In a rare public outburst, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari (Amar Preet Singh) strongly criticized delays in the procurement and delivery of defense equipment during a speech at the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) annual business conference in Delhi.
Expressing frustration, the Air Chief said, “Often, even at the time of signing contracts, we are aware that deadlines won’t be met — yet we proceed anyway. I can confidently say not a single project has been completed on time.”
He questioned why unrealistic timelines are promised during agreements and stressed the need to design and complete defense systems within India, rather than merely showcasing them.
On the other hand, Indian defense analyst Sushant Mehta remarked that had the government addressed these issues earlier, India might have suffered fewer losses in conflicts with Pakistan. He attributed some of the delays to political interference, calling for immediate solutions.