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Pokhran may hit biggest defence show

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Pokhran II shadow looms large over the biggest ever defence exhibition in India.

The United States, the world's largest arms seller, and its highly reputed private defence manufacturers are set to boycott Defexpo India '99, the first international land and naval system exhibition in India, as the arms embargo declared against India in the wake of Pokhran II is still in place.

According to sources, the US embargo has forced the biggest arms exporters to pull out of the ambitious exhibition, which is slated to be one of the biggest in south Asia. "We are disappointed," sources associated with the exhibition said.

Lockheed Martin, the world's biggest defence manufacturer, has managed to skip the embargo by enlisting itself as a participant from Britain, where it has a subsidiary.

Lockheed Martin UK is among the 13 companies from Britain who are participating in the exhibition. Other companies from Britain include British Aerospace, Westland and Marconi Electronics.

According to available information, till now more than a hundred major firms from over 15 countries have agreed to participate in the exhibition. More than 50 Indian firms, including Defence Research and Development Organisation, are also participating in the exhibition.

The exhibition -- critically timed in the wake of Kargil and at a time when optimists are predicting a turn-around for the world defence market which is witnessing a fall in business during the last few years -- is expected to kick off a large number of long-term negotiations.

Rahul Roy Chaudhary of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, who is a member of the organising committee, said the exhibition has a few key objectives: desire of the Indian defence manufacturing units to exhibit their products to the international audience and people at large, to boost Indian exports and to negotiate profitable purchases.

"India wants not just to be a buyer but also a destination for defence equipment," he said.

Coming in the wake of the Kargil conflict, the exhibition is critically important to the Indian defence forces that are looking at cutting edge technology to avoid involvement of a huge human factor. And thus reduce casualties.

Though no large purchases are expected, the Indian armed forces would be kicking off some negotiations at least, sources said. Incidentally, 13 Israeli firms, major French firms and most of the important Russian manufacturers are putting up their stalls.

From France, Thomson CSF and Sofma are among the companies participating. From Israel, Elbit and the state's aircraft industry IAI are among the participants.

Over 40 Russian companies and 23 South African companies are expected to be there.

Observers say that the exhibition is coming up at a time when the dwindling spending on arms purchases globally is expected to reverse. The total arms transfer agreements signed in 1998 all over the world was $22,981 million compared to the 33,760 million in 1993. Similarly, actual sales in 1998 were $22,981 million, compared to the $37,427 million in 1993.

The exhibition is expected to alternate with Bangalore's highly successful International Air Show. In the future, the government proposes to separate the naval exhibition and hold it independently at Goa or Bombay.

Defexpo India '99 will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from October 12 to 16.

The exhibition will also have a seminar on 'Force multiplier technologies for naval and land warfare'.

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