On 21 April 1975, Godhra MP and founding member of Swatantra Party spoke in the Lok Sabha during a debate on defence expenditure and purchase of arms. 'We have been, especially since the last war with Pakistan, shopping round the world.'
A recent report by SIPRI revealed that while India remains the largest importers of arms, Russia’s contribution to its imports declined between 2018-2022 and French exports increased.
At the end of May, US announced military assistance worth $4.6 billion for Ukraine, UK has announced military aid worth £1.3 billion, while EU has declared €2 billion in military support.
SIPRI's 2021 Trends in International Arms Transfers report says India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, and China were world's top 5 arms importers in 2017-21 period.
Procurement procedures in the armed forces are near perfect. So if sub-standard equipment pass through, it's either because the leadership is corrupt or it is incompetent.
India is now looking at acquiring 6 armed drones from the US instead of the planned mix of 30 armed and non-armed drones. It is also in talks with Israel.
The recent resignations of its seniormost judges are among the most pointed institutional protests Pakistan has witnessed since the lawyers’ movement of the late 2000s.
Without a Congress revival, there can be no challenge to the BJP pan-nationally. Modi’s party is growing, and almost entirely at the cost of the Congress.
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