Reluctant Navy bought US ship ‘under pressure’

NEW DELHI: As the defence ministry and the Navy maintained an official silence on Monday, several sources told DNA they were “prompted” by the political leadership to buy the USS Trenton, the ship now in the eye of the storm because of  an Indian undertaking to America not to deploy it in offensive operations, and its age.

More than one Navy source told DNA that external pressure, especially from the political establishment including the prime minister’s office, diplomats and ministry of defence played a crucial role in the decision to acquire the USS Trenton. The ship, the Navy’s second largest, is now called INS Jalashwa.

“Initially there was reluctance amongst some of us because of the age and other factors. As our reluctance was known around, we started receiving all sorts of hints, phone calls, prodding,” said a highly placed Navy source, hinting that they were “virtually bulldozed” into buying the ship by the political establishment.

But dismissing talk of political pressure, a senior Naval officer formerly involved in the Trenton acquisition, said “initially we were reluctant” because of the ship’s age. “But our tsunami experience and the evacuation in Lebanon prompted us to go in for such a ship. For the money that we were paying, our maintenance personnel said it was worth even if we ran it for five years,” the officer said.

j_josy@dnaindia.net