1,000 of this, they will be willing to invest.
Removing government curbs on defence exports by the private sector, to allow them to recover investment costs. Our own [defence] requirements are miniscule. If you dont allow private companies to export, he will say, you look after yourself, Ill look after myself.
Addressing the CVC syndrome, in which anyone can file an FIR and everything comes on hold. The IAF deputy declared that procurement processes must go on without disruptions by motivated allegations of corruption.
Increase the Foreign Direct Investment limit, which is currently 26 per cent. We have taken steps, but they are not bold enough. We have to be bolder, to invite more investment.
The IAF deputy also slammed political parties for criticising and scanning defence contracts signed by the previous government, each time power changed hands. Air Marshall Barbora said, The government becomes the opposition and the opposition becomes the government and blocks everything. That impinges very badly on defence.
Pointing out that dependence on defence imports remained an Indian vulnerability, the IAF deputy slammed the US for placing sanctions on India after the Pokhran nuclear tests. Holding France up as a model to follow, Air Marshall Barbora said, France said that, by so and so year, we will go fully indigenous. And they did that. [After that] France blasted all the nuclear devices that they wanted in the Pacific Ocean and nobody could do anything, because they had indigenised [defence production].
According to a CII-Ernst and Young report, India has over 6,000 SMEs supplying DPSUs, Ordnance Factories, DRDO and the armed forces with 2025 per cent of their total requirement of components and sub-assemblies. In addition, there are almost a hundred large private companies involved in defence manufacture.
These recommendations were made at a seminar on Energising Indian Aerospace Industry in New Delhi.
IAF Recommendations:
* Fund R&D and manufacture by private sector
* Assured orders to recover investments
* Remove curbs on defence exports
* Minimise disruption of procurement
* Increase FDI limits from 26%
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About PK Barbora , IAF Vice Chief
Air Marshal PK Barbora, Vayu Sena Medal,an assamese was born in December 1950 in Shillong and commissioned as a fighter pilot in June 1970. He is a very experienced flier and has flown over 3500 hours. He took part in the 1971 war.
He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader and has been on the Staff of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment. He has also served two tenures in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection at Air Headquarters. He is a graduate of College of Combat, Mhow (Higher Command).
During his service career he has had the distinction of being part of the team during formation of the first Jaguar Squadron of the IAF and also inducting the Air Combat Simulator into the IAF, the first of its kind in Asia. He has held many operational assignments, such as Commanding Officer of a MiG-21 Squadron and Air combat Simulator Unit, Chief Operations Officer of a fighter Wing. He has served as Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter Station. He has held the appointment of Air Attaché at the Embassy of India, Moscow and Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Perspective Plans and Force Structure) in HQ Integrated Defence Staff and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) at Air Headquarters (RK Puram). The Air Officer was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal on 07 Sep 05 and assigned the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command, IAF. With effect from 02 Apr 07 the Air Marshal, who is the first personality from the Defence Services hailing from the North East, was promoted and posted to the prestigious appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command. The Air Officer has assumed the command of Western Air Command on 01st January 2008.
He is married and has two children. His hobbies include music and reading. He is also a keen golfer.
Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora PVSM VM ADC assumed charge as the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) at Air Headquarters on 2009-06-02. He was formerly the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of IAFs Western Air Command (WAC) and Eastern Air Command (EAC).
A dynamic personality whose belief in fighting as a team, led to increased interaction between WAC and the other Army Commands of Northern, Western and South Western Commands resulting in the successful culmination of some flag-bearer joint exercises - Achook Waar, Udaan Prahaar and Hind Shakti. The command continues to provide air support to Army units deployed in the glacier region.
Among other accomplishments achieved during his tenure as the Chief of IAFs largest operational command include the reactivation of Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airfield after over four decades of closure and that of the Fuk Che Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). The Su-30 MKIs also operated from Leh unarguably the highest airbase in the world during his tenure.
Under his command, WAC achieved very high aircraft utilization rates even as night operations by the fighter and transport aircraft increased substantially. Strikingly, the operational command that accounts for nearly thirty-five percent of IAFs flying task recorded zero flying accident rate at the end of the last fiscal year an achievement unheralded before.
Air Marshal Barbora was born on December 10, 1950 in Shillong and was commissioned into the IAF as a Fighter Pilot on June 13, 1970. A highly experienced aviator with over 3500 hours to his credit, he took part in the 1971 war.
A qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader, he has been on the staff of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment - a premiere flying establishment of the IAF. He twice served in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) at Air Headquarters. He is a graduate of the College of Combat, Mhow where he completed his higher command course.
He was a member of the IAF team that inducted the first Jaguar Squadron and also the IAFs maiden Air Combat Simulator - the first of its kind in Asia. Among his several operational assignments include Command of a MiG-21 squadron, Chief Operations Officer of a fighter airbase and Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter airbase under Eastern Air Command.
He has been Air Attaché at the Embassy of India, Moscow and Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Perspective Plans and Force Structure) in HQ Integrated Defence Staff besides holding the appointment of Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) at Air Headquarters. He served tenure as Senior Air Staff Officer, EAC before he took charge as the AOC-in-C for the first time. He subsequently became the AOC-in-C of WAC.
He is the first personality hailing from the North East to reach such a coveted high post in the Armed Forces. Air Marshal Barbora is a recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VM). He is also one of the Honorary Aides-de-Camp (ADC) to the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of India.
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IAF Vice Chief, Air Marshall Pranab Kumar Barbora, who is setting the bar for plain-speaking by senior military officers
by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 20th Nov 09
Private sector companies engaged in aerospace manufacture and R&D now have an influential new supporter: The Indian Air Force (IAF). In New Delhi today, the IAFs vice chief, Air Marshall Pranab Kumar Barbora forcefully called for government policy changes to encourage the private sector in aerospace production, to kickstart a sector that has long been dominated by public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
Industry bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have pushed these measures earlier. But the military has so far toed the Ministry of Defence (MoD) line, which automatically grants Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) like HAL a predominant position, effectively confining private companies to the ancillary supply of aircraft sub-systems.
But Air Marshall Barbora, a blunt-speaking MiG-21 veteran with a reputation for plain speaking on controversial matters, contrasted the private sectors success in modernising more than 50 airbases, with HALs dismal export performance.
Pointing out that even Pakistan had more defence exports than India, the IAF vice chief said, I visited HAL a few days back. They are proud that they are making parts for Airbus. But a few days back, China produced the whole Airbus. We are happy producing a door here and something else there.
Air Marshall Barbora listed out policy changes that the government urgently needed to implement to energise the private sector. These included:
Government must fund R&D and manufacture by private companies, like it has done for the DPSUs. They (private sector) have to be part of the new structure. If you dont give them finance, they wont come up.
Assuring firm orders (or Minimum Order Quantity) to private companies, which will allow them to recover the money they spend in developing a product. If they know they have to produce 1,000 of this, they will be willing to invest.
Removing government curbs on defence exports by the private sector, to allow them to recover investment costs. Our own [defence] requirements are miniscule. If you dont allow private companies to export, he will say, you look after yourself, Ill look after myself.
Addressing the CVC syndrome, in which anyone can file an FIR and everything comes on hold. The IAF deputy declared that procurement processes must go on without disruptions by motivated allegations of corruption.
Increase the Foreign Direct Investment limit, which is currently 26 per cent. We have taken steps, but they are not bold enough. We have to be bolder, to invite more investment.
The IAF deputy also slammed political parties for criticising and scanning defence contracts signed by the previous government, each time power changed hands. Air Marshall Barbora said, The government becomes the opposition and the opposition becomes the government and blocks everything. That impinges very badly on defence.
Pointing out that dependence on defence imports remained an Indian vulnerability, the IAF deputy slammed the US for placing sanctions on India after the Pokhran nuclear tests. Holding France up as a model to follow, Air Marshall Barbora said, France said that, by so and so year, we will go fully indigenous. And they did that. [After that] France blasted all the nuclear devices that they wanted in the Pacific Ocean and nobody could do anything, because they had indigenised [defence production].
According to a CII-Ernst and Young report, India has over 6,000 SMEs supplying DPSUs, Ordnance Factories, DRDO and the armed forces with 2025 per cent of their total requirement of components and sub-assemblies. In addition, there are almost a hundred large private companies involved in defence manufacture.
These recommendations were made at a seminar on Energising Indian Aerospace Industry in New Delhi.
IAF Recommendations:
* Fund R&D and manufacture by private sector
* Assured orders to recover investments
* Remove curbs on defence exports
* Minimise disruption of procurement
* Increase FDI limits from 26%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
About PK Barbora , IAF Vice Chief
Air Marshal PK Barbora, Vayu Sena Medal,an assamese was born in December 1950 in Shillong and commissioned as a fighter pilot in June 1970. He is a very experienced flier and has flown over 3500 hours. He took part in the 1971 war.
He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader and has been on the Staff of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment. He has also served two tenures in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection at Air Headquarters. He is a graduate of College of Combat, Mhow (Higher Command).
During his service career he has had the distinction of being part of the team during formation of the first Jaguar Squadron of the IAF and also inducting the Air Combat Simulator into the IAF, the first of its kind in Asia. He has held many operational assignments, such as Commanding Officer of a MiG-21 Squadron and Air combat Simulator Unit, Chief Operations Officer of a fighter Wing. He has served as Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter Station. He has held the appointment of Air Attaché at the Embassy of India, Moscow and Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Perspective Plans and Force Structure) in HQ Integrated Defence Staff and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) at Air Headquarters (RK Puram). The Air Officer was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal on 07 Sep 05 and assigned the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command, IAF. With effect from 02 Apr 07 the Air Marshal, who is the first personality from the Defence Services hailing from the North East, was promoted and posted to the prestigious appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command. The Air Officer has assumed the command of Western Air Command on 01st January 2008.
He is married and has two children. His hobbies include music and reading. He is also a keen golfer.
Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora PVSM VM ADC assumed charge as the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) at Air Headquarters on 2009-06-02. He was formerly the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of IAFs Western Air Command (WAC) and Eastern Air Command (EAC).
A dynamic personality whose belief in fighting as a team, led to increased interaction between WAC and the other Army Commands of Northern, Western and South Western Commands resulting in the successful culmination of some flag-bearer joint exercises - Achook Waar, Udaan Prahaar and Hind Shakti. The command continues to provide air support to Army units deployed in the glacier region.
Among other accomplishments achieved during his tenure as the Chief of IAFs largest operational command include the reactivation of Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airfield after over four decades of closure and that of the Fuk Che Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). The Su-30 MKIs also operated from Leh unarguably the highest airbase in the world during his tenure.
Under his command, WAC achieved very high aircraft utilization rates even as night operations by the fighter and transport aircraft increased substantially. Strikingly, the operational command that accounts for nearly thirty-five percent of IAFs flying task recorded zero flying accident rate at the end of the last fiscal year an achievement unheralded before.
Air Marshal Barbora was born on December 10, 1950 in Shillong and was commissioned into the IAF as a Fighter Pilot on June 13, 1970. A highly experienced aviator with over 3500 hours to his credit, he took part in the 1971 war.
A qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader, he has been on the staff of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment - a premiere flying establishment of the IAF. He twice served in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI) at Air Headquarters. He is a graduate of the College of Combat, Mhow where he completed his higher command course.
He was a member of the IAF team that inducted the first Jaguar Squadron and also the IAFs maiden Air Combat Simulator - the first of its kind in Asia. Among his several operational assignments include Command of a MiG-21 squadron, Chief Operations Officer of a fighter airbase and Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter airbase under Eastern Air Command.
He has been Air Attaché at the Embassy of India, Moscow and Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Perspective Plans and Force Structure) in HQ Integrated Defence Staff besides holding the appointment of Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) at Air Headquarters. He served tenure as Senior Air Staff Officer, EAC before he took charge as the AOC-in-C for the first time. He subsequently became the AOC-in-C of WAC.
He is the first personality hailing from the North East to reach such a coveted high post in the Armed Forces. Air Marshal Barbora is a recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VM). He is also one of the Honorary Aides-de-Camp (ADC) to the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of India.
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