Military Acquisitions and Delays
This is the right time to do away with the most dreaded military acquisition process built by fools like AK Anthony. These complicated procedure did not help the military. The only help it came about was that it slowed the acquisition to a slow crawl. The only people benefitted were the babus who one way or other treated urgent acquisitions to a routine.
First, the Army’s specification process need a major modification. They write the most complicated specifications for the item which does not exist. When enquiries are floated based on these specifications, nobody bids as item like this does not exit. Hence delay as specifications are modified.
Second, the Babus in the defence ministry take their time sending first the queries then ask for bids and then evaluate the bids for L1 (lowest). This is a long process of two years. Babus come and go and new one start a fresh.
Third, the military comes into picture after L1. They test it under worst scenario. If it is an Indian hardware then it is tested to the worst possible scenario (ATAGS is an example). It is a long drawn process of over two year or a longer. The military always prefer imports but the politician insist on local made. In this tussle of local or imports, years are lost.
Fourth, then the babus lead the negotiations. They pride themselves on getting tiny $50 reduction in a $50 million purchase and they call it themselves well done.
Fifth, when this is all done then politicians in cabinet committee get in the picture and ask the most difficult question. They often delay because funds have lapsed as item was budgeted years back and no money exists to place the order now. Hence another delay.
Finally, if all above is OK and approvals given then order is placed in about six months time delay of approval and placing order.
All the above is a bureaucratic process to prevent corruption but the people who are corrupt and wish to grab government money find ways to line their pockets one way or the other……
Hence, shame on AK Anthony and the whole process he built. Corruption never stopped. Hence what is the point of having such a complicated acquisition process.
Hence, dump it and simplify it.