Posted on 02/05/2012 9:09:14 AM PST by MBT ARJUN
India's Finance Minister referred to the financial aid given by Britain to his country as nothing more than 'peanuts', it is claimed.
It is also claimed that Pranab Mukherjee and other Indian ministers tried to reject the money - around £280million a year - from the UK in 2011, but the British Government 'begged' them to take the money.
The Sunday Telegraph claims that the Indian government were disposed to reject the money in April last year, because of the 'negative publicity of Indian poverty' highlighted by the aid.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096628/British-foreign-aid-India-tells-Britain-dont-need-peanuts-offer-us.html#ixzz1lWkmhZjq
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Its bad because its not really a rebate. If they really wanted to give a rebate they could have actually offered a rebate on the price of the aircraft. If the so-called “aid” had anything to do with the aircraft deal then maybe the Indians didn't get the hint. The French emerged at the lowest bidder and they won the competition fair and square on all capability parameters. Personally I see the “aid” package as an attempt to bribe the government to peddle and inferior product. I am glad it didnt work.
I m sorry that you feel your tax payer money is going away ungrateful foreign countries. However you dont play by the rules you dont get the correct results. Indian taxpayers also dont want their tax money (a lot more money actually) going to a another county selling inferior product only because they got bribe packaged as “aid”.
As I see it, the greedy grubby outstretched fingers actually belong to the Europeans and Brits who are scrambling like hungry dogs for their piece of meat.
As for “Capitalism”, American and Europeans have long forgotten about Capitalism. Their current economic situation is proof of that. Someone should have told the Brits their government subsidy surreptitiously packaged as unselfish “aid” isn't enough to win a free and fair competition. Maybe the American and Europeans need lesson on Capitalism from Indians and Chinese now.
As for political existence via defense deals..... if you actually know anything about India and the bofors gun deal.....defense deals are the worst political nemesis of any political party/government in India. That's the reason why Indian defense procurement takes EONS.
The defense deal we are talking about in the article has been one of the most cleanest and most transparent deals in the history of India. It wasn't a political deal and there were no allegation of kickbacks.....except for this minor issue of “aid”.
What you are talking about is very true of US and UK, but not India.
You must be right.
You and India are different. Enjoy.
I don’t think it’s fair to say Mr. Friendly Widget Seller threw a tantrum. It’s rather more accurate to say some of his dogs growled and barked a bit at Mr. Widget Buyer from their kennels. But what can a guy do?
Here is a report where Britain’s International development minister talks about aid being part of a strategy to develop trade, including the sale of fighter jets-
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