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| Kalam Committee | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kalam Committee |
| Formed | 2011 |
| Jurisdiction | India |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Chairperson | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| Members | Various scientists, civil servants |
Kalam Committee
The Kalam Committee was an expert body constituted in 2011 to review strategic procurement and technology policies following debates over the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, the Commonwealth Games 2010, and procurement controversies involving the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. It aimed to examine defense acquisition procedures and propose reforms linking Scientific Advisory Board inputs, Defence Research and Development Organisation priorities, and institutional mechanisms across ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Secretariat.
The committee was set up after high-profile inquiries like the Central Bureau of Investigation probes into the Bofors scandal and critiques stemming from the Tharoor controversy and events surrounding the 2010 Commonwealth Games, with impetus from political figures including the Prime Minister of India and policy groups near the Planning Commission (India). It was publicly announced amid calls from institutions such as the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Indian Institutes of Technology network for systemic reform in procurement and indigenous capability building, following recommendations from panels like the Kargil Review Committee and reports by the Public Accounts Committee.
The panel was chaired by former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and included eminent personalities drawn from the Indian Institute of Science, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, retired senior officers from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, and bureaucrats with service in the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Ministry of Defence. Other participating institutions represented included the National Security Advisory Board, the National Innovation Council, and members with affiliations to the Indian Statistical Institute and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Its formal mandate covered review of procurement rules such as the Defence Procurement Procedure and interaction between acquisition agencies like the Ordnance Factory Board and indigenous vendors including firms from the Tata Group, Bharat Electronics Limited, and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Objectives included strengthening linkages between the Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Indian Armed Forces, enhancing technology transfer mechanisms seen in deals with companies like Dassault Aviation and Lockheed Martin, and reducing reliance on foreign systems previously procured under protocols similar to those in the Bofors scandal.
The panel identified gaps in coordination among the Ministry of Defence, the Cabinet Secretariat, and service headquarters such as the Integrated Defence Staff; it recommended streamlining clearance processes akin to reforms suggested after the Kargil Review Committee and enhancing support for establishments like the DRDO and the Indian Space Research Organisation. It urged adoption of transparent vendor evaluation inspired by procurement practices in entities like Indian Railways and the Department of Telecommunications, recommended greater engagement with academic centers such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, and proposed strengthening export controls aligned with frameworks used by the Wassenaar Arrangement signatories.
Following the report, some recommendations influenced policy changes within the Ministry of Defence and were echoed in revisions of the Defence Procurement Procedure and establishment of entities resembling the Defence Innovation Organisation and initiatives like the Make in India program. The report's emphasis on indigenous design and collaboration with institutes such as the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and corporations like the Tata Group contributed to procurement decisions affecting projects including indigenous fighter development related to programs by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and naval shipbuilding in yards like Cochin Shipyard Limited.
Critics from parliamentary panels such as the Public Accounts Committee and commentators associated with think tanks like the Observer Research Foundation argued that some recommendations were vague and that implementation lagged within ministries including the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Defence Production. Media outlets including the Hindustan Times and the The Hindu highlighted debates over transparency reminiscent of controversies around deals with AgustaWestland and Bofors, while opposition parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress contested aspects of procurement autonomy and executive oversight.
The committee's work influenced later institutional innovations and policy instruments adopted by administrations led by the Prime Minister of India and endorsed by bodies such as the National Security Council and the Cabinet Committee on Security. Its stress on linkages between research hubs like the Indian Institutes of Technology, public research bodies including the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and industrial partners such as Bharat Electronics Limited continues to inform debates in parliamentary committees and shape frameworks used by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and procurement agencies across India. Category:Indian defence policy