Reforço do orçamento de Defesa da India

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Fábio G.

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Reforço do orçamento de Defesa da India
« em: Julho 09, 2004, 02:52:33 pm »
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Militares e pobres são a prioridade

O novo governo indiano de centro-esquerda apresentou ontem um orçamento que tem como prioridades o aumento de ajudas aos mais desfavorecidos e o reforço dos meios militares. O governo chefiado por Manmohan Singh, com o apoio dos comunistas, elaborou este orçamento contando já com um crescimento de 7% a 8%.

O ministro das Finanças, Palaniappan Chidambaram, explicou, perante o parlamento, que o obejectivo do governo liderado pelo Partido do Congresso é «manter uma taxa de crescimento de 7% a 8% no período 2004-2005».

O orçamento contempla um aumento das despesas militares na ordem dos 17,91%, a fim de modernizar as forças armadas indianas, disponibilizando uma verba de 16,73 mil milhões de dólares. Palaniappan Chidambaram explicou a necessidade deste aumento com o facto de, nos últimos anos, ter havido um atraso na actualização dos equipamentos militares.

O exército indiano planeou uma série de aquisições, entre as quais um porta-aviões russo, aviões de treino britânicos, radares israelitas, submarinos franceses e equipamentos de infantaria.

Quando venceu as eleições de Maio, derrotando os nacionalistas hindus, Manmohan Singh prometeu continuar com a abertura da economia e beneficiar milhões de pobres espalhados pela Índia. «A nossa estratégia económica é dar o poder ao povo, em particular aos pobres, dando-lhes acesso à educação e à saúde. Isso reforçará o processo de crescimento», disse o ministro das Finanças, um reformista formado em Harvard.

Chidambaram, citado pela AFP, disse ainda querer «dar a todas as crianças uma educação de base durante oito anos e garantir que as escolas públicas possam fornecer refeições gratuitas».

O ministro das Finanças prometeu ainda duplicar os créditos aos agricultores durante três anos. Referiu projectos para a irrigação e deu garantias de boas colheitas. Anunciou a construção, em breve, de estradas e a modernização de portos e aeroportos.
 

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Modernização das FA da Índia
« Responder #1 em: Outubro 27, 2004, 08:29:21 pm »
PM Underlines Need for Modernisation of Armed Forces
 
 
(Source: India Press Information Bureau; issued Oct. 26, 2004)
 
 
 The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has called upon India’s defence strategists, top brass of the armed forces and policy planners to build a strong and modern armed force to meet emerging challenges to national security. Dr. Singh was addressing the Combined Commanders’ Conference of the Armed Forces in New Delhi today.  
 
The Prime Minister referred to the complex strategic scenario of the country and underlined the need also for understanding the imperatives of the increasingly unstable international environment. Referring to India’s increasing achievements in the economic sphere with significant IT capabilities, he expressed optimism that in the years ahead, our economic growth and its growing global linkages will be the basis for greater security, enhanced cooperative efforts and stable relations. Consequently, we may have to revisit some of the traditionally accepted notions of self-sufficiency and self-reliance, he added. Dr. Singh said our objective should be to fashion a dynamic equilibrium between requirements of indigenous production and external inputs and acquisition, for the country’s Defence needs.  
 
Referring to the security and strategic environment in India’s immediate neighbourhood as well as in other regions of the world, the Prime Minister observed that there has been a steady growth of new non-conventional challenges in recent years. He said India has to enlarge its instrumentalities and capacities to respond to these. Dr Singh said the imperative of this many-layered scenario imposes the need to integrate our resources and assets and rethink our basis concepts. He said, we need to put in place new decision making formats in the pursuit of a sustainable model of national security, in a highly complex strategic environment. Our military doctrine must have an inherent flexibility to imbibe technological changes and adapt them to our strategic needs, the Prime Minister added.  
 
Stressing the need for a structure of cooperative and mutually beneficial relations with our neighbours as a basic objective of our policies, Dr Manmohan Singh added that we have to remain alert about aberrations, strategic ambitions and geopolitical motivations in their policies which can militate against our security and vital interests. He said, our first and preferred resort is diplomacy, but our pursuit of peace does not imply that we shall relax our vigil or compromise on our defence.  
 
Referring to India’s nuclear options, the Prime Minister said this has helped remove potentially dangerous strategic ambiguities in the region. In this we have been guided by the policy of minimum nuclear deterrence and no-first-use, underlined by restraint and responsibility, he added.  
 
Referring to modernization of the armed forces, the Prime Minister emphasized on the need to qualitatively upgrade the manpower base of the armed forces. He said the organizational dimensions of our defence need constant review and purposeful reform. Some specific steps have been taken in this direction. Dr. Singh observed that reforms also involved cognition of the fact that our Navy, Air Force and the Army can no longer function in compartments with exclusive chains of command and operational plans. The Common Minimum Programme of the government has made a commitment regarding the modernization of the armed forces and adequate resources have been provided in this year’s Budget, in this regard.  
 
The Prime Minister said that the technological dimensions of our security cannot be divorced from the larger social milieu. The Armed forces have been traditionally symbols of professionalism and dedication, embodying values of honour and national pride. There is a need for improved career prospects and better career management. The government has fulfilled its promise of establishing a separate Department for Ex-servicemen’s Welfare. However, there is a need for greater public awareness of the achievements and sacrifices made by our armed forces, Dr. Singh observed. The Prime Minister paid glowing tributes to the armed forces personnel for their great acts of sacrifice and bravery for the nation as well as their vital contribution in the maintenance of internal peace which has justifiably won people’s love, respect and affection.  
 
Addressing the Commanders, the Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee referred to the major developments in the current World Security Scenario and their implications on India’s Defence preparedness. He said, in our immediate neighbourhood, problems of cross-border terrorism, political destabilization and incidents of insurgency and militancy are continuing, compelling us to factor these into our strategic preparedness. Shri Mukherjee also referred to the rapid technological changes which are impinging on our forces’ capabilities.  
 
The Defence Minister praised the role of the Armed Forces in fighting insurgents and extremists in various parts of the country, especially in the North-East. He said internal peace-keeping in situations like these is a vital challenging task and a national responsibility for the Armed Forces. As regards the proposal for an Integrated Defence Services Command Structure, Shri Mukherjee underlined the need for further discussions to arrive at a broad political consensus in the country on this issue before any decision could be taken. The tri-services Andaman & Nicobar command is already functional as part of this process.  
 
Shri Mukherjee congratulated Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for bringing the only medal for India in the last Olympic Games. He also congratulated the Indian Navy’s team which recently scaled the Mount Everest.  
 
Among others who addressed the Combined Commanders’ Conference today were the Union Home Minister Shri Shivraj Patil, Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram and the External Affairs Minister Shri Natwar Singh. The Home Minister Shri Patil in his address gave a detailed picture of urgent internal security issues in Jammu & Kashmir and in the North-Eastern states. He praised the role of the Armed Forces in maintaining peace and security in these states. He said, the situation in Jammu & Kashmir is improving steadily and cases of trans-border infiltration are coming down. There has also been a larger inflow of tourists to the Kashmir valley. In the North-Eastern region, situation in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam have vastly improved, Shri Patil added.  
 
The Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram reiterated Government’s commitment to provide adequate resources to the Armed Forces so that the defence needs of the country are not compromised in any manner. He, however, underlined the difficulty faced in resource allocations in a poor country like India with other competing priority areas requiring enormous resources for Development Plans. He exhorted the Commanders for applying principles of scientific management with the objectives of greater efficiency and economy in defence projects.  
 
The External Affairs Minister Shri Natwar Singh appraised the Commanders regarding the current status and role of India in Asia, the entire global community and particularly at the United Nations. He visualized a much more powerful role for India in the coming years as the largest functioning democracy of the world.  
 
Earlier, the Prime Minister on his arrival, was received by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy along with the Chief of Army Staff Gen NC Vij and the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash. The Prime Minister was introduced to the Commanders attending the conference.  
 
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