The Right Opposition

- Maj Gen Mirnal Suman

IT WAS 1996. The erstwhile Soviet Union had disintegrated and Russia’s economy was in dire straits. Under Boris Yeltsin, the country was headed for elections and the Sukhoi aircraft factory, located in his constituency, was on the verge of closure, rendering a multitude of workers jobless. It would have affected Yeltsin’s campaign adversely.

Invoking decades of close friendship and military assistance, Yeltsin requested India’s caretaker prime minister P V Narasimha Rao for an advance for the Sukhoi factory even before concluding the deal for the aircraft. It was conveyed that such a gesture would be considered a special favour. The advance was to be subsequently adjusted against the final contract. Undoubtedly, it would have been a patently irregular act but Rao realised the political and diplomatic benefits for India. In addition, the Sukhoi was a first-rate fighter jet. However, he knew that the opposition parties would term it a scam to fault his government.

With a view to pre-empt such a situation, it was decided to get the main opposition party on board. Atal Behari Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh were invited by the then defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to attend a presentation on the subject. They were taken into confidence and their concurrence obtained. Consequently, the irregular advance of $365 million never became a scam and no controversy was ever generated. The country benefited by getting a modern aircraft at highly favourable terms as Yeltsin remembered the favour done to Russia in its hour of need.

Thus an act done in good faith by the government with the national interest in mind was supported by the opposition party. Vajpayee understood the rationale and did not want to scuttle the deal for an excellent aircraft. It was a pragmatic approach and the matter was never made an election issue.