Chopper deal: Antony says rules will be tightened

Minister says indigenisation of military hardware is 'ultimate answer' to scams

Regretting that corrupt practices were happening despite taking precautions, Defence Minister A K Antony today said the government would further tighten norms to avoid controversies such as the VVIP chopper deal and rely less on imports.

Indigenisation of military hardware is the "ultimate answer" to avoid controversies such as the chopper scam, said the minister, who asked the armed forces to change their mindset of relying on imports to meet operational requirements.

"The need to maintain transparency, honesty and sincerity at every stage cannot be compromised. In spite of taking so many precautions, again here and there things are happening. I don’t know what to do," Antony said while addressing an army seminar, where he deviated from his written speech.

Separately, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) today said it had the capability to manufacture any advanced helicopters. "We have the capability to manufacture any system. We are manufacturing LCH (light compact helicopter). We have already manufactured ALH (advanced light helicopter) and our own aircraft," DRDO chief V K Saraswat said.  

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation has engaged two law firms in Italy for liaisoning with the authorities to get legal assistance in probing the role of Indians in the alleged helicopter scam.  

Chiomenti and Grippo law firms have been asked to help in co-ordinating with the Italian authorities for getting documents and other relevant material pertaining to the AgustaWestland deal for supplying 12 helicopters to India, said sources.

In another development, the government today said was ready for any kind of inquiry into the chopper scam. It also sought to mollify the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP, which is incensed over Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde's "Hindu terror" remarks, saying it would try to sort out the issue through dialogue.