Will any country buy defence equipment at DefExpo? Asks Brig Sawant
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 29 March 2016 18:40 IST
Brigadier Sudhir Sawant, convenor of Samvidhan Morcha, has dubbed Defence Expo as sheer waste of money as no country or even India would buy any defence equipment in such exhibitions.
He has also alleged that ‘Make in India’ in defence is pure hoax since the Government of India is not spending even 10% of defence budget on research and development.
On the contrary, former Congress MP from Konkan region of Maharashtra has blamed both the erstwhile Congress governments as well as today’s BJP government of playing at the hands of USA for not spending on defence R&D.
“The defence ministry has already prepared a roadmap on what defence equipment to purchase for the next 25 years. What is this Defence Expo then for?”, asks the former army officer.
According to him, no country displays its new defence equipment in any exhibition, thus no country would benefit from such mega events by spending crores of rupees.
Sawant, even after retiring from defence forces, had gone back to fight the Kargil war.
However, he alleged that then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee did not allow Indian Army to cross the Line of Control and did not utilise the Air Force in the war at the directives of the USA, the major arms dealers in the world.
Thousands of soldiers have died for this country while our governments have danced at the tunes of the arms super powers without bothering about their sacrifice, said Brig Sawant.
“Both the Congress and the BJP are running such shows but actually work at the mercy of the major arm-makers like the USA”, he alleged.
He also flayed the BJP government policy of allowing 49% Foreign Director Investment in manufacturing defence equipment, stating that no country in the world takes such kind of security risk.
“USA and China are the biggest arms dealers in the World today. Show me if they allow any foreign person even entering their defence manufacturing establishments”, said Sawant.
According to him, India should spend more on R&D and start exporting arms rather than playing at the hands of defence super powers like the USA.
“India should be the defence super power in the world. We have the capacity, like how China has”, he said.
He also strongly opposed making Goa a permanent centre of DefExpo, stating that the tourist state is today threatened by Drugs Mafia, who are spreading terror.
Forget Goa, India should simply stop this useless defence extravaganza since only governments buy defence equipment and no country buys such equipment in exhibitions, observed Brig Sawant.
I have some dandas and bamboo sticks can I display it at defence expo QUESTION TO IITN stupid fool and his puppy CM.
this bamboo sticks are good..I am asking because no country will show its best stuff in this junk yard,.Consider this as a junk yard for old equipment.
Hey how about displaying BOFORS equipment.and last but not the least how about displaying the chaadi gang (RSS)dress code AND their tools that they use for marching..All the countries who participated will love some clowns and their dress code as they would need some entertainment.