from daijiworld's special correspondent

INS Hansa Naval Base, Vasco (Goa), Dec 27:  The Defence Procurement Manual approved by Parliament has necessary safeguards in it to avoid controversies in purchase of defence equipment and technology, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta said here on Wednesday, Dec 27.

"The manual will also speed up and stream line the procurement process and avoid unecessray delay," Mehta told reporters at naval base INS Hansa here.

He said the manual had several items in it and was subject to the laws of parliament. With the country's economic development, military growth should also go hand in hand, Mehta said terming as "unfortunate" the reduction in number of submarines in the Indian Navy.

He also said the 137-ship-strong Indian Navy will have 33 new vessels, currently being constructed in different shipyards, added to the fleet besides six submarines, the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and the American landing ship Jalashwar.

Mehta said better surveillance technology, which in turn calls for more funds. But the naval chief also said that 2.5 per cent allocation for defence expenditure was sufficient for the time being.

"The Navy has chalked out a 30-year-plan for a reasonable number of submarines to be inducted in the force."

"We also want more indigenous vessels but for that the Indian shipyards should go for modernisation. The Navy is also in the process of procuring three INS Talwar class ships from Russia, the naval chief stated.