English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

CAG questions anti-submarine aircraft deal with Boeing under UPA

Published

on

CAG questions anti-submarine aircraft deal with Boeing under UPA

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday, August 7, pulled up the then UPA government for a USD 2.1 billion deal in 2009 for procurement of Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMRASW) aircraft from Boeing of the US.

The CAG said a bid from a Spanish company was inflated to make a rival US-made anti-submarine aircraft look cheaper, and favour the American defence major over rival bidder EADS CASA of Spain for procuring a fleet of P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

In its report tabled in Parliament, the CAG said the defence ministry enhanced the financial bid of Spanish aerospace firm to provide for a 20 year “product support” cost on assumption that Boeing’s offer had similar provision.

Boeing, at a later stage, offered the aircraft maintenance support under a separate negotiable contract, the auditor said, while terming as incorrect the conclusion that the American company was the lowest bidder (L1).

It said enhancing the financial bid of the Spanish company by including its product support cost resulted in pushing it to L-2 status (second lowest bidder).

As per the report, the contract was concluded with Boeing in January 2009 at USD 2.1 billion (about Rs 14,500 crore at the current exchange rate).

“The Ministry while concluding the contract for the acquisition of LRMRASW aircraft enhanced the financial bid of EADS CASA, Spain, to cater for 20 years’ product support cost, while ignoring this element in respect of Boeing. At a later date, Boeing, USA, offered product support under a separate contract and consequently the deduced ranking of Boeing as L-1 turned out to be incorrect,” the CAG said in the report.

Further, the critical role equipment offered by Boeing did not fully meet the needs of the Indian Navy, the report said. “Owing to capability limitations of radars installed on board, the aircraft is not able to achieve the envisaged coverage area requirements.”

The national auditor said the defence ministry had set the offset obligation by Boeing at USD 641 million (Rs 3,127.43 crore).

For Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), the Naval Staff Quality Requirements (NSQR) had envisaged procurement of torpedoes and certain bombs as the ammunition. However, the contract for procurement of the bombs had not yet been concluded, the CAG observed.

The reasons for non-procurement of the bombs were yet to be intimated by the Navy as on September 2017.

Offset obligations to the tune of $640.26 million to be fulfilled by Boeing within seven years [August 2016] had not been fulfilled till date. “Boeing had claimed offset credits on mere placement of purchase orders, defeating the very purpose of offset obligations,” CAG said.

Under India’s offset policy, foreign defence entities are mandated to spend at least 30 per cent of the total contract value in India through procurement of components or setting up of research and development facilities.

The 2009 deal was for eight P-8I (Poseidon Eight India) aircraft. The first aircraft came to India in May 2013 and all the eight aircraft have been fully integrated into Indian Navy’s operations.

The P-8I aircraft is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft that Boeing developed as a replacement for the US Navy’s ageing P-3 fleet.

Indian Navy became the first international customer for the aircraft which is equipped for long range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and surveillance. The CAG also criticised delays in procuring bombs as part of the weapons for the aircraft.

India News

Delhi Elections: Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP delegation meets EC over voter deletion issue, submits proof

The former Deputy Chief Minister further claimed that a large number of applications have been made to delete voters’ names from the electoral rolls, including those of people who have been living in the same area for years.

Published

on

Delhi Elections: Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP delegation meets EC over voter deletion issue, submits proof

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party delegation on Wednesday met the Election Commission to present evidence on the alleged deletion of voters’ names in the electoral rolls ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.

Speaking to the media, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that  today they met the Election Commission and submitted before them 3000-page evidence on how BJP is conspiring to cut votes of people of the national capital. He added that votes of the poor, SC and Dalits are being cut. 

The former Delhi Chief Minister stated that they told EC how a BJP member did the work of cutting the votes of 11,000 people in the Shahdara area. He mentioned that they have requested the EC to stop this mass deletion of names before elections and FIRs be registered against those who have applied mass deletion of names. The Election Commission has said that no mass deletions will be done before elections, he continued.

Arvind Kejriwal also mentioned that in cases of voter deletions, a field inquiry will be carried out by the Booth Level Officer (BLO), accompanied by representatives from various political parties.

Earlier on Wednesday, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia at a press conference alleged that the BJP had submitted a large number of applications for the deletion of voters names from the electoral rolls.

The Senior AAP leader said that when it has become impossible for the BJP to defeat AAP in Delhi, and when it has become impossible to stop Arvind Kejriwal, they are trying to defeat AAP by cutting votes. 

The former Deputy Chief Minister further claimed that a large number of applications have been made to delete voters’ names from the electoral rolls, including those of people who have been living in the same area for years.

The AAP,  which is aiming for a third consecutive term, has accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate the voter rolls to influence the elections.

Continue Reading

India News

No-confidence motion: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar a government spokesperson

The Congress Chief explained that the INDIA bloc was compelled to bring the no-confidence resolution due to the prevailing circumstances.

Published

on

Mallikarjun-Kharge-Jagdeep-Dhankar-Rajya-Sabha

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday launched a scathing attack at Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, calling him the biggest government spokesperson. The Congress President said that the biggest reason for disruptions in the Rajya Sabha is the Chairman itself. 

Recently, the INDIA alliance has submitted a notice to bring a motion in Rajya Sabha for the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. Speaking about the opposition parties’ motion, Mallikarjun Kharge pointed out that no resolution had been brought to remove the Vice President since 1952 as the person occupying the post were unbiased and beyond politics and always ran the House as per the rules. However, today, there is more politics than rules in the House, he continued.

He further claimed that the Rajya Sabha Chairman does schooling like a headmaster.  He maintained that from the opposition side, whenever important issues are raised, as per rules the Chairman does not allow the House to have the discussion in a planned way. He mentioned that time and again opposition leaders are stopped from speaking.

Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Vice President Dhankhar’s fidelity was towards the ruling BJP instead of the Constitution and consitutional tradition.

He added that the Chairman is also working as a spokesperson of the government for his next promotion. He also asserted that he has no hesitation in saying that the biggest disruptor in Rajya Sabha is the Chairman himself.

He also claimed that the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s actions had damaged the dignity of the country. The Congress Chief explained that the INDIA bloc was compelled to bring the no-confidence resolution due to the prevailing circumstances.

He concluded that the Opposition have no personal enmity or political fight with him, but want to tell the countrymen that they have taken this step to safeguard democracy, the Constitution, and after giving it a lot of thought.

Continue Reading

India News

Rahul Gandhi meets Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla amid Parliament standoff, asks to expunge derogatory remark against him

BJP Lok Sabha MPs Nishikant Dubey and Sambit Patra on December 5 had riled up the Opposition Congress by alleging links between Rahul Gandhi and Hungarian.

Published

on

Rahul Gandhi meets Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla amid Parliament standoff, asks to expunge derogatory remark against him

Amid Parliament Standoff, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met Speaker Om Birla and urged him to expunge derogatory remarks made in the House against his family and the Congress. 

After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi told the reporters that the speaker said that he would look into the matter regarding derogatory comments. He added that the Opposition’s aim is that the House must run and discussion should happen in the House. The Congress leader remarked that no matter what the BJP says about him, they want to have a debate on December 13. He continued that the BJP will keep levelling allegations on them but the House must function.

BJP Lok Sabha MPs Nishikant Dubey and Sambit Patra on December 5 had riled up the Opposition Congress by alleging links between Rahul Gandhi and Hungarian.

A day after, while speaking in the House, Nishikant Dubey brought up Soros and the global investigative news network OCCRP (Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project).

The BJP leader remarked that the Congress has relations with OCCRP, which gets all its funds from the US government and George Soros. He further questioned if Rahul Gandhi took money from George Soros for the Bharat Jodo Yatra?”

The BJP MP’s statement had caused a high-voltage drama as Congress MPs stormed the Well of the House in protest. Later, the House was adjourned. Following, the Congress members demanded to know the status of their notices regarding breach of privileges against Dubey and Patra.

While responding to queries about BJP’s Patra calling Rahul Gandhi a traitor, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that those who can call Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi traitors, have no qualms about calling Rahul Gandhi one. 

Notably, the Winter Session of Parliament has been a washout so far after repeated disruptions on multiple issues. When the session commenced, Congress MPs demanded a discussion on the US Department of Justice indictment against the directors of Adani Green, which led to differences within the Opposition ranks because Congress allies like Trinamool Congress wanted the House to function and discuss issues such as price rise, Manipur unrest and unemployment.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com