LCA dream

Sir, - The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) which started as a dream in the 1970s is now in danger of ending up as a pipe dream. A lot of money has gone down the drain over the years and en route a distinguished scientist, Mr. S. R. Valluri who headed the Aeronautical Development Establishment in Bangalore, became a casualty as he tendered his resignation in sheer disgust with the endless bureaucratic snafus in the Defence Ministry.

You are right in demanding that ``there should be a thorough enquiry into why the programme has run aground'' (Editorial, Dec. 25). Such an enquiry should include inter alia two important aspects that plague most major defence projects like the LCA and the Main Battle Tank (MBT).

First, is there a lacuna in implementing policies relating to such long range research and development projects which, in time frame, perforce run through different governments in power with varying ideologies? And secondly, are there any vested interests in the Defence Ministry and/or the Services who are interested in perpetuating imports at the expense of self-sufficiency with Bofors-like ramifications?

Kangayam R. Rangaswamy,

Durham (U.S.)

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