‘Five-star culture of senior officers is bad for Army’

He was the first head of the UN peacekeeping force in the former Yugoslavia. That was 1992. Two years later, Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, 74, retired as deputy Chief of Army Staff. But this highly decorated officer still remains intensely engaged with military affairs . He talked Army pride, probity and the disturbing rise of a “five-star culture” with Saira Kurup. Excerpts:

As a distinguished retired officer of the Indian Army , how do you react to the alleged involvement of top serving and retired Army officers in the Adarsh building scam?

Without being unfair to the people concerned or to the establishment that I had the great privilege of serving for many years, I must say that it is an issue that causes all of us a great deal of anguish. One accepts that moral values have taken a beating in society in general. But it is disturbing to find that this degeneration has found its way into the armed forces too. Particularly because the armed forces are a unique institution in many ways; in which, quite often as leaders in battle, we ask of our subordinates the ultimate sacrifice in terms of their lives. Hence their trust and faith in us is something you cannot quantify or compromise. While on the one hand, young officers and men of the Indian Army have literally sacrificed their lives in ensuring the security of the country, on the other hand, we have sections of the senior leadership indulging in actions that bring shame on the organization.

Will the scandal affect the way the wider public views the Army? Till now, it’s been seen as pretty incorruptible.

The public perception of the armed forces has always been something we have taken great pride in. Some of these stories have dented its image, but I don’t think it’s irretrievable. A lot of it also has to do with the fact that the armed forces are so much bigger now. They are deployed all over the country. And they are constantly under public scrutiny. When the media reports a misdemeanour by a political leader or a bureaucrat it is glossed over as something that happens all the time. But it becomes big news when the armed forces are involved. What redeems my faith in the system is that most of these stories have come to light as much because of the armed forces themselves having inquired into them, as of media effort. The public needs to be made aware of that.

Your son is a lieutenant-colonel . Might this scam affect the morale of relatively young officers like him?

The morale of the young officers and the men is not so easily affected because there is a great deal of resilience in the armed forces as an institution. But that is not to suggest there is no impact. Unfortunately in recent years there is already a disturbing five-star culture among the senior officers to which they have already been exposed and to that extent, I presume they are not too surprised. My advice to the current leadership in the armed forces would be to refocus on and promote the basic character qualities of integrity, loyalty to subordinates and courage. Moral values that sustain you in battle. This issue assumes wider ramifications when we hear of senior leaders falling prey to compromises on the quality of weapons, equipment and food supplies for the men in the Army.

But there’s a definite feeling among ordinary Indians that patriotism and valour – the two defining characteristics of the defence services – have been compromised?

When armed forces go into battle or to deal with insurgents and terrorists, it’s not the national flag, the Constitution, or such other aspects that provide motivation . It is something as basic as loyalty to the battalion or regiment, and to one’s comrades. The izzat of that group becomes the driving force. That aspect is not affected by such scams. But the overall aspect of the senior military leadership displaying lack of moral values is something that needs immediate attention.

Can the Army deal with public cynicism that it is no different from other stained institutions of state – the political class and the bureaucracy?

The Army is an institution that ordinary people still look up to for basic values. It is totally apolitical. There is, of course, cynicism within the armed forces about sections of the current political leadership who have assumed perks and privileges well beyond those exercised by the maharajas of old. The forces also have serious reservations about the civilian bureaucracy that has assumed all the authority without responsibility and accountability. There is considerable resentment that these bureaucrats have been allowed to interpose themselves between the political leadership and the armed forces hierarchy.

Can we expect an impartial probe by the Army into the Adarsh scam?

I do not know what form the probe will take. But there can be no two opinions about the fact that a credible , fair and transparent probe must be instituted and exemplary action taken against those guilty of criminal offences, abetment and misdemeanour.

India has always sent its best soldiers for peacekeeping duties abroad. Has that changed of late in view of the fact that the UN issued a report three years ago alleging corruption by Indian peacekeepers in Congo?

The incidents referred to are aberrations in the large deployment that we have today. The need to educate our officers and men particularly on conducting themselves well is something that is taken very seriously.

How do you think the Indian Army differs from its counterparts on the subcontinent?

As someone who was head of the UN mission in the former Yugoslavia, (I) had military contingents from 34countries of the world under my command. I can say with some conviction that in terms of professionalism , the Indian Army is second to none.

The Indian Army’s need to modernize is discussed frequently. What are the priorities?

The Army’s requirement of weapons and equipment has suffered over the years due to delays in decision making. This is evident in our inability to acquire artillery guns to replace our current inventory that is almost obsolete. It would seem that the Bofors episode paralysed the decision making apparatus to the detriment of our operational preparedness.

When armed forces go into battle or to deal with insurgents and terrorists, it’s not the national flag, the Constitution, or such other aspects that provide motivation . It is something as basic as loyalty to the battalion or regiment, and to one’s comrades. The izzat of that group becomes the driving force. That aspect is not affected by such scams. But the overall aspect of the senior military leadership displaying lack of moral values is something that needs immediate attention.

Can the Army deal with public cynicism that it is no different from other stained institutions of state – the political class and the bureaucracy?

The Army is an institution that ordinary people still look up to for basic values. It is totally apolitical. There is, of course, cynicism within the armed forces about sections of the current political leadership who have assumed perks and privileges well beyond those exercised by the maharajas of old. The forces also have serious reservations about the civilian bureaucracy that has assumed all the authority without responsibility and accountability. There is considerable resentment that these bureaucrats have been allowed to interpose themselves between the political leadership and the armed forces hierarchy.