Missile range was scaled down to benefit Israel firm

DNA had exposed the leak of national secrets from the naval war room in South Block. Statements by officers allegedly involved in leaking the secrets had revealed that efforts to award the medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) contract to the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) were already on. An officer revealed that the missile's required range was scaled down to benefit the Israelis.

DNA's investigation raised questions regarding the conduct of the UPA government in concluding the Rs10,000 crore deal with IAI on the eve of general elections. Though legal opinion didn't conclusively favour the contract, the government went ahead, and agreed to pay "6% business charges" (about Rs600 crore). In the war room leak case, four officers were booked and dismissed. Among revelations by these officers, most startling are statements by former wing commander SL Surve, who was arrested and dismissed from the Indian Air Force.

Surve was joint director (air defence) in the operations branch at IAF headquarters. In statements to the media on his behalf by an NGO, Nausainik Jan Chetan Samiti, he detailed how efforts to award the MRSAM contract to IAI were on since 2005. "The IAF had felt the requirement of latest MR [medium range] surface [-to-air] missiles to be in position before the end of this decade. In financial projections, the IAF asked for about Rs14,500 crore," said the document released in the latter half of 2005. The field units had "recommended the requirement" for the MRSAM "to be able to hit a target at a distance of 150km", the statement said.

"There were missile systems available in [the] world market with ranges from 120-150km. However, to help a vendor, [then] vice-chief of air staff (VCAS) was keen to procure off-the-shelf missile which has a range of 60-70km," the statement said. Surve claimed to have resisted the move. The MRSAM deal is for a missile with a range of 70km. Surve alleged that the then VCAS and other officers were not interested in inducting the indigenously developed Akash missile system, rendered almost defunct by IAF ordering two squadrons.

Sources in the Defence Research and Development Organisation, IAF and defence ministry agree with Surve's statement and blame the group of officers for scuttling Akash's induction in big numbers. The statement said the then deputy chief of air staff favoured "procuring items related to air defence from some foreign vendors". Surve said there was a plan to delay procurements until an officer joined a critical office in the IAF headquarters. The officer named in Surve's complaint had come into focus during DNA's investigation. A defence ministry source admitted that senior officials were aware that the officer, who retired about two years ago, was working for the Israelis.

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