Contradicting Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh, DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat on Saturday said Tatra trucks were “outstanding” and there was nothing substandard about the vehicles used as base for launching all important missiles like Prithvi and Agni.
“Tatra truck is an outstanding truck... They have a very good cross country capability and can move at good speeds,” Mr. Saraswat said at a press conference at Defence Expo here.
He was responding when asked about the performance of Tatra trucks in view of the Army Chief’s contention that these vehicles were substandard.
Noting that the launchers of all important missiles like the Prithvi and Agni are based on these trucks, the DRDO chief said the performance of these vehicles “has been good in armed forces and we have no complaints about it.”
Mr. Saraswat said “we will have more of them” if there was any further requirement of these trucks. However, if the government gives direction against using them, the premier research organization will stop doing so.
Asked to comment on the perceived tussle between Defence Minister A.K. Antony and the Army Chief, he said both were good people and should handle their differences, if any, with more caution.
“The harmony within the Defence Ministry with respect to our functioning and image is very important. I give my advise on technical issues but as a citizen of this country, I would say that I have known both the Defence Minister and the Army Chief and both of them are very good people.
“If they have any differences, they should be handled with most cautious approach,” he added.
Even if Tatra trucks are reasonably good,it does not mean that trucks purchased at around 35-40 lacs can be sold to Army at 3 times of original price.The Profit is mainly made by middle-men & commission agents acting on behalf of Powerful politicians.This has been going on for last 16-18 years & 7000 trucks sold means a staggering loss to the exchequer.Also, transfer of technology has deliberately not been done, with ulterior motives[This scam would have to stop].The desperation of these people can be imagined-The Army chief himself was not getting corrupted & these people along with IAS babus started harassing,bypassing,humiliating the Army chief.The DRDO is a massive hydra-headed monster sucking Thousands & thousands of Crores every year in name of Research & development,Unnecessary appointments etc but making only second hand/overpriced products mostly of low quality & making lots of dishonest publicity.DRDO has stonewalled all attempts at transparency & publishing of a White paper!
One of the main points is that even after 25 years we have been able to indigenise only 60% wasting valuable foreign exchange.
The Tatra truck may work very well in the Thar desert, but are we expecting the next war there? We expect it in Kashmir, or along the China border - in high altitude - where the ural truck is definitely better. So, while both the Army Chief and the DRDO chief may be right, the army chief is right in considering a better truck for high altitudes.
Bofors Guns were also fine but that does not justifying buying it at 2.5 times the intrinsic worth of it. After all it is paid by public exchequer. The difference between the actual price and the price at which it is procured by MoD goes in to the burrows of corruption that is guarded by the politicians and bureaucrats just as their life would depend on it. I remember a famous sentence from the old tamil film 'uthamaputhiran' by the veteran actor P.S. Veerappa that would aptly describe the current situation in the hands of incorrigible, power and greed driven politicians, babus and their cohorts in uniform. "Indha naadum naatu makkalum naasamai pogattum"- Rough translation - ( Let this country and people be devoid of any good thing).
The issue with these Tatra trucks is not the quality of the trucks, but the corruption in pricing that gives the middlemen and corrupt politicians a large amount of illegal money.It is the defense procurement process that is corrupt and it the corrupt defense procurement process that is at the bottom of all defense contracts.
It is time to make the procurement process more transparent and accountable.
The DRDO chief's saying that there was nothing SUB-STANDARD so far as the performance of TATRA vehicles doesn't seem cut much ice.The usage of the trucks as per DRDO's chief,merely confines to using TATRA vehicles as base for launching of all important missiles like PRITHVI and AGNI.Whereas in the case of military,the personnel more often ply these vehicles on the rugged terrains where only standard vehicles could survive and serve the purpose.Hence,the Army chief's assertion may not be far from truth as far as the standard of the TATRA vehicles is concerned
Tatra trucks have a long history of exemplary service to different
armies around the world. If they were substandard, does the army chief
's nephew male some cut-price trucks he would suggest as alternatives?
The standards required for army can only be set by army chief. Those trucks good for DRDO may not necessarily suit for the needs of army. It is unfortunate situation that the bureaucracy is non-cooperative with army since a long time at the cost of country's defense and lives of soldiers.
It is in the hands of DRDO to reduce and eventually eliminate all defence imports. They should churn out world class defence products not only for our armed forces but also make them most sought after arms by other nations. When China can achieve this, why not India.
Please do go ahead and order more of the fine trucks for the army but somebody should ensure that the army is getting them at competitive prices and that our corrupt to boot polticians and the brokers / middlemen are not pocketing outlandish commissions and bribes and milking our exchequer dry
Tatra truck is an outstanding truck... They have a very good cross country capability and can move at good speeds,” Mr. Saraswat said at a press conference at Defence Expo here.
Dear Mr Saraswat if all things are good then why offered bribe to Mr. Gen. and being and class one India,s top most and power ful person false blame to any one is a question to tackle or find the truth behind the controvercy.
It is strange that after 25 years of use and a total of 7000 vehicles
there is still controversy over the performance of Trata trucks. If
they are substandard, how many complaints has the army lodged? We
have to clearly differentiate between the quality of a product and
the high price and corrupt way of acqusition, if any.
Please Email the Editor