Congress had comfortably owned the national security issue till the time of Indira Gandhi. From mid-1990s however, BJP has come to occupy national security through five ways.
Once it was decided that Modi government would get a free pass on the question of a probable Chinese incursion, every Congress leader – from Nehru to Manmohan – was blamed for seceding territory.
The industries department is in talks with finance and home ministries, and any changes would include transactions under the so-called automatic route.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said there should be no compromise on national security, and strict punishment should be given to those disrupting law and order.
Ventures by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan illustrate how the race for REE security is accelerating, powered by both geopolitical tension and industrial strategy.
ThePrint had previously reported that India & Russia are talking about 5 more regiments of the S-400, but no contracts are to be signed during the Russian president's visit.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
This is not Indias alone war but a war of the world namely us,Japan,Aussies, southeast Asia’s and lastly the Russia’s. The maximum damage if it goes like this will be to usa because the virtual money which usa possess by sake of paper to dollars is directly proportional to its military power. Aussie will have loose its land and Japan and southeast asia the sea but for india some land where even grass doesn’t grow and why have we alone to shed all the blood for a poor resultant visa others to lose.
Have you observed certain undigetable facts. Gimmix of the political leadership. There is a gallon of dishonesty in top level. Trump is not able to repeat that COVID-19 is a delebrate spill of Wohan lab. No one is answering why it spread so fast among the world powers. Why there was no filter at airports?
Like wise, national security does not come by increasing the arms strength. YOu waste more of your national wealth. This lobby is very powerful ,deployed by the arms and aircraft manufactureres. A common diplomatic sense is missing in every nation. We find that this war slogan was raised even before Doklam clash. We were with poltical war, we were with political diplomacy. We will talk of improving relationship. We will say , we will defeat China in Siachin Heights. We are having good neighbourhood talk and join hands with Trump, inspite of the fact, that we are having our exports are going up with USA to replace Chinese market, with the supply of component received from China. Two persons shall come with truth. Chinese Preimer and Indian Primer. WHAT IS GONE WRONG? During covid economic chaos is unfurled too much. Stop speaking of through dollars in arms deal and empty the nations coffers. Please
Whilst there are surely trade-offs between deploying scarce resources for national security as opposed to development, there is surely one immediate step that entails no such trade-offs can be taken by the GOI: combating corruption in defence procurements.
Right from independence, India’s defence capabilities have been beset by the rampant corruption in the procurement process. And regardless of government in power, politicians, MoD babus and middlemen – Indian and foreign – have made tidy sums from India’s defence deals. Some examples:
– 1948: Jeep procurement scam under VK Krishna Menon, Congress;
– 1987: Bofors scam under Rajiv Gandhi, Congress
– 1987: 1987: German manufacturer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) submarine scam; Rajiv Gandhi, Congress;
– 2006: Barak Missile scam. Missiles were purchased at higher rates quoted by the Israeli manufacturer, George Fernandes of BJP + RK Jain of Samata Party
– 1999: Coffin scam, George Fernandes, BJP
– 1999: West End, Tehelka sting revealed that both babus & politicians were willing to buy non-existent equipment for the forces for a fee ! Implicated Jaya – Jaitley & George Fernanded, both from BJP.
– 1995-2002: Denel anti-material rifles and ammunition scam. Nobody indicted
– 2007: Israel Military Industries howitzer scam. I could not find out who benefitted.
– 2010-2011: Rations for ghost soldiers scam, MoD & Forces babus. Rations were being “purchased” for 2.5 lac ghost soldiers.
– 2012: Agusta-Westland of Finmeccanica Purchase of 12 “VVIP” helicopters scam, took place under watch of AK Antony, Congress. Air Chief Tyagi, politicians Ahmad Patil, Veerappa Moily etc. implicated
– 2001 – ongoing : Rafale scam, award of offsets to Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence, a firm with no experience in aerospace, Narendra Modi, BJP.
The above list is a just a small snapshot of the better known scams. Fact is, governments of all hues have been involved in scandals involving procurements for the Forces. And both the BJP and the Congress are equally tainted.
If India can get at least this bit right, it would not only save the lives of soldiers in that they get proper equipment, it would also save the taxpayer of huge expenses. Alas, I am not optimistic that this will happen.
Multiple sources have been used as references. Please see links below:
Defence ProAc: bit.ly/2OsiARd
Arms and the middleman: bit.ly/2OqbpsJ
Transparency International: bit.ly/3h0imNe
Mr A Kumar: Really ? Do you have proof or references to the contrary? After all, I cite 3 sources whilst you merely bray because you don’t like the writing on the wall.
Fact is, under every government in India, there have been corruption scandals, not only in arms procurements but also in other big ticket items. No Indian government has been without its crop of baniyas, babas, babus and Bollywood cronies that have not looted the common man. That has been a constant fixture of all regimes : from Nehru down to Narendra Modi.
Reverse the sequence. This is a seductive argument : Security is priceless. Taken to an extreme, it led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Economic development should be pursued for its own sake, all the more in a desperately poor country. However, also as a means of building up comprehensive national power. The 5 : 1 economic asymmetry does not create a happy situation for national security.
In the present situation, India should have good ties with the democratic western countries and Russia who can support it with arms and militarily in case of war or aggression with China. Although China will create border tensions continually just to assert its power. While India should solve it by discussions, it should not buckle it under Chinese pressure at all and even push them. China can not initiate war against India to malign its image. India should remain very vigilant and create infrastructure for quick access to borders and further strengthen defense along both Chinese and Pak borders. If Chinese see that we can quickly mobilize our military and are vigilant to take quick action against their incursions, they may not go overboard. However, we should also not give up business and economic ties with China while we are strengthening our economy and manufacturing. Thes ties can serve a buffer against Chinese aggression as the more business means that blocking the Chinese companies will cause economic loss to China however small it may be. More business with China means more loss to its companies if we stop business with them in the wake of any Chinese hostilities. Our international friend will also put pressure on China not to show military aggression.
“.. Our international friend will also put pressure on China not to show military aggression ..”
Why would they do that ? One of the first questions in diplomacy is: What’s in it for me ?
So why would anyone wish to shed anything more than crocodile tears over India’s plight?
There is a difference between Security and a Security State. Security needs democracy and what Mao referred to as a Peoples Army. A Peoples Army is not engaged in fighting a war with its own people. A security state is a state in which a small clique of people want to impose their own views on their own people and also sometimes on the entire world and for this they need a huge security apparatus. Hitler’s Germany was an example of such a State. Wanting a powerful army to enforce the ideology of Hindu Nationalism or Hundutva or Islamism or Zionism or Communism even if it means going to war with ones own people who do not subscribe to their ideology would be a characteristic of a security State.In a Security State security comes first and health ,education ,and economic well being all are subservient to it(China calls itself communist but in 2013 Piketty wrote that it had far outdistanced India in spending tax incomes on health,education and infrastructure.). Nehru knew that Kashmir was not a part of the Radcliffe award.Kashmir came as a result of political wheeling dealing (some may call it skulduggery ) and Ladakh came along with it.So if China too wanted a share of the loot there could be mutual accommodation. After all the word Chin in Aksai Chin or SiaChin does not refer to Bharat else it would have been Aksai Bharat and Siabharat.. Unfortunately some hidden hands prevented him from pursuing a rational course and this not only led to a disastrous defeat in 1962 but it seems has now put India on the path of becoming an ideological Hindutva Security State.
This is not Indias alone war but a war of the world namely us,Japan,Aussies, southeast Asia’s and lastly the Russia’s. The maximum damage if it goes like this will be to usa because the virtual money which usa possess by sake of paper to dollars is directly proportional to its military power. Aussie will have loose its land and Japan and southeast asia the sea but for india some land where even grass doesn’t grow and why have we alone to shed all the blood for a poor resultant visa others to lose.
Have you observed certain undigetable facts. Gimmix of the political leadership. There is a gallon of dishonesty in top level. Trump is not able to repeat that COVID-19 is a delebrate spill of Wohan lab. No one is answering why it spread so fast among the world powers. Why there was no filter at airports?
Like wise, national security does not come by increasing the arms strength. YOu waste more of your national wealth. This lobby is very powerful ,deployed by the arms and aircraft manufactureres. A common diplomatic sense is missing in every nation. We find that this war slogan was raised even before Doklam clash. We were with poltical war, we were with political diplomacy. We will talk of improving relationship. We will say , we will defeat China in Siachin Heights. We are having good neighbourhood talk and join hands with Trump, inspite of the fact, that we are having our exports are going up with USA to replace Chinese market, with the supply of component received from China. Two persons shall come with truth. Chinese Preimer and Indian Primer. WHAT IS GONE WRONG? During covid economic chaos is unfurled too much. Stop speaking of through dollars in arms deal and empty the nations coffers. Please
Correct, therefore in the interim (while you develop) non-alignment is a stupid policy.
Whilst there are surely trade-offs between deploying scarce resources for national security as opposed to development, there is surely one immediate step that entails no such trade-offs can be taken by the GOI: combating corruption in defence procurements.
Right from independence, India’s defence capabilities have been beset by the rampant corruption in the procurement process. And regardless of government in power, politicians, MoD babus and middlemen – Indian and foreign – have made tidy sums from India’s defence deals. Some examples:
– 1948: Jeep procurement scam under VK Krishna Menon, Congress;
– 1987: Bofors scam under Rajiv Gandhi, Congress
– 1987: 1987: German manufacturer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) submarine scam; Rajiv Gandhi, Congress;
– 2006: Barak Missile scam. Missiles were purchased at higher rates quoted by the Israeli manufacturer, George Fernandes of BJP + RK Jain of Samata Party
– 1999: Coffin scam, George Fernandes, BJP
– 1999: West End, Tehelka sting revealed that both babus & politicians were willing to buy non-existent equipment for the forces for a fee ! Implicated Jaya – Jaitley & George Fernanded, both from BJP.
– 1995-2002: Denel anti-material rifles and ammunition scam. Nobody indicted
– 2007: Israel Military Industries howitzer scam. I could not find out who benefitted.
– 2010-2011: Rations for ghost soldiers scam, MoD & Forces babus. Rations were being “purchased” for 2.5 lac ghost soldiers.
– 2012: Agusta-Westland of Finmeccanica Purchase of 12 “VVIP” helicopters scam, took place under watch of AK Antony, Congress. Air Chief Tyagi, politicians Ahmad Patil, Veerappa Moily etc. implicated
– 2001 – ongoing : Rafale scam, award of offsets to Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence, a firm with no experience in aerospace, Narendra Modi, BJP.
The above list is a just a small snapshot of the better known scams. Fact is, governments of all hues have been involved in scandals involving procurements for the Forces. And both the BJP and the Congress are equally tainted.
If India can get at least this bit right, it would not only save the lives of soldiers in that they get proper equipment, it would also save the taxpayer of huge expenses. Alas, I am not optimistic that this will happen.
Multiple sources have been used as references. Please see links below:
Defence ProAc: bit.ly/2OsiARd
Arms and the middleman: bit.ly/2OqbpsJ
Transparency International: bit.ly/3h0imNe
All this list you mentioned.
Most are propoganda.
Mr A Kumar: Really ? Do you have proof or references to the contrary? After all, I cite 3 sources whilst you merely bray because you don’t like the writing on the wall.
Fact is, under every government in India, there have been corruption scandals, not only in arms procurements but also in other big ticket items. No Indian government has been without its crop of baniyas, babas, babus and Bollywood cronies that have not looted the common man. That has been a constant fixture of all regimes : from Nehru down to Narendra Modi.
Reverse the sequence. This is a seductive argument : Security is priceless. Taken to an extreme, it led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Economic development should be pursued for its own sake, all the more in a desperately poor country. However, also as a means of building up comprehensive national power. The 5 : 1 economic asymmetry does not create a happy situation for national security.
+1
Exactly my thoughts too.
Valid points. Economic power and military power should be pursued parallely, not one after the other. Military power is paramount.
Mr Srinivas. Have you heard of trade-offs?
In the present situation, India should have good ties with the democratic western countries and Russia who can support it with arms and militarily in case of war or aggression with China. Although China will create border tensions continually just to assert its power. While India should solve it by discussions, it should not buckle it under Chinese pressure at all and even push them. China can not initiate war against India to malign its image. India should remain very vigilant and create infrastructure for quick access to borders and further strengthen defense along both Chinese and Pak borders. If Chinese see that we can quickly mobilize our military and are vigilant to take quick action against their incursions, they may not go overboard. However, we should also not give up business and economic ties with China while we are strengthening our economy and manufacturing. Thes ties can serve a buffer against Chinese aggression as the more business means that blocking the Chinese companies will cause economic loss to China however small it may be. More business with China means more loss to its companies if we stop business with them in the wake of any Chinese hostilities. Our international friend will also put pressure on China not to show military aggression.
Mr Arun Sharma: You proclaim:
“.. Our international friend will also put pressure on China not to show military aggression ..”
Why would they do that ? One of the first questions in diplomacy is: What’s in it for me ?
So why would anyone wish to shed anything more than crocodile tears over India’s plight?
There is a difference between Security and a Security State. Security needs democracy and what Mao referred to as a Peoples Army. A Peoples Army is not engaged in fighting a war with its own people. A security state is a state in which a small clique of people want to impose their own views on their own people and also sometimes on the entire world and for this they need a huge security apparatus. Hitler’s Germany was an example of such a State. Wanting a powerful army to enforce the ideology of Hindu Nationalism or Hundutva or Islamism or Zionism or Communism even if it means going to war with ones own people who do not subscribe to their ideology would be a characteristic of a security State.In a Security State security comes first and health ,education ,and economic well being all are subservient to it(China calls itself communist but in 2013 Piketty wrote that it had far outdistanced India in spending tax incomes on health,education and infrastructure.). Nehru knew that Kashmir was not a part of the Radcliffe award.Kashmir came as a result of political wheeling dealing (some may call it skulduggery ) and Ladakh came along with it.So if China too wanted a share of the loot there could be mutual accommodation. After all the word Chin in Aksai Chin or SiaChin does not refer to Bharat else it would have been Aksai Bharat and Siabharat.. Unfortunately some hidden hands prevented him from pursuing a rational course and this not only led to a disastrous defeat in 1962 but it seems has now put India on the path of becoming an ideological Hindutva Security State.
Good summary of the deep and long term damage imposed on India by 70 years of Congress (mis) rule.
Yes, blame it all on Nehru Mr Yatin Mistry !! And blaming it on Nehru solves the problem right?