Overview
- Speaking in New Delhi, Gen Anil Chauhan urged honesty, reliability and a "bit of patriotism" from defence manufacturers during fast-track buys.
- He said Army reviews of EP-5 and EP-6 scouting found that most companies over-promised capabilities and missed contracted delivery timelines.
- Chauhan accused firms of inflating indigenous content, warning that misleading claims on local manufacture pose security risks.
- He pressed industry to be cost-competitive, cautioning that overpriced systems undermine value for the services and weaken export prospects.
- Emergency Procurement allows contracts of about Rs 300 crore to be executed within a year, with EP-6 cleared after May hostilities to replenish missiles, long-range munitions, loiter and kamikaze drones, and counter-drone systems.