Josy Joseph

New Delhi: In a serious twist to the national effort at developing the indigenous battle tank Arjun, the government has admitted that it suspects some Army officers may have sabotaged the tank’s German engines during the recently concluded winter trials.

After the trials in Rajasthan deserts recently, the Army team reported to the government and a parliamentary committee that the tank did not come anywhere close to their expectations.

To inspect if there actually was sabotage, the government on Thursday sent Army chief General Deepak Kapoor and secretary (defence production) Pradeep Kumar to Avadi, where the tanks are manufactured.

They have been asked to submit a report on the status of the tank, and if the German engines are not battle worthy.

Minister of state for defence production Rao Inderjit Singh told reporters that the failure was probably “sabotage.”

Singh said, “It should be examined how they broke down during the winter trials. How can this happen all of a sudden?”

The winter trials came about after the DRDO and the ministry of defence insisted that the Army take a fresh look at the indigenous tank that it has consistently rubbished.

For long DRDO has held that the Army was biased against the indigenous effort. Many others suspect deep penetration by foreign arms lobbies and their influence behind consistent efforts at running down the Arjun tank and other indigenous defence projects.

Many other projects are also suspiciously caught in such games. The Army recently told the parliamentary standing committee that the Arjun tank did not meet the quality norms. The Army had placed an order for 124 tanks some eight years ago, but has been reluctant to use them, except in ceremonial parades.

Source : DNA