India proposes plans to simplify arms-buying

India has announced plans to simplify its weapons buying procedures, in the wake of the arms bribery scandal earlier this month.

A defence official says the new measures will include giving greater financial powers to senior military officials, to cut down on bureaucracy.

The Foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, also wants to create a new post of Chief of Defence Staff, who would be the government's top military adviser on all security issues, including the country's plan to build a nuclear force. The army had to return money allocated in last year's budget because it failed to conclude several arms deals.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service