Strategic Partnership - The Many Flaws And The Way Ahead

I. BACKGROUND

A committee of experts constituted by the Ministry of Defence ("MoD") under the chairmanship of Shri Dhirendra Singh ("Expert Committee") first mooted the strategic partnership model ("SP Model") in its report submitted in July, 2015 ("Expert Committee Report") for creating capacity in the private sector on a long-term basis in six strategic segments such as aircraft/helicopters, warships/submarines, armoured vehicles, missiles, command control systems and critical materials. The recommendation was accepted by the MoD and a task force under the Chairmanship of Dr. V.K. Aatre was constituted to lay down the criteria for selection of strategic partners ("Task Force").