
Perplexed by the UPA government8217;s decision to hold two more trial rounds for its acquisition of 155mm towed artillery guns, Bofors Defence has decided to give a firm commitment to the trials only after the Army provides a detailed test plan for the next two trials, due to be held in June and October. According to Bofors, the Army has given the firm an 8216;8216;extremely brief8217;8217; trial plan that is 8216;8216;simply a repeat of the last tests8217;8217;.
After blacklisting Denel and virtually dismissing Israeli firm Soltam over its poor performance, the government is understood to be wary of what it perceives as a single-vendor situation even though all three guns were put through two rounds of trials in 2003 and 2004.
SWS Defence chief Haken Kangert told The Indian Express, 8216;8216;We are in dialogue with the Indian Army and would like to see exactly what they want. From the brief test plan that we have been given, it appears that they want us to demonstrate aspects in different environments now, from low to high level, but we have already done so.8217;8217;
Swedish Army chief Major General Svorker Goransson is in India and is scheduled to meet his Indian counterpart Gen J J Singh to whom he will he will convey Sweden8217;s concern over the delays in the Indian artillery procurement procedure. With the re-emergence of the Bofors scam, Maj Gen Goransson will be reaffirming the country8217;s stand that Bofors8217; current owners, BAE Systems, have none of the liabilities of erstwhile A B Bofors, which currently lie with a Netherlands-based firm.