The Cacophony is unwarranted. Most of it has been political. Whether CDS Anil Chauhan should have spoken to foreign media or in foreign soil - is one part of the debate.
India's opposition leaders do not have a platform. Their voices and even much controversial and even anti-India statements are only making temporary headlines and then these are rebuked.
So they are asking for a special Parliament Session.
Media is making noise ... more by the pretext that CDS should have spoken to one of them. The argument does not hold water.
On Air Force Chief Air Marshal A P Singh's remarks especially on procurement 'delays' at the CII summit was also hardly debated by the media to the intensity it is required.
Gen Anil Chauhan (CDS)
First let us examine a bit on the statement made by CDS Chauhan.
The so-called 'admission' by the chief of defence staff, General Anil Chauhan, that India lost combat jets during the military offensive against Pakistan does not really come as a surprise.
The forces at no point denied the downing of its military aircraft since the inception of the conflict. At the media briefing on May 11, Director General for Air Operations Air Marshal A K Bharti, responding to the same question, had stated that “losses are a part of combat".
He was very categorical that all IAF pilots returned home safely. So CDS is not contradicting Air Marshal Bharti.
One question is important. Did CDS Chauhan have the Modi Government's clearance to say what he said in Singapore ?
Apparently, he had the green signal.
That means what CDS said and earlier what Air Force Chief Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh said on 'delay' issues vis-a-vis supply of defence equipment from Govt-run PSUs had the government's approval.
Technically, the government can argue - the Operstion Sindoor is still on - it's only suspended. So men in uniform - top brass in the forces have full freedom to 'decide' what to say and where to say on information related to the operation.
That also means the Government wants the forces to speak out their mind so that all necessary corrective steps are taken.
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said, “Professional military forces are not affected by setbacks or losses".
“When I was asked about losses on our side, I said these are not important. The results and how you act are important. It would not be very correct to talk about losses,” CDS Chauhan said in Pune on return from Singapore. No battle can be fought without any loss on your side. Chauhan gave the analogy of cricket and said the victory/outcome was more important.
Some of the points raised by Air Force chief Amar Preet Singh in his first public interaction after Operation Sindoor, also merit closer scrutiny.
He questioned the 'tendency' of those involved in the manufacturing of military hardware, especially fighter jets, to promise the moon and then failing to deliver things on time.
"Obviously if you see the person is failing again and again, that trust will break someday," he told the industrialists and others at the gathering which was also addressed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier.
One key take away of A P Singh's speech was that through him the government wanted to give a broad message to private players that on defence manufacturing, the government and the system have trust on the private industry.
"We need to have trust between the forces and the industry... we need to have communication continued . we have to be very open with each other so that this relation does not bring down anywhere," he said.
"Pran jaye par bachan na jae ... Raksha Mantri said today only...ek bar jo humne commit kya hae toh mein apne aapka bhi nahi soonta".
He emphasised that in the contemporary world Atma-nirbharta (self reliance) is the only solution.
"We have to be now ready to be future ready ... that is the concern," he said.
The Air Force chief rightly urged the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian private sector to take on the challenge of 'seamless delivery of military products' ... on time.
The rhetoric of atmanirbharta has merit. But rhetoric must be transformed into concrete action.
"What is required today is required today ... we need to quickly get our act together".
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment