NEW DELHI, APRIL 10: An independent Rajya Sabha MP Jayant Malhoutra, has claimed that middlemen in arms deals had been influencing decisions of the Defence Ministry including the one to purchase T-90 tanks from Russia.Defence Minister George Fernandes in his reply to Malhoutra's letter while skirting the issue of middlemen, has assured him that a decision about T-90s will be taken only after the tank is subjected to trials in summer this year.Malhoutra, himself a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, has decided to mobilise MPs from both Houses of Parliament to debate the issue of middlemen during the forthcoming session of the Parliament.Malhoutra told The Indian Express today that his decision was sparked off by Fernandes ducking the issue while sending copies of his reply to all members of Parliament. Fernandes' letter of April 4 reached Malhoutra only last night after he had despatched his second letter to the Defence Minister.The controversy is likely to further embarrass theDefence Minister already facing demand for a JPC on allegations levelled by former Naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat over several defence deals and ``issues concerning national security''.In his first letter to Fernandes written on March 30, Malhoutra claimed, ``I have raised at various fora the issue of agents, middlemen, middle companies and traders and their role in the very decision-making in such purchases, although both country and Parliament have been told that no middlemen exist in defence procurements. I hope the decision to finalise the T-90 order be deferred in view of the controversy and its implications and a rigid appraisal carried out before the final decision''.Fernandes, in his reply, expressed surprise over the controversy regarding the T-90 deal and questions raised in some quarters over the professional judgement of the Army Headquarters on what Army needs to safeguard the nation's security when a ``decision has not been finally taken''.In his second letter Malhoutra has quotedfrom a letter he received from Lt. Gen N Foley, a nominated member of Parliament and a DCC member, questioning the ability of T-90 tanks. ``The whole deal is fishy,'' claims Foley.Foley suspects T-90 was nothing but T-72s with an upgraded 1000 HP engine. ``All other features remain static. The Russian (and our arms dealers) have jacked up the price and called it T-90'' Foley claimed. The price of T-72s is Rs 5 crore while one T-90 costs Rs 16 crore. ``This will cost India Rs 2,500 crore'' claims Malhoutra.Malhoutra also criticised the Government for emphasising on only imports of arms and defence equipment while ignoring indigenous production. The money thus saved from the T-90 deal could have been spent on improving indigenously produced Arjun, T-72 and 172MI tanks at Avadi, he claims.As member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Malhoutra claims to be aware of the amount of spares purchased under influence of middlemen but lying in junk only because they were not required or were unfit to beutilised.
