Committed to Defence and Security Worldwide
Year 2020 was indeed a calamitous year for the world. Both the US and India had their share of challenges–some of which are continuing to persist. It will be in the larger interests of the world, the region and for the two of the world’s greatest democracies themselves, if even[Read More…]
Did you know 95% of Indian households invest their hard earned money in physical assets like real estate and gold, primarily because of the following reasons: These are tangible assets which we can feel and be happy about holding We invest with a long term view assuming these are safe[Read More…]
Armament Technology is India’s weakest spot against its main adversary. To match up with China, it has to import latest weapons and hardware. But borrowed sunshine does not make moon sun’s peer. To catch up with China,India has to extensively invest in defence and research, particularly in space and cyber fields. India must also understand the philosophy of “Alternative and Invisible Forms of War” (AIFW). In other words, research and development has to pick up pace in collaboration with armed forces or the user.
Regional conflicts take place when one nation attempts to establish regional hegemony; as China appears to be doing today. Such conflict could well draw the participation of the great powers. Even so, in the prevailing international milieu, it would seem that the great powers are likely to be united in their view of treating regional aggressors as threats to international stability. To that extent, regional aggressors will find few supporters. However, it is possible that some states may be willing to go it alone.
The Standing Committee on Defence (SCoD) routinely laments, and admonishes the MoD officials for inadequacy of the defence budget. But it has not been able to suggest anything better than that the defence budget should be increased to 3 per cent of the GDP which begs the question where the money is going to come from. On its part, the MoD seems to think that the problem can be solved by delegating more financial powers to the Services, tweaking the procurement procedures, and enforcing indigenisation of defence production by banning import of defence items. These are not practical solutions, as these skirt the basic question: Where is the money?
While financial outlays are important, much can be achieved in military modernisation though improved acquisition procedures, informed decision making, improved productivity of the public sector workforce, co-opting the private sector in a big way in the manufacturing process and by creating a business-friendly eco-system. We also need to shed our ideological chains with respect to exports of weapons and platforms. Thankfully, this has begun.
The process of indigenisation should aim at harmonising the capabilities of our scientists, technicians, industrialists and entrepreneurs with the strengths of our academic and scientific institutions to promote technical innovation in industry including the Defence Sector.
In the wars of 1962, 1965 and even 1971, most of the technologies used by the Indian Armed Forces were not indigenous. Our troops were in the transformation stage and thus, they were dependent almost totally on foreign technologies and this was a lesson for us. In 1958, the government[Read More…]
To re-emphasise, drones help keep our war-fighters out of harm’s way, and are better options in executing some of the abovementioned missions. However, at current state of technology, most missions that a drone is expected to execute, can be executed by a manned asset; vice versa is not true. Given[Read More…]
Subsequently, our battalion received for the capture of Ramnagar, the Theatre Honour: ‘East Pakistan 1971’. On 20 August 1998, on the eve of the golden jubilee of the raising of 8 Madras, a First Day Cover was issued by the Army Postal Service to commemorate the victory. The cover carries[Read More…]
