Indian Navy conducting Joint Naval Exercise next month

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) Indian Navy is conducting a joint exercise with the navies of United States, Australia, Singapore and Japan next month, Defence Minister A K Antony told Rajya Sabha today.

In his written reply to Mr K E Ismail, Syed Azeez Pasha and Sushila Tiriya, the Minister said the exercise will be in Bay of Bengal and would be in consonance with India's foreign policy.

The minister denied that about 1000 fit and trained IAF pilots were made to work on ground assignments because there were not enough aircraft available with the IAF. The IAF pilots were working against authorised posts that need to be manned by them to sustain combat potential of the IAF.

The proposal to acquire 126 multi role combat aircraft for the IAF was complex involving issues like transfer of technology, maintainability, product support, determination of selection criteria. All this required detailed consultation with different authorities. The Defence Acquisition Council had approved the parameters of request for proposal in June 2007.

Regarding the question concerning the major defects in India's Main Battle Tank, Arjun, Mr Antony said the trials by the Army showed that there was failure of piston rods of Hydro Pneumatic Suspension Unit, Gunner Main Sight and Gun Control System in 2005 and 2006 and the causes were analysed and corrective action was taken with the help of specialists from Germany, Belgium and France.

The minister conceded that there were less number of job seekers from trained engineers leading to shortage but the completion of the projects were not seriously affected by the attritions. There had been increase in the intake levels in the Armed Forces and the government had devised schemes giving incentives and improved service conditions.

To a question on the proposal to build 75.5 km road and helipads for Manasa Sarovara Yatra between Ghatiabagarh and Lipulkeh Pass in Uttarakhand, the minister said the road would reduce the time taken for the Yatra and the road would be built in two phases and was likely to be constructed in 2011 by the Border Roads Organisation.

UNI