tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post115991212707509284..comments2008-08-20T11:21:37.239+05:30CPC Nathnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post-1167464043983863292006-12-30T13:04:00.000+05:302006-12-30T13:04:00.000+05:30This is a brilliant effort! In spite of his busy schedule, Nath has created this blog, comprehensively covering a lot of details.<BR/>I have forwarded the same to the COAS, Gen JJ Singh, through his Dad, who is a colleague of mine.<BR/>I sincerely hope that the Defence Minister will actively progress this case.<BR/><BR/>Lt Gen(Retd) LM Rajgopal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post-1160070241065001562006-10-05T23:14:00.000+05:302006-10-05T23:14:00.000+05:30We welcome all types of comments, postive, negative and even highly critical. Comments will NOT appear immediately but you will have wait for some time. Return later to look at your comments on the posting.CPC Nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07810643445426158577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post-1159945704270420892006-10-04T12:38:00.000+05:302006-10-04T12:38:00.000+05:30A very nice idea and an effective one at that, if implemented. This thought of a ' Veterans Ministry ' should have been in force by now.<BR/><BR/>We shall chip in and mobilise support and publicise this thought in the best manner possible..<BR/><BR/>Thanks & Warm Regards,<BR/> <BR/>Aman Bandvi<BR/>Chief Executive Officer<BR/> <BR/>DefenceIndia<BR/><BR/>Corporate Office : N 24 A, IInd Floor, Green Park Extension, New Delhi, India.<BR/>Phones: 011 - 2617 3704, 2617 3700.<BR/>Tele Fax : 011 - 2617 3703<BR/> <BR/>If you were Always Fascinated by The Defence Forces, check out www.defenceindia.com Now..<BR/><BR/>.Aman Bandvihttp://www.defenceindia.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post-1159919738720822902006-10-04T05:25:00.000+05:302006-10-04T05:25:00.000+05:30An excellent case well compiled covering almost all aspects. The pity in India, as KP has pointed out is that the civilians – politicians and bureaucrats – have a mistaken notion – also fuelled by the defence services – that civilian rule as opposed to a military rule implies that the uniformed services are subservient to the civilians. This had caused the MoD that exists in India to act as a super Defence Services Headquarters. All departments of the Services Headquarters have to ‘report’ through the similar department in the MoD to the GoI. And the notings of a lowly official (civilian) sitting in the comforts of the capital quite often over rules practicalities prevailing in the field. <BR/>This is very aptly brought out by Brig JP Dalvi in his excellent book – ‘The Himalayan Blunder’. I shall give a few examples here of what he has written, which are relevant even today.<BR/><BR/> On yet another occasion when asked for money to buy the minimum requirements of the Army, Nehru is reported to have held the view that ... the Army High Command were making a military miscalculation. This view was belied when we presented our shopping list to the Anglo-American Military Missions which flew to our rescue after the Chinese invasion. The American `Time' magazine put it aptly. The paper wrote: "The Indian Army needs almost everything except courage."<BR/> <BR/><BR/> Changes and transfers were frequent as the Indian Civil Service brains evolved schemes to expand and multiply into a plethora of ministries and directorates. Congress ministers, still recovering from the glamour of their new positions of power and privilege were not able to provide any purposeful political leadership, it would have been unfair to expect them to master the intricacies of the Government machine in a few months. <BR/> The Ministry of Defence gradually duplicated Army HQs: started their own filing system ... The Indian's love of power without responsibility was given full rein.<BR/> The Ministry eventually became a super military HQ, and their "approval" to everything except the times for reveille and retreat was required. They took "decisions" or accorded "sanctions" on every conceivable occasion.<BR/> Both the politician and the civil servant found it convenient to keep the soldier in his place, and devise a system whereby the Army was always asking, begging, pleading and justifying. <BR/> <BR/><BR/>. Financial officials enjoy their extraordinary discretionary powers partly due to our out-moded, colonial financial and audit control system. Under our fiscal policy, funds are allotted for a year at a time and they automatically lapse on the 31st of March each year. If Finance hindered and blocked proposals, then they saved all the lapsed funds. This was treated as an achievement on the part of the official who had saved the tax-payer and a favourable note made in his dossier.<BR/> ...Every minor expenditure requires financial "approval." Financial experts are positioned at all levels, and this sort of scrutiny goes on down to the humble Engineer Officer who tries to put up a hutment - he has to "justify" his expert engineering specifications.<BR/> If a service recommends a saving at one point, to find the money to introduce a new idea, the saving is gratefully snatched but the new idea is squashed. If the Army recommends a change in organisation, it is asked why the French Army has not got what we are asking for. The explanation that the French Army is not deployed in the Himalayas sometimes makes Finance relent and other times is not considered sufficient. When we ask for something and say that the British Army has it, we are told that as a poor country we cannot afford everything that the British Army has! The same arguments are used to deny changes and improvements <BR/> <BR/><BR/> Some of his civil advisers became "defence experts" and military tacticians as a result of sitting in on discussions about handling border disputes. They became experts in moving infantry platoons and companies. When a military argument was adduced to suggest a different course, they would use the solid sledge-hammer of "political necessity" or "Government has decided," to force the Army to be embroiled at a disadvantage... The natural sense of duty and discipline of the officer corps was mistaken for servility and weakness. For politicians who had spent the best part of their lives in humble circumstances and even obscurity, political supremacy was a heady wine. <BR/><BR/>God willing, let us pray and hope that change does occur and a Ministry of VA is established soonest in India.Brig VA Subramanyamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11468305.post-1159915090703110782006-10-04T04:08:00.000+05:302006-10-04T04:08:00.000+05:30Excellent compilation. Kudos to the author for bringing out the importance and urgency of a 'Veterans Affairs' Ministry in India. Sadly, the Politicians, Bureaucrats and the Industrialists have distanced themselves from the Armed Forces due to some reason or the other. The main reasons being their inferiority complex and a sense of insecurity in front of the person in Uniform. The Nation has failed to recognize their Armed Forces.K Janinoreply@blogger.com