India warns Israel, Russia to meet deadlines or lose defence orders

With its increasing clout in the international armaments bazaar, India used the occasion of the introduction of the Phalcon AWACS into the Indian Air Force as an opportunity to warn Russia and Israel - currently its biggest suppliers - that new purchases of equipment would depend on timely delivery of pending orders.

On Thursday, India became one of the few countries to possess an advanced airborne warning and control system. But the Phalcon, an Israeli system mounted on the Russian IL-76 aircraft, has been delivered 18 months late.

Publicly giving vent to India's frustration at the huge delays in contracted weapon supplies from Russia and Israel, which do lucrative arms business worth $1.5 billion and $1 billion annually with New Delhi respectively, defence minister A K Antony said deadlines must be respected.

The Indian defence establishment opened a new season of big-ticket military purchases this week. Over the next five years, the army, navy and air force are embarking on a modernisation programme that could see more than $50 billion spent in new military technology. It could also mark a major shift from a dependence on mostly Russian military technology to western military technology.

Antony said, ''This agreement (to procure the system) was signed in 2004. It is five years. Now five years is too long a time. There are two more AWACS that are yet to be delivered. I hope they will be on time.''

Looking at the ambassadors of Russia and Israel who were in the audience at the air force terminal at Delhi airport, he said, ''The ambassadors of Russia and Israel are here. I wish to convey my anxieties over the delays in the supply of equipment. I can say that if deliveries are on time there will be more orders.''

Defence secretary Vijay Singh is scheduled to lead a team from the ministry and the navy to Moscow on Sunday for meetings to hasten deliveries of military hardware India has contracted from Russia that have slipped on schedule.

Antony said that in his last meeting with the Russian defence minister, there was an agreement to hasten deliveries. However, the Gorshkov aircraft carrier price hike is still being negotiated after the Russians asked for an additional $2.9 billion.

Antony said he was seeking to convey to all military suppliers that ''we have to further speed up the procurement as the security scenario around us demands that we must equip our armed forces with the most modern equipment''.