Army denies cautioning Antony on deals with the US

New Delhi, May 25 (ANI): The Indian Army's Additional Directorate General (Public Information) at the General Staff Branch of the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday that a news report suggesting that the Chief of Army Staff, General V.K. Singh, had warned Defence Minister A K Antony on going ahead with Government to Government deals with the US was wrong and based on "hearsay".

Additional Director General (Public Information) Major General Sanjeev Madhok said in a release: "The article (published by the Times of India and reported by the television channel Headlines Today) mentions a letter written by the Chief of Army Staff to the Hon'ble Raksha Mantri Shri A K Antony on Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The news item is based on hearsay."

The Times of India and Headlines Today reported that General Singh had red-flagged the FMS purchases from the US, and written to Antony, cautioning him about problems that he counter with the FMS.

Over the past several years, the Indian defence establishment has been using the FMS programme of the US Government for major defence acquisitions.

In these non-tender purschases, the US Government procures the equipment on behalf of the Indian Government from its military companies, and takes a commission for the services rendered through the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). (ANI)