Sunday, January 17, 2010

DTN News: India TODAY January 18, 2010 ~ India Is Spending US$80 Billion Purchase Military Hardware For Period Of 1999 To 2014

DTN News: India TODAY January 18, 2010 ~ India Is Spending US$80 Billion Purchase Military Hardware For Period Of 1999 To 2014 *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - January 18, 2010: Since the 1999 Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan based Islamic militants, India has purchased defense hardware worth over $50 billion. According to the Times of India, it is planning to spend another $30 billion in the next 4-5 years on fighters, warships, tanks, artillery, C4ISR and others.Quoting Indian MOD sources, the paper said India spent Rs 62,672 crore ($50 billion approx) on `direct capital acquisitions' in the 1999-2004 timeframe. The Indian MoD does not officially release figures of money spent on individual defense purchases. Foremost among forthcoming acquisition is the $6 billion deal for 126 fighter aircraft. Besides this artillery guns, command and control systems, C4iSR systems and many more are planned to be acquired. The Indian defense forces have voiced time and again that they need to match up to China in military preparedness besides keeping a watchful eye over Pakistan for which they need to enhance their deterrence capability substantially. Slow procurement in terms of time take to award contracts is considered a major handicap in reaching the optimum level of preparedness.

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