From 50 Years Ago: Lot to Hide

Lot to Hide

While the Army is at least converted to indigenisation (though now its demand for re-equipment, tanks excepted, is levelling off), the Air Force retains a strong allergy to placement of orders at home, particularly for aircraft accessories and ground equipment. Its failure to indicate advance orders, ostensibly justified by the absence of financial provisions, has led to avoidable foreign exchange outgo. Though the new five-year defence plan has undercut the financial argument, the Air Force has succeeded in securing large releases of free foreign exchange for future import of electronic items that could have as well been designed and manufactured locally.