Dear Sir,
This has reference to the article in SALUTE on the newly created Defence Planning Committee (DPC). In my view, this is a non starter. I am even amazed that the Chiefs attended the meeting and wonder how often the finance secretary etc. will join in before they start sending subordinates to represent them.
—Brig Pradeep Sharma
Dear Sir,
I think it is a nice beginning (establishment of the DPC). More than the Defence Services, it is the bureaucracy that needs to understand defence requirements & procurement procedures. Finally, the need has to be felt at the decision making level. Director Procurement himself seeing various rifles is a far better deal than his seeing the humongous files with contradictory details which need to be unraveled & undone at each stage to move ahead! If the Nepalese could reject the INSAS outright why did it take us years to think afresh the basic weapon; a look at the competing weapons is all that was required! It is just general apathy and lack of equity in the entire decision making process. Indians today buy personal cars, computers& mobiles etc with such clarity & deep understanding, but when it comes to government procurement they simply stop thing logically or critically.
—Rajinder Verma
Dear Sir,
I think a good beginning has been made with the establishment of the DPC. Progress on the issues may be assessed say after six months
—Col Yashbir Singh
Dear Sir,
Refer to the article on the DPC. But will the already over loaded NSA find time to steer the DPC? The Chairman COSC – in his absence -as constituted has No Authority. What will the much hyped NSC do?
—Maj Gen Ramesh Chopra
Dear Sir,
This refers to the article on the DPC. NSA has no parliamentary authority. There are legal issues there.
—Maj Gen PK Mullick
Dear Sir,
I agree with the editorial ‘Discordant Voices,’ published in SALUTE Volume 10, Issue 7. The article is well modulated. The only issue I have is that the author has not been able to draw a connection between the creation of DPC, the successful Defexpo and air exercise with the incidents which have hogged the limelight in the last few days, except perhaps, the need for a National Information Advisor (NIA) on the lines of NSA. As of now, we have in the Armed Forces, the Information Warfare (IW) staff posted to most HQ, with the ADG (PI) heading the IW component at Army HQ. Influencing public opinion in war as well as peace time is nothing new and existed even before. Propaganda — defined as information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view — has always been a tool used against adversaries external or political rivals. It is a specialised subject and needs to be controlled at the highest level. Social media and internet has made IW a complex game with seamless boundaries and indiscernible players. Moreover, the gullibility of the ‘aam admi,’ makes counter measures or counter propaganda a difficult task. Hence, an apex body for information and perception management is the need of the hour.
—Brig Vinayak Ramnarayan
Dear Sir,
There is no doubt that IW has achieved great importance in the recent past and countries like China are exploiting it to great advantage. In our context, perhaps, it will end up in leading to a turf war between different organisations and with the all powerful NSA. This is at best an avoidable situation. However, a beginning needs to be made notwithstanding possible conflict areas.
—Ranbir Sethi
Dear Sir,
One fails to understand why so many cases of rape have come up in recent times.Is it the press or something else. It looks to me that we may have advanced economically but culturally we lag behind. One of the reasons could be that there is no fear of law enforcing agencies or social stigma. Irrespective of the colour and the design of the flags of political parties all of them are in a hurry to appease the voters and we know in our democracy who are the voters and how they can be pleased. To day one notices the welfare measures of the govt are being taken as a right. Hence we notice there is an apparent conflict between haves and have nots. Every one wants to get every thing without much of hard work. The poor must be helped to live a decent life but the measures being taken by the govt irrespective of party they belong to, for upliftment of poor are election orientated. It needs to be curbed. Slow and steady will prevail.
—Rana Laxman
Dear Sir,
Inspecting a ceremonial guard is a honour bestowed on a VIP. We all know what happened at the Ceremonial Guard for our former Defence Minister. His ignorance about customs and traditions can be explained but not the failure on the part of our Chiefs to suitably educate/brief the newly appointed Defence Minister. May be it is time to do away with ceremonial guards.
—Inder Jit Chopra
Dear Sir,
I enjoyed reading the article on the Sun Temple at Modhera: A Blend of Science and Art, by Aarti K Pathak. It is a very well written article with all facts correctly stated. Well done.
—Subhag Pathak