Defence Ministry preparing list of issues to be put up before next government

NEW DELHI: The delay in acquisition and shortage of critical weapon systems, the divide between military and civilian officers are some of the issues likely to be taken up by the Defence Ministry while briefing Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi.

The Ministry is preparing a list of issues and problems which would be put up before the next government, Ministry officials said.

The list of issues is likely to include the delayed acquisition of critical weapon systems including the 126 Multirole Combat Aircraft, 197 light choppers and shortage of ammunition faced by the Army for its tank fleet, they said.

The divide between civilian and military officers is also likely to figure in the list, the officials said. This divide between civilian and military bureaucracy had come out in open during the age controversy of former Army Chief and now BJP MP General V K Singh.

The list of major issues to be presented before the next government is being supervised by Defence Secretary RK Mathur.

The various departments under the Defence Ministry have also sent the status report of the various important defence manufacturing and procurement projects to the PMO and the Cabinet Secretariat, the officials said.

The exercise comes after the Cabinet Secretary asked all the ministries and departments to flag issues faced by them for the next government, which will start functioning after the swearing-in ceremony on May 26 evening.