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-34-
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: I can't increase my product range.
See, the logistics problems are going to be there. After all
this gadget is going to be with us for the next 15 years.
Right? The maintenance support for next 15 years is going
to be very heavy, when you have four-five items of same product.
Same product; four-five different items.
TEHELKA: Okay. I see, I see.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: You see, so we have already gone
in, and bought all this from them. About 400 odd systems against
a requirement of about 1,200.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: You suggest you got something,
I will say 'yes' or 'no'.
TEHELKA: It's that Tank-based navigation system.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Hmm?
TEHELKA: That tank navigation system.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Yeah?
TEHELKA: You need it?
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Yes.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: See, I suggest one thing. What you
do is, first, you should know your product profile.
TEHELKA: No, that I will show, that I will give you
the...product profile and everything.
TEHELKA: Sir, tank...tank navigation. Tank navigation
system you require?
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: See tank navigation system already...HAL,
ECIL and BEL are supposed to do this.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Right? So anybody who comes to
me, I tell them, "Please go and speak to our officer."
TEHELKA: About T-90 tanks? About T-90?
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Whether it is T-90, it is any tank
a land navigation system is required.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Now which source we get it…because
we give in to our PSUs. They were supposed to have offered
it to us for trials two years ago. Unfortunately, the sanctions
came in.
*
* *
|
General Choudary departs with his gift and gives a time
to West End for a second meeting next week. Murgai asks
whether West End is happy? |
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: So…you are happy with the…?
TEHELKA: Okay, fine. Sir, earlier he was very strict.
Like that…like that.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: It has to be. When you want to be…she
has to be strict.
Otherwise…
TEHELKA: Then he opened…he accepted my gift also.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: Yeah, very good.
TEHELKA: Sir, this 25,000.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: Okay. That's good [Tehelka is
seen offering the money]
TEHELKA: Then I will go to…Sunday I will go to his
home.
MAJ.GEN. MURGAI: First he said…
TEHELKA: He will not allow me to turn away like that.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: If he doesn't say anything, then
how will you let him know? You wouldn't have…. See, I told
you one thing…
TEHELKA: Sir, I was not here that time to talk this
matter.
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: Yes.
TEHELKA: What he said?
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: I said, "Yaar, if you want
to take it, take it. It's open. Otherwise, let's close the
chapter."
TEHELKA: What he said?
MAJ. GEN. MURGAI: He said, "Okay, I have taken it."
TEHELKA: What I've given that small gift, I want to
know what his response. Otherwise, bloody he will refuse it.
That is confirmed. He will take the money, he will accept
it, he will give the order also. Now we need a political…
*
* *
|
At General Choudary's house in Lodi Gardens he explains
why it would be a problem to order a trial evaluation
for West End's products. First of all, West End hadn't
entered the fray when the selections for the trials were
taking place. Secondly, Choudary had had 'No' to evaluation
trials for a French company called Sagem even though it
had come recommended by the Defence Secretary. Sagem,
incidentally, has a product far superior to anybody else.
General Choudary's dilemma was what reason to show a green
signal for West End when very recently he had put his
foot down for the evaluation trials of HHTs from other
companies. Of course, Choudary also accepts a cash incentive
of Rs. 1 lakh with more promised for the future. |
TEHELKA: Yes.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY (Using his hands to express himself
throughout his talk.): Basic issue is…
TEHELKA: Yeah.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Had you entered into the fray earlier…
TEHELKA: No.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: …when we had done the selections?
You hadn't. So the basic problem is, when you buy a thing…and
along with that thing you also got some sort of technology…
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: It is difficult to change your
mind.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: See, the Israelis… same gadget
you are offering, we have already bought from the Israelis.
We have bought about 200 from the Israelis, 200 from the French.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: The French was a kind of a hiccup
because of bargaining.
TEHELKA: Okay, okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: But we had already taken a limited
technology. That means…technology means, upto component level.
And in all electronics if you have the component level technology,
you can buy the same components in the world market and fabricate
the damn thing.
TEHELKA: Okay. I got it.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: It means, the technology is assembling
from completely knocked down. CKD.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Which is component level.
TEHELKA: Okay.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: Like…you already own 10 cars…and
all 10 cars are of same type. And suddenly you want to go
in for the 11th from somewhere else, or 11th and 20th from
somewhere else…it's a problem. This is the…that's why I said,
"Don't talk about this system, talk about something else."
What you…what you're….
TEHELKA: Sir, what more we can…(laughs)…Sir,
you are not being frank with me.
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: This is you see…Defence deals are
such…lot of paperwork is done beforehand.
TEHELKA: Yeah.
*
* *
|
Choudary admits there are companies who can provide cheaper
and better HHTs than the ones they have evaluated. The
general admits that Sagem, with its better technology
was vetoed inspite of being recommended by the Defence
Secretary. Choudary also asks West End to tie-up with
the public sector PCIL. |
MAJ. GEN. CHOUDARY: But, as I know that this particular
Gen 3 technology, Sagem is far superior to anybody in the
world. See there are…I don't know if you understand technicalities,
this is based on an infra-red…
TEHELKA: Oh, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.
*
* *
|
