Article Posted on : - Jun 03, 2015

NEW DELHI (PTI): Attributing the delay in bringing out the new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) to the "mess" created by UPA, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said his effort is to simplify the process and remove "atmosphere of suspicion".

Parrikar, who had earlier said that DPP, the framework for defence procurement, will be out by May, admitted that it will take some more time.

"I have put in a lot of effort. My officers have put in a lot of effort. CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM have also given lots of inputs. I underestimated the previous government. It has messed it to such an extent....I thought I would be able to prepare in 3-4 months. I accept my defeat. Some more time is required," he said addressing a seminar organised by the Vivekananda International Foundation in New Delhi.

Parrikar said he has decided for the "jugular" and will "completely change" the concept of defence procurement.

"We have inherited a British system. Everyone in the government distrusts everybody. There is an atmosphere of question marks and doubt. Of course, defence is the biggest place where even speaking out was considered as a taboo," he said.

The minister said that the atmosphere is being changed slowly.

He said the first change he wants to bring in the procurement process is to treat vendors as partners. "That atmosphere of suspicion has to go at least for those vendors who have performed earlier," he said.

Citing the example of ordinance factories and even defence PSUs, he said sometimes they "treat the supplier as dirt".

He stressed that he was not criticising defence PSUs but merely emphasizing that the firms need to take along suppliers who are developing systems at their initiative.