Rafale: A New Feather in Air Force's Wings?
By agreeing to purchase 36 Rafale jets in a fly-away condition from France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signaled the end of an era of indecision and dilly-dallying that bogged down the defence preparedness of our armed forces. For almost three decades, India did not purchase artillery guns - lest the stigma and the ensuing taint of the scandal caught up with them. According to an incriminating report by the Parliamentary Committee on Defence our soldiers lack necessary equipment - boots, night-vision devices. To cite few examples, India's indigenous programme on Scorpene submarine is way behind its scheduled time and the Tejas fighters are yet to get the final operational clearance, which are so vital to replace the ageing MiG-21. So is this the beginning of a new era of direct purchase? Will the new urgency be a welcome change and cut through the draconian red-tapism and political indecision? How can our defence purchases be made easier?
