Nitin, I accept the unlikely eventuality of a two front war. However, when you contend that our political leadership is astute enough to realise this and therefore doesn’t pay attention to the two front band wagon, I have doubts. Could it possibly be that they are in denial because their basic knowledge of the subject is lacking? Made worse by lack of professional advisors.
Taking the IAF squadron strength as an example, I don’t think the 40+ squadron requirement was based on an imaginary threat. You cant move your air force from one front to another at a moments notice. Even if you can you will then have to leave one flank bare. The enemy will certainly take advantage. Apply the same logic to the ground and naval forces and the two front talk is not just a David Copperfield scenario of Sir, can I have some more.
What we need is more debate on the subject at an appropriate level. What we need even more is to realise that those involved in the debate are not there merely to strengthen turf but to genuinely look for solutions to safeguard our security.
While you have readily brushed off defence of the country as secondary to economic growth, development and the like I remember my basic training where I was told the first priority of any government is to safe guard and protect the territorial integrity of the nation. The military is only a tool to help the government to achieve that.
Some of the comments apear to come from reputed defence ranks. I have one question for them, I am aware about situations that all the defnece wings indulge in. “How to spend the budgeted amount” else the surpus will be returned back, this is the pain every financial year. In a rush to spend the budgeted amount to look good on projections of expendeture, a lot of crap items are bought and most of the time at exorbitant costs. It may be surprising that how even mundane looking office supplies in every depertment adds up to few thousand crores every year. But this is how fitments are done unfortunately, e.g. by buying laptop / computers that was not needed, office equipments, repairs that were not needed. Just to look good on spend commitments. These kind of waste expendetures easily amount to $1-1.5 billion every year. This is an open secret that no one is ready to address. Even centralized procurement is not addressing this issue.
Nitin you seem to be going by what you’re hearing in the lounge and by virtue of your access to the media shoot off a over the drink counter argument! Front or no front of you want to be taken seriously you need armed forces to back your claim. Why are we soft peddling Tibet? Because we feel that if we ruffle the Chinese they can hurt us! Armies read Armed Forces are not to fight or win wars but to avoid them! Get your basics correct because you have the power to influence opinions! Sucking up to the political masters is okay to an extent!
This wisdom that you talk about extracts a daily price in terms of lives. Like Israel, is better to be warriors indulging in trade than vice versa. This story of fawning hero worship caused the debacle of ’62. The defence budget is increasingly burdened by the need to pay for the perks of a large number of civilians and non combatants, thus diluting the status of those who actually fight, as well as cause shortages in ammunition and obsolescence in weaponry. The armed forces are the final instrument of foreign policy. Speak softly, but carry a big stick.
How can you be sure a two front war will not be imposed on us?
We don’t have to start a war. In fact the best way to avoid a war is to be better prepared and let the world know we are..
I agree with Gen Oberoi, also if India seeks to be on the high table,, soft power alone would’ nt do !! Yes it’s an insurance policy, which will ensure that we don’t face a crisis. But the time to take out that policy is now . Also let’s understand that the Armed Forces are not seeking stand alone capability for Two Fronts, but a minimum acceptable capability to make our deterrence credible.
A very balanced view! Two front or two front plus war is created for purposes of training, logistics, other wherewithal for the Armed Forces. More for internal consumption, goal setting, testing skills of Commanders at operational & theatre level. A benchmark shall we say as AFs hv long gestation period for manpower Plg, weapon/equipment procurement & infrastructure creation the three prerequisites for war machinery. In spite of apparent chaotic political environment we have astute leadership & hv come a long way since 1962 or even 1965.if we listen to the cacophony of voices specially from the mil writers we would feel unsafe,
Couldn’t agree with you more. ?
Dear Nitin,
When the military talks about lack of a viable defence budget, it is not for a two or two and a half or more front wars, it is actually about our inability to fight even one front war!
I am sorry to say that basing your arguments ONLY on fronts indicates a lack of knowledge about security issues, even though you belong to a Think Tank that is supposedly among the top think tanks of our country.
Your article reminds me of what the first PM of India had stated – “we do not need an army; the police is good enough for us” or words to that effect. Perhaps you have forgotten 1962!
You have mentioned fawningly about the wisdom of our politicians, but omitted altogether the professional acumen of the armed forces hierarchy, as well as the rank and file of the military, who have to do the fighting with obsolete weapons.
I am sorry to state that an article of this nature, instead of awakening up to realities smacks of an ostrich-like mentality – bury your head and all will be well!
I like your article Sir and generally agree with you!
But we still need to modernize the front line which tackle insurgency , get modern fighter jets in our very depleted Air squadrons and arm the Submarines with weapons! We are not asking for a lot but lets play aggressive catch-up at-least…Hate hearing news story about outdated weapons !
Most retarded article ever. Muslims and Chinamen are trying to wipe us off the face of the earth, it’s time the government stops sleeping, cuts social programs, and makes our submarine based nukes easier to fire and triples the defence budget.
Nitin, I accept the unlikely eventuality of a two front war. However, when you contend that our political leadership is astute enough to realise this and therefore doesn’t pay attention to the two front band wagon, I have doubts. Could it possibly be that they are in denial because their basic knowledge of the subject is lacking? Made worse by lack of professional advisors.
Taking the IAF squadron strength as an example, I don’t think the 40+ squadron requirement was based on an imaginary threat. You cant move your air force from one front to another at a moments notice. Even if you can you will then have to leave one flank bare. The enemy will certainly take advantage. Apply the same logic to the ground and naval forces and the two front talk is not just a David Copperfield scenario of Sir, can I have some more.
What we need is more debate on the subject at an appropriate level. What we need even more is to realise that those involved in the debate are not there merely to strengthen turf but to genuinely look for solutions to safeguard our security.
While you have readily brushed off defence of the country as secondary to economic growth, development and the like I remember my basic training where I was told the first priority of any government is to safe guard and protect the territorial integrity of the nation. The military is only a tool to help the government to achieve that.
Some of the comments apear to come from reputed defence ranks. I have one question for them, I am aware about situations that all the defnece wings indulge in. “How to spend the budgeted amount” else the surpus will be returned back, this is the pain every financial year. In a rush to spend the budgeted amount to look good on projections of expendeture, a lot of crap items are bought and most of the time at exorbitant costs. It may be surprising that how even mundane looking office supplies in every depertment adds up to few thousand crores every year. But this is how fitments are done unfortunately, e.g. by buying laptop / computers that was not needed, office equipments, repairs that were not needed. Just to look good on spend commitments. These kind of waste expendetures easily amount to $1-1.5 billion every year. This is an open secret that no one is ready to address. Even centralized procurement is not addressing this issue.
Nitin you seem to be going by what you’re hearing in the lounge and by virtue of your access to the media shoot off a over the drink counter argument! Front or no front of you want to be taken seriously you need armed forces to back your claim. Why are we soft peddling Tibet? Because we feel that if we ruffle the Chinese they can hurt us! Armies read Armed Forces are not to fight or win wars but to avoid them! Get your basics correct because you have the power to influence opinions! Sucking up to the political masters is okay to an extent!
This wisdom that you talk about extracts a daily price in terms of lives. Like Israel, is better to be warriors indulging in trade than vice versa. This story of fawning hero worship caused the debacle of ’62. The defence budget is increasingly burdened by the need to pay for the perks of a large number of civilians and non combatants, thus diluting the status of those who actually fight, as well as cause shortages in ammunition and obsolescence in weaponry. The armed forces are the final instrument of foreign policy. Speak softly, but carry a big stick.
How can you be sure a two front war will not be imposed on us?
We don’t have to start a war. In fact the best way to avoid a war is to be better prepared and let the world know we are..
I agree with Gen Oberoi, also if India seeks to be on the high table,, soft power alone would’ nt do !! Yes it’s an insurance policy, which will ensure that we don’t face a crisis. But the time to take out that policy is now . Also let’s understand that the Armed Forces are not seeking stand alone capability for Two Fronts, but a minimum acceptable capability to make our deterrence credible.
A very balanced view! Two front or two front plus war is created for purposes of training, logistics, other wherewithal for the Armed Forces. More for internal consumption, goal setting, testing skills of Commanders at operational & theatre level. A benchmark shall we say as AFs hv long gestation period for manpower Plg, weapon/equipment procurement & infrastructure creation the three prerequisites for war machinery. In spite of apparent chaotic political environment we have astute leadership & hv come a long way since 1962 or even 1965.if we listen to the cacophony of voices specially from the mil writers we would feel unsafe,
Couldn’t agree with you more. ?
Dear Nitin,
When the military talks about lack of a viable defence budget, it is not for a two or two and a half or more front wars, it is actually about our inability to fight even one front war!
I am sorry to say that basing your arguments ONLY on fronts indicates a lack of knowledge about security issues, even though you belong to a Think Tank that is supposedly among the top think tanks of our country.
Your article reminds me of what the first PM of India had stated – “we do not need an army; the police is good enough for us” or words to that effect. Perhaps you have forgotten 1962!
You have mentioned fawningly about the wisdom of our politicians, but omitted altogether the professional acumen of the armed forces hierarchy, as well as the rank and file of the military, who have to do the fighting with obsolete weapons.
I am sorry to state that an article of this nature, instead of awakening up to realities smacks of an ostrich-like mentality – bury your head and all will be well!
Jai Ho!!!
I like your article Sir and generally agree with you!
But we still need to modernize the front line which tackle insurgency , get modern fighter jets in our very depleted Air squadrons and arm the Submarines with weapons! We are not asking for a lot but lets play aggressive catch-up at-least…Hate hearing news story about outdated weapons !
Most retarded article ever. Muslims and Chinamen are trying to wipe us off the face of the earth, it’s time the government stops sleeping, cuts social programs, and makes our submarine based nukes easier to fire and triples the defence budget.
This needs telling? How bad is the situation really?