Indian Air Force lacks equipment, admits Antony

With CAG indicting the Govt over the vulnerability of the Indian air space to enemy attacks due to gaps in the air defence cover, Defence Minister A K Antony admitted there was a failure on his Ministry's part in not providing the necessary radars and equipment on time to the IAF.

With CAG indicting the Government over the vulnerability of the Indian air space to enemy attacks due to gaps in the air defence cover, Defence Minister A K Antony admitted there was a failure on his Ministry’s part in not providing the necessary radars and equipment on time to the IAF.

“I don’t dispute the fact that because of our failure in providing necessary radars and other equipment to our forces, there is some serious problem. We are lagging behind,” Antony said on the sidelines of an air display of HAL-development aircraft.

However, Antony also tried to shift the blame for the gaps and the failure to erstwhile Congress and NDA Governments, pointing out that India had lived with the lack of radars for the last 17 years.

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“The process of induction of radars and other equipment started in 1991. There are various reasons (for the delay). In the last 17 years, we were not able to provide necessary air defence equipment to the IAF. But these were in the past. Now I can tell you, there are problems. I agree with you,” Antony said to queries on fixing responsibility for the gaps in the country’s air defence.

India could have inducted most advanced radars much earlier, the Defence Minister said adding that only in the last few years has the process of induction of modern radars and equipment begun moving very fast.

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