New Delhi: The defence ministry has been deflecting for several weeks requests from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for files on the Rs10,000-crore missile deal (MRSAM contract) that the government secretly signed with Israel three days before the Lok Sabha elections were announced.
Sources said the CAG has been repeatedly writing to the Air Force and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) for the MRSAM files. Under the contract, the DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will collaborate to make a medium-range surface-to-air missile for the Air Force. It is primarily an Israeli contract, with DRDO playing a peripheral role. The sources said
DNA had exposed how the MRSAM deal was pushed through without competitive tendering despite indigenous advanced air defence (AAD) missile in the same class and with a staggering and unprecedented 6% business charges. The MOD remained silent, but IAI admitted to the deal after the DNA expose since it's a public limited company. IAI also said they were instructed by the Indian government to keep the deal a secret.
MRSAM is the same missile (Barak-II) that the IAI developed for the Navy. Barak-II is an extended range ship-based missile system. The MRSAM would be a land-based version of it.However, it's not clear why the government did not demand an integrated contract, and why MRSAM was considered a separate joint development project when India had paid for most of its development. The sources said the IAI may not have the radar systems necessary to make MRSAM a robust system.
Govt ignores CAG request for MRSAM contract files
Sources said the CAG has been repeatedly writing to the Air Force and the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) for the MRSAM files. Under the contract, the DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will collaborate to make a medium-range surface-to-air missile for the Air Force. It is primarily an Israeli contract, with DRDO playing a peripheral role. The sources said
DNA had exposed how the MRSAM deal was pushed through without competitive tendering despite indigenous advanced air defence (AAD) missile in the same class and with a staggering and unprecedented 6% business charges. The MOD remained silent, but IAI admitted to the deal after the DNA expose since it's a public limited company. IAI also said they were instructed by the Indian government to keep the deal a secret.
MRSAM is the same missile (Barak-II) that the IAI developed for the Navy. Barak-II is an extended range ship-based missile system. The MRSAM would be a land-based version of it.However, it's not clear why the government did not demand an integrated contract, and why MRSAM was considered a separate joint development project when India had paid for most of its development. The sources said the IAI may not have the radar systems necessary to make MRSAM a robust system.
Govt ignores CAG request for MRSAM contract files
