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By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
The Indian government will close a case relating to alleged kickbacks in the purchase of howitzer guns from Sweden's SWS Bofors in 1987. Indian Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium told the Supreme Court on Sept. 29 that India's premier investigating agency, the Central Bureau of India (CBI), has decided to close the case. Subramanium said that all efforts to extradite Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, accused in the case relating to the alleged payment of $13 million as a commission in the howitzer deal, have failed.
The howitzers purchased in the 1980s performed well during the Kargil battle in 1999, and the Indian Army decided to convert all existing field guns to 155mm/.52 caliber. However, the procurement has suffered due to the Bofors case. The Indian government in 2007 had to rebid the purchase of 400 155mm guns worth $2 billion because Bofors, along with Israeli company Soltam, were the front runners, and the government could have been embarrassed if Bofors emerged as the winner.
The procurement is already delayed by 10 years, which has adversely affected Army combat readiness, Army sources said.
1 comments:
I have heard about the Bofors 155/39 calabre Gun Or The Russian M-46 130 MM 52calabre Gun .One thing you do not under stand .The force which had taken over Kargil heights did not have heavy wepons.Pakistan had 5.5-140 mm old Britsh era pre 2nd World war guns which they sparingly used if you can say in support of these irregulars. In case of India I would say it is the man behind the gun that should count.This the Hindu mantality they wont understand.If these iregulars or Mujahadeen withdrawl had been delayed for may be 10 days.Then it would not have been possible to dislodge this irregular force.This is a ground reality which nobody wants to know.This battle was not started by Govt of Pakistan.Sri Nagar is 110 km and even if Pakistan would have reached Srinagar capital of Kashmir on foot it would have taken a month as you cannot crossover the hills 16000/17000 ft there is no mule track .Any way Pakistan has only a Brigade on their side which had to battle xv Indian corp which is opporating out of Leh.these are hard facts
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