IAF concerned over delays in product delivery
Private and public sector defence industry should work as partners, and look towards export of equipment, says IAF chief marshal
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on September said the delays in delivery of products by the indigenous firms was a cause of concern for it and efforts should be made to cut down “time and cost overruns".
Addressing a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) seminar on aerospace, IAF vice chief air marshal R.K. Sharma said the private and public sector defence industry should work as partners and look towards exporting their equipment to friendly foreign countries for enhancing their commercial viability.
“Product delivery of public sector suffers from severe time slippage. The IAF is most concerned over the time and cost overruns," he said, while noting that this was happening mostly in the case of indigenous public sector firms.
His statement comes at a time when several IAF projects such as the light combat aircraft, airborne early warning and control systems and Akash missile have been delayed.
The IAF vice chief also urged the private sector industry to invest more in research and development for making itself globally competitive. At the seminar, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chief R.K. Tyagi suggested formation of Indian Aeronautics Commission where various organizations and institutes currently functioning under different ministries can be put under one umbrella.
“This will ensure greater cohesion, synergy, understanding and speeding-up if decision-making in aerospace- related activities," he said.
Tyagi said the new government’s initiatives such as increasing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in defence sector to 49%, and the re-allocation of civil aircraft manufacturing to the department of defence production will help the aerospace sector to grow.
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