L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Be well armed

Murky, graft-tainted defence deals that delay the acquisition of sophisticated equipment and weapons will seriously undermine our military preparedness vis-a-vis Pakistan and China (‘The collateral damage from graft probes’ by Ajay Banerjee; Sunday Tribune, March 9). All CBI probes against blacklisted firms should be expedited. Surmounting politico-bureaucratic hurdles, the government should ensure quality in defence material, whether imported or indigenously produced, to enhance India’s military potential and avert any loss of life and equipment.

Tajpreet S Kang, Hoshiarpur

II

Defence deals arrived at after a long process are often put on hold affecting defence preparedness. Operating an ageing fleet of submarines or fighter planes, coupled with inordinate delays in new acquisitions due to political and bureaucratic indifference or inefficiency, are the main reasons behind recurring accidents. Admiral Joshi’s resignation should not go in vain. The political setup should awaken from its slumber. Modernisation of the armed forces is overdue. Our enemies are waiting in the wings to exploit our weaknesses.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar