India approved an agreement to buy 145 weapons worth 30 billion ruppe howitzer or 560 million U.S. The purchase is part of efforts to update the Indian army which cost tens of billions of dollars."The contract made last Friday," said one Defense Ministry official who did not want to be named told AFP.
India government budgeted approximately Rp 5.04 trillion to buy weapons on the ground. Howitzer has a maximum range of 30 kilometers (17 miles). These weapons will be used soldiers who served in the artillery division in charge of the mountains along the border highlands of India.
So far, India has three times fought with his rival, Pakistan since independence in 1947 ago. However, China seems to be the main rival India's military modernization incentive to do so.India acquire new military equipment, ranging from fighter aircraft to submarines in March. Countries announced military spending this year reached 1.93 trillion rupees, or 40 billion dollars (about Rp 360 trillion). Howitzer purchase announcement is the first in India to do more than a quarter century.
The last time India bought military arms in 1986. At that time, India bought 410 howitzers from the Swedish military arms company, Bofors AB. A year later, the Swedish media suspected of bribery committed Indian politicians and military officials related to the purchase.
Allegations of corruption involving the Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi who took office in 1989. His name was later cleared the courts of India in 2004 or 13 years after he was killed by a Tamil suicide bomber.
However, the scandal continues to haunt. Analysts say allegations of corruption have made India the difficulty getting a contract. The bureaucrats fear of being accused of weapons procurement irregularities. Finalization of the howitzer deal could take up to at least one year.
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