Antony to stand in for PM in R-Day functions

October 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister AK Antony today said that the Armed Forces must get all their pay arrears relating to the Sixth Central Pay Commission well in time before Diwali. Addressing the Defence Accounts Day function here today, Antony commended the officials of the Controller General of Defence Accounts for adopting computerisation and speeding-up the salary computation systems.

September 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Thursday condoled the sudden and untimely demise of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.

August 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A.K.Antony said on Monday that the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) will be amended every year to improve country's acquisition policy for the armed forces, instead of once in two or three years as has been the practice. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar here today Antony said, "We have taken a decision that instead of every two or three years, we will amend the DPP annually so that by learning we would be able to improve it every year." The Government will amend the DPP in the next few months that further give new impetus to indigenisation process, he said.

August 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A. K. Antony on Tuesday said that terrorists were becoming aggressive by adopting new technologies in their operations.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister AK Antony today informed the Rajya Sabha that the United States and United Kingdom have requested for "observer" status in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), an intiative of the Indian Navy to secure and stabilise the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). "Navies of UK and USA have forwarded requests seeking observer status in IONS," Antony said.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday said that agreement with the US on defence matters was the result of three years of tough bargaining from both sides. Antony said this after attending an army hospital function in national capital on Wednesday.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - A day after an uproar in parliament over a pact that will enable the annual inspection of military hardware purchased from the US, Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday defended the measure, saying it was the result of three years of tough efforts and that the government did not have any reservations about it.

July 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A K Antony today informed the Rajya Sabha that in the last five years 11 cases of sexual harassment have been reported in the armed forces. Antony said: "During the last five years, 11 cases relating to sexual harassment have been reported in the armed forces." He said that necessary investigations have been instituted in all these cases and punishments have been awarded wherever charges have been proved.

June 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Friday said that Taliban is a threat to the world peace and India has been trying to impress upon Pakistan to take more proactive actions to ban the Taliban.

May 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In the toughest ever message yet to be issued by a Defence Minister to stem corruption in armed forces procurements, A K Antony today said the Government "would not hesitate to ruthlessly cancel contracts," if malpractices are found in any acquisition. Antony asked organisations such as the CII and the FICCI, etc to help the government to maintain transparency and integrity in defence contracts, and added that the government would not tolerate "wheeling dealing or corruption." "We are determined that we need procurements, (but) we cannot compromise on transparency.

May 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - To tackle corruption in defence deals and to bring transparency in defence procurements, Defence Minister A K Antony on Wedneday said the government will not hesitate to cancel contracts "if there is malpractice" in procurements. Antony addressing a seminar told the army officers and industry representatives that the government would not tolerate "wheeling dealing or corruption".

April 16th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Defence Minister A.K. Antony said here Thursday that the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala will make a clean sweep in the Lok Sabha elections.

March 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Congress leader and Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony on Monday announced that his party and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) would contest the general elections together in Maharashtra.

February 10th, 2009 BANGALORE - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday hoped that the defence budget for fiscal 2009-10 beginning April 1 would rise despite the recession the Indian economy was going through.

January 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednesday called on Pakistan to book those who gave 'inspiration, direction and support' to the terrorists who staged the Mumbai mayhem and to 'dismantle' the terror outfits functioning on its soil.