NEW DELHI: The government is open to reviewing cases of blacklisted defence firms on merit as it prepares a new policy that will allow foreign defence firms to legally hire agents, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said.

He added that banned firms can be conditionally allowed to do business in the country. “Based on merit and necessity, one can think of lifting the ban to a reasonable level,” he said.

Parrikar said state-run Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) has been allowed to supply spare parts for Tatra trucks, as long as it does not deal with the British subsidiary of the company that was banned following irregularities in its deal with BEML.

He pointed out that one should not just go by the name Tatra as there are 3-4 companies which make the trucks.

“The company which has been banned is Tatra UK and we have permitted BEML to deal with the original company which is owned by different people now,” he said, adding the condition is such that it should not have relations with “questionable individuals”.

“A restricted Non Objection Certificate has been granted to BEML, because we do need for defence purpose Tatra vehicles. It has become critical for certain applications,” he said.

Heavy vehicle maker Tatra was banned in March 2012 after then Army Chief General V K Singh’s allegations that he was offered bribe to clear sub-standard trucks supplied by the company to the Army.

Meanwhile, the Congress has reacted sharply to the defence  minister’s statement.

Senior party leader and spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “It is a serious issue, the government should call an all-party meeting to take the views of other political parties. This is not a matter that can be decided through the Defence Minister’s off-the-cuff remark.”

http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Banned-Suppliers-to-be-Granted-Only-Conditional-Nod-Parrikar/2015/01/01/article2597919.ece

Defence procurement in the country has been hobbled by charges of corruption and of illegal commissions pocketed by middlemen. It became a political storm with the Bofors’ Rs64-crore kickbacks story with Rajiv Gandhi losing the 1989 election. Ever since, arms purchases had become hot potatoes as it were. The Tehelka sting operation about payments to politicians and army personnel in 2001 had led the then defence ministerJaswant Singh in the NDA government to set up a committee under BG Verghese to evolve a clear defence procurement policy (DPP). Thirteen years later, Singh’s successor in NDA-II, Manohar Parrikar, has revealed that a new DPP will be announced soon.

Parrikar has also indicated that arms agents, he uses the term technical representatives, will be allowed to participate in the process of purchases. Ministry sources, according to agency reports, have said that these technical experts will be allowed a fee but no commissions or bonus on the purchases. It is easy to quibble over the terms and argue that middlemen in arms deals are being allowed in through the back door. But the need to be less rigid and more practical in these matters is dictated by the exigency that critical arms acquisitions are getting unduly delayed because of the controversies created around major arms purchases.

As part of this new pragmatic approach, the minister has allowed public sector unit, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) to supply spare parts to Tatra trucks which involved partially lifting the ban against Tatra. UPA-II had imposed the ban after the then army chief and now minister of state for north-eastern affairs, VK Singh, claimed that Tatra offered a bribe to him. Parrikar has found a technical way out of the impasse saying that it was Tatra UK, a subsidiary of the mother company, which was banned and there is no restriction in dealing with the other units of the company. Again, it is possible to criticise him saying that this is but a fig leaf. It has been found that Tatra trucks are crucial for the army and it is to deal with this pressing need that the ban has been partially lifted.

Parrikar’s pragmatic approach is free of his party’s shrill rhetoric against corruption when it was in opposition, and his willingness to take decisions based on the country’s security needs. He is not taking the rigid position that any company which has been blacklisted will always remain on the list. He has given enough indications that there will be a review of those decisions. As a matter of fact, this makes a lot of sense because an erring foreign arms company should be penalised for breaking rules, and the penalties imposed should be punitive so that giving and taking of bribes will become counterproductive. It should not be kept away if its wares are crucial for the armed forces.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to make India an arms manufacturing hub will take time to take root and become a reality. In the meanwhile, there is no escape from making huge defence purchases from foreign companies. The need then is to establish these purchases on a firm and clear footing. There is need for an open debate on the issue of arms agents and the commissions they get paid by the companies they represent. Ways have to be found to prevent the commission amount being factored into the final price.

http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/editorial-dnaedit-pragmatic-parrikar-2048794

The company was established in 2007 and it focused on support of Steelbro products sales. After several months, the business activities of the company were spread to sales of Hiab Ltd. products. Subsequently in 2008, the portfolio was extended to assembling work and service providing for the supplied products.

Within the scope of the provided services, the company lays great stress on sales and after-sales services, which are provided by employees trained directly at the manufacturer’s site. We want to propose new and reliable technical solutions with products supplied by us to our customers in advance. Owing to the increasing tendency towards use of container transportation, we offer products of world leading companies allowing handling containers among various kinds of transportation.

Our work is based on perfect customer care. We communicate with our customers, listen to them, respond to their comments, and we satisfy their requirements quickly and reliably.

The quality of an organization is as superior as good and professionally skilled its employees are. Therefore, CON TSYSTEM s.r.o., maintains and increases professional knowledge, awareness and experience of all its employees. Each employee is responsible for the quality of his or her outputs. All of us are internal suppliers and customers. A satisfied, motivated and qualified employee is, therefore, as important as an external client.

Adherence to the information and data protection provisions is one of the basic principles which is held by the management of CONTSYSTEM s.r.o. Information is valuable property, therefore the control system of this company provides its protection, continuous development of information security with the aim to secure information confidentiality, its full integrity and availability. The company pledges itself to create, establish, maintain and check the complex system securing continuous protection of information assets of the company, to fulfil legislative requirements relating to the protection of information and data, above all, the act on personal data protection, and to secure awareness and education of its employees in the field of information security, thus creating respective provisions leading to limitation, loss, leakage and misuse of information.

http://www.contsystem.cz/en/news/

Tatra has introduced the new Euro-6 Tatra Phoenix. It has a redesigned front, getting the Phoenix more in line with Tatra’ss otherr cabin, the T 815 based Terrno1 series. The available engines are Paccar ones, the MX-11 and MX-13, also fitted in the DAF models CF and XF.

http://www.ttm.nl/nieuws/fotos-dit-de-nieuwe-tatra-phoenix-euro-6/65693/

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Tlapa is to arrive in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Saturday to hold economic talks with Iranian officials.

Tlapa is  heading a trade delegation comprising representatives of 20 Czech companies.

The mission’s visit to Iran, which has been organized by the Czech Chamber of Commerce, will last until September 17.  It is aimed at establishing trade contacts with the Iranian market, Prague Post reported.

Earlier on September 3, Tlapa in a meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for American and European Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi had announced that a delegation of 20 companies and business people would head to Tehran on September 13 in an attempt to improve bilateral economic ties.

Representatives from auto manufacturers such as Skoda Auto, Tatra, Skoda Transportation as well as textile manufacturers will be in the business delegation, said the Czech official.

During the meeting, the Iranian deputy foreign minister also said economic relations with the Czech Republic is crucially important for the Islamic Republic.

http://www.tasnimnews.com/English/Home/Single/496885

Ronald Adams, former U.S. director of the Czech-based Tatra lorry marker, will receive 120,000 Kč in compensation for the prosecution he faced over suspected bribery from the Czech state, Justice Ministry spokeswoman Kateřina Hrochová told the Czech News Agency today.

Adams demanded 5 million Kč in compensation for the prosecution, which he said adversely affected his personal and professional reputation.

He previously said he would give the compensation sum to nonprofit organizations that fight corruption in the state administration.

Adams may turn to a court if he wants to claim the rest of the sum from the Justice Ministry.

Adams was charged with bribery in August 2012. A court definitively acquitted him last year. The police suspected Adams of offering a bribe to the Czech Republic’s then–Deputy Defense Minister Martin Barták in 2009 in exchange for the ministry ordering a further supply of Tatra products to the Czech military.

Ronald Adams, former U.S. director of the Czech-based Tatra lorry marker, will receive 120,000 Kč in compensation for the prosecution he faced over suspected bribery from the Czech state, Justice Ministry spokeswoman Kateřina Hrochová told the Czech News Agency today.

Adams demanded 5 million Kč in compensation for the prosecution, which he said adversely affected his personal and professional reputation.

He previously said he would give the compensation sum to nonprofit organizations that fight corruption in the state administration.

Adams may turn to a court if he wants to claim the rest of the sum from the Justice Ministry.

Adams was charged with bribery in August 2012. A court definitively acquitted him last year. The police suspected Adams of offering a bribe to the Czech Republic’s then–Deputy Defense Minister Martin Barták in 2009 in exchange for the ministry ordering a further supply of Tatra products to the Czech military.

According to Adams, the court clearly said neither the police nor the state attorney could exactly define what crime he committed and how he did it, and that the state attorney’s office should not have filed an action against him.

As a result, all harassment and restrictions to which he was exposed during the investigation, detention and the court proceedings were unnecessary and unlawful, Adams said.

He said the indictment and prosecution relied exclusively on untrustworthy testimonies of people who face criminal prosecution themselves. His detention, prosecution and trial were based on a purely expedient criminal complaint, he added.

Read more: http://www.praguepost.com/czech-news/41759-friday-news-briefing-sept-26-2014#ixzz3Ehwi5mCL

21 August, 2014

The agreement also involves delivery of Euro 6 engines to be installed in a new Euro 6 TATRA PHOENIX model that will be introduced in October. The new agreement concerns continued delivery of cabs as well as Euro 3, 4 and 5 engines to TATRA. “For EU markets we are finalizing development of a Euro 6 PHOENIX model”, commented Petr Rusek, Chairman of the Board and Business Director of TATRA TRUCKS. “Based on the excellent customer feedback on the DAF supplied Euro 3, 4 and 5 engines, we are happy to be able to apply the latest Euro 6 technology from DAF, which stands out in reliability and efficiency. Next to the 12.9 liter PACCAR MX-13 engine we are also planning introduction of the new 10.8 liter PACCAR MX-11 engine in our popular PHOENIX version.”

“DAF is proud to continue supply of cabs and engines to TATRA Trucks”, said Ron Bonsen. Member of the DAF Board of Management and responsible for Marketing & Sales. “TATRA is a leading manufacturer of all wheel drive vehicles, that perfectly complements DAF’s single and double driven range of construction trucks.”

TATRA PHOENIX vehicles can be serviced by the TATRA dealer network and by the DAF dealer network for the DAF content. A number of DAF dealers is also authorized TATRA dealer.

The agreement was signed on TATRA side by Petr Rusek, Chairman of the Board and Business Director of TATRA TRUCKS, and Radek Strouhal, Financial Director and Member of the Board of TATRA TRUCKS. For DAF Ron Bonsen, Board member and Director Marketing & Sales of DAF Trucks, signed the agreement.

http://www.nov-ost.info/index/Article/1986759_Tschechische_Tatra_bezieht_DAF-Motoren.html

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which appears to be on a closing spree, has filed a closure report in the Tatra trucks case where it had put UK-based Vectra Group chief Ravi Rishi and former chairman and managing director of state-run BEML, VRS Natrajan, under the scanner during the 29-month long investigation. Citing “insufficient evidence”, the CBI on Tuesday brought down the curtain on the case which involved supply of 7,000 Tatra trucks to the Indian Army by BEML since 1986.

In a separate case, the agency has chargedLt General Tejinder Singh last month for attempting to bribe the former Army chief VK Singh for allegedly swinging a truck purchase deal in favour of Tatra. However, even in that charge-sheet, it did not charge Ravi Rishi or BEML officials.

Both cases were referred by the thenDefence Minister AK Antony to the CBI in 2012. BEML chief VRS Natrajan was also removed from his position on the CBI’s request in 2012 for a fair probe.

Over the past one week, the CBI has also decided to close the coal scam case against Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and has given a virtual clean chit to former Sebi chairman CB Bhave and member KM Abraham in the preliminary enquiry PE) in the MCX-SX matter.

A senior CBI official said CBI was inclined to close yet another high-profile probe against Himachal PradeshChief Minister Virbhadra Singh regarding which a PE was lodged by the agency in 2012 after a diary had emerged during an Income Tax department search which indicated pay-offs by one Ispat Industries to a certain ‘VBS’.

“The Income Tax department and Enforcement Directorate can look into the matter from the angle of tax evasion or money laundering,” said the official, indicating that the CBI did not see any criminality in the matter.

In the Tatra trucks case, the CBI’s closure report says that “no sustained evidence” was found to prove that indigenisation of trucks for use by Indian Army was deliberately delayed, which was one of the major allegations in the First Information Report. Another allegation was that the BEML allowed change of currency for payment from US dollar to euro, thereby causing further loss of approximately Rs 13.27 crore. After receiving replies to its Letters Rogatory from abroad, the CBI has concluded that banks overseas had insisted upon payment in euros rather than US dollars.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-08-27/news/53284735_1_closure-report-tatra-lt-general-tejinder-singh