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.
Govt says approval has been granted considering the strategic importance of certain locations, and ‘reconciling security needs with developmental aspirations’.
For making India aatmanirbhar in defence production, the Modi government, along with the armed forces, private industry and the DRDO, will have to walk the talk.
CDS Rawat-led Department of Military Affairs is trying to fix measures for habitat and infrastructure projects of the armed forces. But its measures signal far-reaching reforms.
PM Modi targets $5 billion in defence exports in next 5 years. If 'Make in India’ reaches its full potential, $10-15 billion is achievable in a decade.
While women are allowed to serve in many other branches, restrictions on sea service put them at a disadvantage against male colleagues when it comes to promotions.
The latest additions to ThePrint’s properties will improve your understanding of the India we live in, whether it's through the prism of AI or civil services.
SEBI probe concluded that purported loans and fund transfers were paid back in full and did not amount to deceptive market practices or unreported related party transactions.
Since 1815, Nepali Gorkhas have served in Indian & British Armies, as well as in Bihar, Bengal & Assam Police. Since Agnipath scheme came in, no Nepal-domiciled Gorkha has enlisted.
What Munir has achieved with Trump is a return to normal, ironing out the post-Abbottabad crease. The White House picture gives us insight into how Pakistan survives, occasionally thrives and thinks.
Well, drones have helped Azerbaijan in its war with Armenia. In this century, there must be some changes in military like everything else in life. Tanks were the heroes of the previous century. It is getting replaced by rocket launchers and armed drones. Thus, India should invest in these new weapons and it is doing so as far as I can tell. India already developed a third option, ultra-fast missiles. Brahmos is definitely a cutting edge technology that India is exploiting well. But even lesser technologies like Akash, Pinaka, Shaurya missiles must be produced in large numbers, tens of thousands, along with automated missile launchers in a war time speed. Then preprogramme the launchers with a single switch to attack the military bases along the India-China border with rain of missies with the goal of maximizing military casualties. It has to be so overwhelming that their missile defense systems fail. Azerbaijan took out military hardware with drones. But in the event of LAC war India should opt for killing soldiers fast and weapons second. China will be able to replace weapons quickly but dead soldiers are harder to replace because of the devastated families who lost them. Thus, India should focus single-mindedly on killing people on the other side of LAC with non-nuclear missiles.
the world need to reduce building war weapons as it brings nothing good only destruction. The world need peace and love tears flow from those who suffers from civil war innocent children and women and men as well.
What would China achieve by going to war with India ?
Occupying and controlling the populated territories is no more a sustainable option.
Giving India a bloody nose (as was done in 1962) with virtually no cost to HERSELF is also unlikely.
The PROBLEM: cost of giving that bloody nose is something the Chinese are not able to quantify because of the unexpected posturing by India..
In addition to the actual cost the Chinese would worry more about the loss of face and a dent to the invincibility that they would want to project..
COUNTRIES WITH MASSIVE DETERENCE CAPACITIES CANOT BE PUSHED TO THE WALL BEYOND A POINT AND THE WORLD KNOWS THAT THE COSTS COULD BE INCALULABLE.
Is China making the same mistake that Sadam Hussain made in the Iran/ Iraq war? By going after Iran thinking that there would be no fight with Shah gone.
Xi thinking that India is busy fighting Covid -19
China’s export version drones have beaten Turkey’s in Libya hands down. US & Israel Drones won’t survive PLA if they can’t survive Iran’s EW.
Russia drones & EW are advanced but not very comprehensive as exposed in Syria war, sign of under funded. They will also not export their best version that can match China’s.
Chinese is not just forefront in drones/anti technology with overwhelming fire power of kinetic weapons and air superiority, but its advanced electronic warfare will blind enemies C&C, disabled its networks, blackout its satellites & GPS reliance, render adversary coordination in chaos & all precision weapons like cruise missiles useless.
Wars is not just on drones & air/ground wars ignorant CDS Rawat boasted, but ability of maintaining command & control, survive cyber attacks, sustainable logistic supply, national integrated strength, maintain functioning infrastructures, political stability, and convertible civil-military mfg capacity.
Unfortunately, India is weakest in all these aspects vs China the world strongest.
China air superiority with 5th Gen fighters & dense layered air defense will have complete air control over India, making the war short & sweet with swarm of drones to pluck out all assets.
Infact China does not even need to invoke its gigantic mfg capacity & overwhelming technology edge/firepower to win the war, a mere 10~30days war sustaining will see India meagre stockpile of ammunition & fuel depleted with only stick & stones left as weapons.
“Drones won the war in Azerbaijan” . Probably a true statement which is very simplistic in the Indian context. Military weapon systems and military tactics are constantly changing. Yesterday it was the UAV today it the drone. What will come tomorrow? we have to anticipate and prepare in advance, if we want to win. We can safeguard our sovereignty and be heard by the world only when we have a strong Military with competent soldiers who can handle sophisticated equipment while also fighting the conventional battles along our long and hostile borders.
We can’t win battles, leave alone wars, by trying to optimise an inadequate budget. I am astounded that with the sort of neighbors and threat we face, none is suggesting enhancing the defence budget. You can’t get modern weapons, and drones, for a pittance. Neither can we make them cheaply – as yet. They definitely can’t be got with part pension of veterans or from the cost of soaps and shampoos of troops.
Let us not fool ourselves. Indian defence budget needs a boost, at least 1% of the GDP more than the current plans, because we have not been spending enough these past decades. For 2019 China’s Defence expenditure plan was US$181 Bn as against US$71 Bn by India (Source -Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)).
Let us just stop hallucinating and wake up to a reality.
Col., you are saying the obvious – just increase the budget. Every military person wants war toys, but don’t you know that India cannot afford it ? It cannot afford education, healthcare or defence.
As for Modi sarkar, they were supposed to bring back black money from abroad and each Indian would get 15 lakhs. All Indians can forgo this 15 lakhs and give it to defence. Where is this money ? You told us Modi is running and running to catch up for 70 years of neglect. As for the money that is available, 3000 crores is used to make a useless Patel statue and now a Vivekananda statue for JNU. Money is spent lavishly on elections, Modi is building a vanity project around Parliament, and he has bought himself a plane so he can travel like the US President and pretend he is in the same league. Huge amount of money is allocated for building concentration camps for Muslims.
The economy has shrunk, we do not have money, and what we have is wasted without accountability. Yet Hindus like you believe Modi is running and running to catch up for 70 years.
Col. you should know the Hindu mentality and its limits.
I just want to remind you of “Kargil”. Kargil showed what Hindus can do and castrate Muslims and will castrtae Chinese too in LAC!
Heads of Staff in India’s military today are more political appointees than people distinguished by their strategic thinking. Someone like Sam Maneckshaw who talked back to leadership would have little chance in today’s setup. Appaling though India’s preparation for drone warfare is, it is not surprising.
I would think a thousand times before making increased budgets available to people who cannot use it wisely.
But tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers will simply evaporate leaving tens of thousands of grieving families!
Helo Snehesh. Hope you are doing good. I am a keen follower of your handle for defense-related updates.
It would be really grateful if you could create more awareness on the evolving significance of Drone warfare (especially Turkish TB2 and Israeli Kamikaze – the ones used by the Azeri army to effectively wipe out Armenian forces/Tanks/S300 Air defense systems). Such light & cheap Loitering munitions (costing only $1Mn apiece) could cause tactical havoc to our soldiers, tanks, and Air defense systems (especially S400’s) in the future.
Also, please cover India’s options regarding our own purchases of such drones and also some possible defense (including the acquisition of some Drone jammers such as the Russian made Belladonna).
This seems to be quite a critical issue but as usual, our Govt/Intelligence agencies seem to be sleeping on it! Thanks in advance!
I have no problem with India using drones at LAC. But India should focus on killing Chinese soldiers rather than their weapons using one area where India is quite advanced, missile technology. India’s current non-nuclear missiles like Brahmos, Akash, Pinaka, Shaurya, etc. are capable of causing enormous death if India does its homework. In six years PM Modi managed to advance Indian defense in every front. Of course India can prepare more and spend more on armaments but India is not that unprepared as some posters appear to suggest. In addition India has support from Israel, France and now United States. Just see how Predator drones miraculously appeared on Indian soil. There are only two visible but there could be twenty somewhere else. We cannot predict outcome but it will be different that 1962.
Hi Snehesh/The Print Team
Could you please help me with a doubt I’ve got. I was thinking about making a voluntary something to the National defence fund and while browsing the ndf site, could see that the spend is way lesser than the funds received. In fact 2019 was the lowest in 5 years.
Why isn’t the government utilising the funds available?
China is miles ahead of India in drone development and deployment. Pakistan has access to Chinese and Turkish drone technology. Our problem is an unimaginative and plodding culture that is complacent and takes comfort in empty slogans. The war-fighting strategy formulation and procurement system is paralyzed due to professional incompetence and a culture of excessive hierarchy and sycophancy; politicization; and lack of accountability in the bureaucracy. No use planning to fight the last war.
Sticking to the subject, Drones or aerial warfare is effective when your adversary is not tech advance. Drones can be jammed in matter of minutes and that’s upcoming thing in warfare. Pak and China both have hands on such technologies and so has India. Comparing Armenia/ Azerbaijan conflict or war theatre with indo-china is incorrect. Matter of fact is, even Indian hobbyists and private sector is capable of producing complex drones in large numbers. Modern warfare is electronic, not ammunition.
It is surprising how someone praises and appreciates article snippets from Communist Government Propaganda Machinery such as Global Times. It is best left for the people who are on the job, have the experience and in the field to do and decide what is best in the interest of country. Rather than sitting at home with internet, a computer and surfing around the web to gain knowledge and commenting without verification, author must report from ground. The Print owes responsibility to its readers. The Print cannot get away with a small disclaimer at the end of each article, “Views are personal.”.
The BJP has put India in a tight spot with possibility of a two front war, with two nuclear neighbours, and with even Nepal against India. China will drive India into an arms race India cannot afford.
India is not an R & D oriented nation Small countries like Israel and Turkey make drones. So does Pakistan.
Instead of attending to these, the BJP has focused on what they do best – internal warfare against minorities. India is unlikely to survive the next 50 years as one country. History shows countries have come and gone, even large and apparently powerful ones, and new countries are formed.
Our defence budget is used up in providing salaries and pensions post OROP. There is unfortunately no political resilience to make the barely literate populace understand we need Jai Vigyaan, Jai Industries rather than wallow in 18th century Jai Kisaan Jai Jawaan rhetoric.
Well, drones have helped Azerbaijan in its war with Armenia. In this century, there must be some changes in military like everything else in life. Tanks were the heroes of the previous century. It is getting replaced by rocket launchers and armed drones. Thus, India should invest in these new weapons and it is doing so as far as I can tell. India already developed a third option, ultra-fast missiles. Brahmos is definitely a cutting edge technology that India is exploiting well. But even lesser technologies like Akash, Pinaka, Shaurya missiles must be produced in large numbers, tens of thousands, along with automated missile launchers in a war time speed. Then preprogramme the launchers with a single switch to attack the military bases along the India-China border with rain of missies with the goal of maximizing military casualties. It has to be so overwhelming that their missile defense systems fail. Azerbaijan took out military hardware with drones. But in the event of LAC war India should opt for killing soldiers fast and weapons second. China will be able to replace weapons quickly but dead soldiers are harder to replace because of the devastated families who lost them. Thus, India should focus single-mindedly on killing people on the other side of LAC with non-nuclear missiles.
the world need to reduce building war weapons as it brings nothing good only destruction. The world need peace and love tears flow from those who suffers from civil war innocent children and women and men as well.
What would China achieve by going to war with India ?
Occupying and controlling the populated territories is no more a sustainable option.
Giving India a bloody nose (as was done in 1962) with virtually no cost to HERSELF is also unlikely.
The PROBLEM: cost of giving that bloody nose is something the Chinese are not able to quantify because of the unexpected posturing by India..
In addition to the actual cost the Chinese would worry more about the loss of face and a dent to the invincibility that they would want to project..
COUNTRIES WITH MASSIVE DETERENCE CAPACITIES CANOT BE PUSHED TO THE WALL BEYOND A POINT AND THE WORLD KNOWS THAT THE COSTS COULD BE INCALULABLE.
Is China making the same mistake that Sadam Hussain made in the Iran/ Iraq war? By going after Iran thinking that there would be no fight with Shah gone.
Xi thinking that India is busy fighting Covid -19
China’s export version drones have beaten Turkey’s in Libya hands down. US & Israel Drones won’t survive PLA if they can’t survive Iran’s EW.
Russia drones & EW are advanced but not very comprehensive as exposed in Syria war, sign of under funded. They will also not export their best version that can match China’s.
Chinese is not just forefront in drones/anti technology with overwhelming fire power of kinetic weapons and air superiority, but its advanced electronic warfare will blind enemies C&C, disabled its networks, blackout its satellites & GPS reliance, render adversary coordination in chaos & all precision weapons like cruise missiles useless.
Wars is not just on drones & air/ground wars ignorant CDS Rawat boasted, but ability of maintaining command & control, survive cyber attacks, sustainable logistic supply, national integrated strength, maintain functioning infrastructures, political stability, and convertible civil-military mfg capacity.
Unfortunately, India is weakest in all these aspects vs China the world strongest.
China air superiority with 5th Gen fighters & dense layered air defense will have complete air control over India, making the war short & sweet with swarm of drones to pluck out all assets.
Infact China does not even need to invoke its gigantic mfg capacity & overwhelming technology edge/firepower to win the war, a mere 10~30days war sustaining will see India meagre stockpile of ammunition & fuel depleted with only stick & stones left as weapons.
“Drones won the war in Azerbaijan” . Probably a true statement which is very simplistic in the Indian context. Military weapon systems and military tactics are constantly changing. Yesterday it was the UAV today it the drone. What will come tomorrow? we have to anticipate and prepare in advance, if we want to win. We can safeguard our sovereignty and be heard by the world only when we have a strong Military with competent soldiers who can handle sophisticated equipment while also fighting the conventional battles along our long and hostile borders.
We can’t win battles, leave alone wars, by trying to optimise an inadequate budget. I am astounded that with the sort of neighbors and threat we face, none is suggesting enhancing the defence budget. You can’t get modern weapons, and drones, for a pittance. Neither can we make them cheaply – as yet. They definitely can’t be got with part pension of veterans or from the cost of soaps and shampoos of troops.
Let us not fool ourselves. Indian defence budget needs a boost, at least 1% of the GDP more than the current plans, because we have not been spending enough these past decades. For 2019 China’s Defence expenditure plan was US$181 Bn as against US$71 Bn by India (Source -Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)).
Let us just stop hallucinating and wake up to a reality.
Col., you are saying the obvious – just increase the budget. Every military person wants war toys, but don’t you know that India cannot afford it ? It cannot afford education, healthcare or defence.
As for Modi sarkar, they were supposed to bring back black money from abroad and each Indian would get 15 lakhs. All Indians can forgo this 15 lakhs and give it to defence. Where is this money ? You told us Modi is running and running to catch up for 70 years of neglect. As for the money that is available, 3000 crores is used to make a useless Patel statue and now a Vivekananda statue for JNU. Money is spent lavishly on elections, Modi is building a vanity project around Parliament, and he has bought himself a plane so he can travel like the US President and pretend he is in the same league. Huge amount of money is allocated for building concentration camps for Muslims.
The economy has shrunk, we do not have money, and what we have is wasted without accountability. Yet Hindus like you believe Modi is running and running to catch up for 70 years.
Col. you should know the Hindu mentality and its limits.
I just want to remind you of “Kargil”. Kargil showed what Hindus can do and castrate Muslims and will castrtae Chinese too in LAC!
Heads of Staff in India’s military today are more political appointees than people distinguished by their strategic thinking. Someone like Sam Maneckshaw who talked back to leadership would have little chance in today’s setup. Appaling though India’s preparation for drone warfare is, it is not surprising.
I would think a thousand times before making increased budgets available to people who cannot use it wisely.
But tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers will simply evaporate leaving tens of thousands of grieving families!
Helo Snehesh. Hope you are doing good. I am a keen follower of your handle for defense-related updates.
It would be really grateful if you could create more awareness on the evolving significance of Drone warfare (especially Turkish TB2 and Israeli Kamikaze – the ones used by the Azeri army to effectively wipe out Armenian forces/Tanks/S300 Air defense systems). Such light & cheap Loitering munitions (costing only $1Mn apiece) could cause tactical havoc to our soldiers, tanks, and Air defense systems (especially S400’s) in the future.
Also, please cover India’s options regarding our own purchases of such drones and also some possible defense (including the acquisition of some Drone jammers such as the Russian made Belladonna).
This seems to be quite a critical issue but as usual, our Govt/Intelligence agencies seem to be sleeping on it! Thanks in advance!
I have no problem with India using drones at LAC. But India should focus on killing Chinese soldiers rather than their weapons using one area where India is quite advanced, missile technology. India’s current non-nuclear missiles like Brahmos, Akash, Pinaka, Shaurya, etc. are capable of causing enormous death if India does its homework. In six years PM Modi managed to advance Indian defense in every front. Of course India can prepare more and spend more on armaments but India is not that unprepared as some posters appear to suggest. In addition India has support from Israel, France and now United States. Just see how Predator drones miraculously appeared on Indian soil. There are only two visible but there could be twenty somewhere else. We cannot predict outcome but it will be different that 1962.
Hi Snehesh/The Print Team
Could you please help me with a doubt I’ve got. I was thinking about making a voluntary something to the National defence fund and while browsing the ndf site, could see that the spend is way lesser than the funds received. In fact 2019 was the lowest in 5 years.
Why isn’t the government utilising the funds available?
Thank you.
China is miles ahead of India in drone development and deployment. Pakistan has access to Chinese and Turkish drone technology. Our problem is an unimaginative and plodding culture that is complacent and takes comfort in empty slogans. The war-fighting strategy formulation and procurement system is paralyzed due to professional incompetence and a culture of excessive hierarchy and sycophancy; politicization; and lack of accountability in the bureaucracy. No use planning to fight the last war.
Sticking to the subject, Drones or aerial warfare is effective when your adversary is not tech advance. Drones can be jammed in matter of minutes and that’s upcoming thing in warfare. Pak and China both have hands on such technologies and so has India. Comparing Armenia/ Azerbaijan conflict or war theatre with indo-china is incorrect. Matter of fact is, even Indian hobbyists and private sector is capable of producing complex drones in large numbers. Modern warfare is electronic, not ammunition.
It is surprising how someone praises and appreciates article snippets from Communist Government Propaganda Machinery such as Global Times. It is best left for the people who are on the job, have the experience and in the field to do and decide what is best in the interest of country. Rather than sitting at home with internet, a computer and surfing around the web to gain knowledge and commenting without verification, author must report from ground. The Print owes responsibility to its readers. The Print cannot get away with a small disclaimer at the end of each article, “Views are personal.”.
correct
The BJP has put India in a tight spot with possibility of a two front war, with two nuclear neighbours, and with even Nepal against India. China will drive India into an arms race India cannot afford.
India is not an R & D oriented nation Small countries like Israel and Turkey make drones. So does Pakistan.
Instead of attending to these, the BJP has focused on what they do best – internal warfare against minorities. India is unlikely to survive the next 50 years as one country. History shows countries have come and gone, even large and apparently powerful ones, and new countries are formed.
OK, so go jump in the Jheelam river and commit S…………
?
Our defence budget is used up in providing salaries and pensions post OROP. There is unfortunately no political resilience to make the barely literate populace understand we need Jai Vigyaan, Jai Industries rather than wallow in 18th century Jai Kisaan Jai Jawaan rhetoric.