India trying to keep air defence in trim
NEW DELHI, Aug. 2-The Defence Minister for Defence Production, Mr. V. C. Shukla, told the Lok Sabha today that India was taking “all necessary steps to keep our air defence in trim and proper order to meet any threat from Pakistan,” reports UNI.
Replying to a question by Mr. S. M. Banerjee, Mr. Shukla said India was aware of the threat posed by the military regime of Pakistan.
Mr. Banerjee had asked whether the Government would take steps to expedite the production of the modified version of MIG 21 before the schedule time in view of President Yahya Khan’s threat of total war.
Mr. Shukla said the production of MIG 21 was proceeding broadly according to schedule. An agreement for the manufacture of a modified version of MIG 21 had been signed. The delivery of these was expected to commence from 1973-74.
India was producing MIG 21 only now when MIG 23s were already in the sky. By the time India started production of the modified version of MIG 21, it would become obsolete. Would the MIG 21 be able to fight the Mirage planes, he asked.
Mr. Shukla said: “Yes, we can.” The new developments in the aircraft manufacture were being inquired into and “we will include these improvements in our programme of aircraft. We are very alert and we do not want that the aircraft which we manufacture should become obsolete.”
Mr. B. P. Maurya asked whether it was a fact that some spare parts and to be imported for the MIGs.
Mr. Shukla answered in the affirmative and added that in the modern aircraft industry, even the USA and the USSR had to import some components. “We are trying to see that we manufacture more and more components in our country itself,” he added.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 3.8.1971