"Defence Deal Under Congress Was Saga Of Scandal": Think Tank CEO

Think Tank BlueKraft Digital Foundation's CEO, Akhilesh Mishra, said "The Modi government has fundamentally redefined Aatmnirbharta in defence acquisition," and added, "Defence deals under Congress were a saga of scandal".

He replied to BJP MP, Tejasvi Surya's X post, who shared pictures from his sortie in Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), a trainer aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and had called it a "symbol of the journey from the Congress-led UPA's scandal to PM Modi's self-reliance." 

Replying to Mr Surya's post, the BlueKraft CEO said, "There is a story here in this tweet apart from the pictures. Story of how every defence deal under Congress was a saga of scandal and loot. And how the Modi government has fundamentally redefined Aatmnirbharta in defence acquisition."

There is a story here in this tweet apart from the pics.

Story of how EVERY defence deal under Congress was a saga of scandal and loot.

And how Modi government has fundamentally redefined Aatmnirbharta in defence acquisition.

HTT 40: Success of HAL. Commitment of PM Modi. https://t.co/rysRUmj9hM

— Akhilesh Mishra (@amishra77) February 13, 2025

Wearing a sand-coloured jumpsuit, and holding a pilot helmet, the BJP MP stood on the wing of the aircraft and posed for a picture with the test pilot of the HAL.

He shared pictures on his X handle and called it an "incredible experience". "This aircraft is a testament to India's engineering excellence and a shining example of how, with the right policy and support, our scientists and engineers can achieve anything."

HAL's HTT 40 : a symbol of India's journey from UPA's Scandal to Modi's Self Reliance.

Today, I had the opportunity to fly in the HAL-manufactured indigenous Basic Trainer Aircraft HTT-40.

This aircraft has seen the light of day only because of the relentless efforts of PM… pic.twitter.com/FRLRCs8bXZ

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) February 13, 2025

He said, "The HTT-40 represents India's journey from scam to self-reliance, from foreign dependency to Atmanirbharta." "This aircraft has seen the light of day only because of the relentless efforts of PM Modi and Late Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parikkar," he added.

Mr Surya said in 2012, under the UPA government, India procured Swiss Pilatus trainer aircraft through a Rs 3,000 crore deal.

"Pilatus allegedly paid bribes using middlemen and offshore accounts-violating Indian law. The CBI later registered an FIR, and Pilatus was blacklisted in 2019. This decision not only compromised India's indigenous capability but also led to the misuse of taxpayer money and middlemen thrived at the cost of national security," he said.

The HTT-40, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force (IAF), is a fully aerobatic aircraft, powered by a four-bladed turbo-prop engine, equipped with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit and the latest safety features, including a zero-zero ejection seat.