Augusta Westland Scam - Part 3

In Augusta Westland Scam, single vendor situation was deliberately avoided to create room for Bribes. This was done by
Brajesh Mishra was the all powerful, Principal Secretary to the Prime Ministers Office ( PMO ), who was also National
security Advisor ( NSA ). This post National security Advisor ( NSA ) was deliberately created by Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Government, so as to give a handle to the PMO to interfere in Defence Ministry. How it all started..?
In August 1999, just after the "..so-called.." Kargil War with Pakistan , when maximum Indian casualties took place in
just a matter of 10 days. More than 10,000 Indian Soldiers died in Kargil War, in a matter of 10 days.
This happened when Indian Army was asked to retake Tiger Hill at 24,800 feet and Siachen at 22,500 feet from Jihadis
from Pakistan , in any circumstances. An estimated 9,600 Indian soldiers perished in a matter of 7 days , after they came
under relentless enemy fire , from well entrenched positions. At that time, IAF did not have single Military Helicopter
that could fly higher than 14,000 feet.
After the Kargil War , IAF realized that they desperately needed an High Altitude Military Helicopters that can operate
above 25,000 feet. Both the Indian army & IAF made a strong plea to the Union Ministry of Defence for High Altitude
Military Helicopters , since the two combat areas Siachen & Kargil, where maximum Indian casualties took place. IAF
was desperate for a Military Helicopters that could fly at such high altitudes, to drop much needed supplies , Equipment
& rations to Indian soldiers , and also to evacuate wounded soldiers in case of a war with Pakistan. A big problem was
no civilian or military helicopter manufactured in any corner of the world , operated at such high altitudes.
This is because no mountain range in this world, is as high as the Himalayas, which are amongst the Highest Mountain
Ranges in the world. Due to this reason, no Aircraft Industry manufactured helicopters that could operate at such high
altitudes, such as above 20,000 feet, also because there is no such demand either.
But IAF was specifically shopping for High Altitude Military Helicopters that can fly over and above 25,000 feet , to
carry Rations , Equipment & soldiers. There was only one vendor and only one Military Helicopter that could meet the
Specific requirements of IAF The Eurocopter .
The Eurocopter - which is jointly developed by Aerospatiale-Matra ( France ) and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Germany
). It is now manufactured by EADS - European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, one of the three largest
aerospace groups in the world. The Eurocopter is also one of the most advanced helicopters in the world used by
European Union. The Eurocopter could fly over and above 35,000 feet. Indias indigenously produced Dhruv Military
Helicopter could fly at 24,000 feet , but was not certified at that time and also could not have created room for
kickbacks, so it was never considered. How did Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra comes into the picture..?
As a Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister & National Security Advisor in the NDA Administration , he naturally
got to know that IAF was shopping for High Altitude Military Helicopters and was mostly likely to purchase - The
Eurocopter. He knew this was going to be a Multi-Billion Dollar Deal.
He decided to intervene, this is what he didhe called a meeting on November 19, 2003.
In a Letter dated August 1999, he rebuked the IAF for not being cognizant of the needs of VVIPs , who he observed
rarely go flying above 14,000 feet. While he raised the need to replace Ageing M1 8 helicopters in the VVIP Fleet
within the IAF, which ferried VVIPs. Brajesh Mishra made sure that IAF understood what he was saying , by shooting
off a letter dated December 22, 2003 to the IAF Chief Air Marshal S Krishnaswamy , disapproving of the framing the
Operational Requirements by IAF HeadQuarters , without consulting him (or SPG Chief B.V Wanchoo ) on VVIP
needs.. Brijesh Mishra in 2003 had directed the Union defence ministry and IAF to change the technical specifications
for the acquisition of the 12 VVIP helicopters. , what Brajesh Mishra wanted was a "Luxury Palace-in-the-sky"
helicopter to ferry VVIPs!!
So instead of getting High Altitude Military Helicopters to ferry Indian Army soldiers to peaks of Himalayas, India
essentially brought Luxury Helicopters to ferry VVIPs, at Tax Payers Expense. Operational requirements were
deliberately tweaked in order to get more Vendors , who could easily satisfy the basic requirements , this was obvious ,
when Brajesh Mishra also expressed concern in his letter that specifications like the altitude at 18,000 feet , which the
VVIP helicopters were required to operate had created a "..single-vendor.." situation .
Brajesh Mishra as Principal Secretary to the Prime Ministers Office ( PMO ), changed the focus from ferrying Army
Soldiers, to Civilian helicopters for VVIPs ,which was "..Luxury office-in-the-sky.." helicopter. Finally , IAF was going
to purchase pretty basic Civilian Helicopters that only flew below 14,000 Feet. Finally, Operational requirements were
tweaked in order to get more vendors.
Brajesh Mishra as Principal Secretary, was widely considered to be Congress President Sonia Gandhis mole inside the
Prime Ministers Office ( PMO ). When this became public knowledge, RSS launched a ..sham..campaign to remove
him from the Prime Ministers Office ( PMO ), to fool Junior Hindutva Leaders and general public.
Hindu Nationalist exposes RSS, VHP & SANGH PARIVAR