Refrain from making substandard defence products: Lt Gen

Ensure quality and refrain from making "substandard" items for the defence sector, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command Lieutenant General K J Singh today urged the Indian manufactures.
"The government is doing a lot to involve industry into defence modernization...The government is well meaning and it is giving chance (to the industry)...But weather everything is fine..No sir no. As a user I am not satisfied," Lt Gen Singh said while addressing a conference on safety and security organised by CII here today.
Noting that quality control was a "big issue", Lt Gen Singh alleged that some of the defence makers here had misused the quality control certifications.

"Quality control is a big issue. We have started self certification. We allowed you (industry) to do quality control certifications on your own. But it has been misused" he said adding that the basis elements like hoses and relays were found to be substandard.
"It is not in cutting edge technology. India launches space rocket, it sends satellite but it also make hoses, relays, --basic elements which are substandard which are disgusting. I am sorry to use this word. Cheating defence ... cheating your own mother land. How can it be allowed. This is your own house please do not do it," he said.

Lt Gen claimed that some of industrialists, who made inferior quality items, are based at Ludhiana.
"Making money is part of the industry and that is why the industry is there and you are not here for charity. But trying to make money in one generation and becoming a Tata-Birla. It is also not correct. Please maintain quality control in defence products," he said.
But when later asked by reporters how serious the substandard quality issue, Singh refused to respond.