Time to call out defence PSUs

If rumours are to be believed, the ministry of defence is believed to have decided not to pump in any more money into DPSUs in order to ensure more private sector participation

In recent weeks there have been two significant announcements on disinvestment of two faltering public sector units — the government’s decision against disinvesting Air India for want of takers, and LIC’s acquisition of IDBI Bank. The debate around using LIC as a bail-out investor is often discussed, as is the poor state of India’s public sector enterprises. However, the gaping hole in the public discourse has been around defence PSUs (DPSUs). 

DPSUs have long been treated as a breed that is superior to other PSUs by virtue of the sector they serve in. They have been the most protected of