Defence

Is Defence Compromised?

M K Dhar
 

With China and Pakistan scaling their defence outlay India needs to look after its defence needs in that perspective. It must not be forgotten that while China has moved far ahead in recent years, it support to Pakistan with ‘special friendship’ is posing a real threat to India. The protestations of both countries cannot be relied upon and the only way out is that the defence forces be strengthened and modernized and done without any further delay..

With the security environment around India continuing to deteriorate, the need to tighten up vigilance and upgrading the equipment with the Armed Forces has assumed greater urgency.   China and Pakistan have both substantially scaled up their defence expenditure, which is causing concerns to the Indian defence planners because of the long-standing nexus between the two countries which operates to Indian's detriment.   The Armed Forces have been demanding higher out-lays to meet rising manpower and equipment costs and , therefore, it makes little sense that nearly Rs. 3,000 crores from last year's Defence Budget on capital account remained unspent.   One cannot advocate wasteful spending under any circumstance, but continued neglect of the forces' requirements can cost the country dearly.

In Asia, China's military spending is touching very high levels on account of its competition with the United States, whom it still considers as the principal security threat.   But, China has a long border with India and a boundary dispute which defies solution despite countless rounds of official-level talks and even political intervention.   What is more worrisome is China-Pakistan defence cooperation which has led to injection of huge quantities of Chinese armament to Pakistan's Armed Forces at throw-away "special friendship" prices, or even unstated outright gift, meant to be used against India.   China defied all non-proliferation norms by transferring nuclear technology and equipment to Pakistan that made it a nuclear-weapon state.  It continues to supply tanks and fighter aircraft to Pakistan, which is a military ally of the US and NATO.

The pacifists in India, including those in charge of the country's finances, ought to bear in mind that Pakistan has also started getting deliveries of US equipment, including F-16 fighters.   China has begun supply of JF-17 fighters also, which has Russian engines, with plans for licensed production.   Obviously, when India expressed concerns, Russia made some low noises in the beginning against the deal, but is now looking the other way.   Indirectly now Russian companies are strengthening Pakistan's defence via China.  The Russian Prime Minister made a visit to Pakistan recently, the first in decades, obviously to firm up trade defence and other ties of which details have not yet been released.

The point is that whereas India has not yet received even a screw from the US, despite the hype about the nuclear deal, which is stalled due to non-finalization of the 123 legislation, Pakistan is acquiring defence equipment from all countries which proclaim India to be a friend.   Such being the security scenario and India's heightened threat perceptions, leaving the forces under-equipped and ill-prepared to safeguard the country's integrity and security cannot be tolerated.   The nation cannot afford to be lulled into sleep by the peace processes and friendship chant and its defence undermined.

Missiles being now the preferred weapons of defence, as well as, offence, India lags behind Pakistan and China in this field.   China has a big inventory of intermediate-range nuclear capable ballistic missiles which can cover the whole of India, besides inter continental missiles ICBMs.   All the missiles being tested by Pakistan are renamed Chinese and North Korean missiles of M-11, Nodong, Taepedong etc series.   China has also set up a missile assembly and producing facility in Fatehjung in Pakistan to boost production of this weapon, which is meant to be used only against India.  So far, only our Prithvi missile with a 300 km range is fully operational and has been handed over to the Army and deployed.   Agni I and II, though tested are still undergoing further trials and are yet to be deployed.  Agni III intermediate-range (3000 kms) missile has just been successfully tested, but it will take another two to three years of further testing before its deployment will be considered.   Though the gap is gradually being narrowed.  China is bound to ensure that Pakistan maintains the edge over India in this field by supplying more missiles to it.

The Army's search for the much-needed 152/155 mm long range guns as replacement for the Bofors 150 mm gun which has performed superbly and to the Army's satisfaction is still continuing.   The Army proposes to buy initially 180 tracked and 220 wheeled systems and nearly a dozen countries including France, Germany, Israel, Sweden, South Korea and Slovakia are in the race as suppliers.   The guns will be evaluated on the basis of performance in extreme of climate and terrain – in Rajasthan and Ladakh – and their performance for target acquisition, firing rte, accuracy and command and communications will be assessed. But, it is taking unduly long to select a gun most wanted for the Army's needs, There ought to be no reservations about acquiring the improved version of the Bofors gun, despite the pay-offs controversy, which the opposition parties are keeping alive, without any result.

The much-trumpeted Arjun Tank, which never really too off, is again being projected as the answer to the Army's need for frontline, sophisticated and maneuverable tanks.   After the DRDO was criticized for wasting public funds while doing very little by way of developing new and improve defence equipment, it was again offered Arjun MBT of 60 tonnes, with 120 mm gun and a 1400 – 1500 hp MTU engine with Renk Transmission of Germany providing a power pack, for trials.   It is claimed that its gun is better than the Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks.  It is said to be fitted with state-of-art optro-electronic power-packed control system, weapon management system and high performance suspension.   The earlier versions of Arjun were rejected by the Army because of an under-powered engine, low maneuverability and overheating problem.  Plans to mount an indigenously manufactured engine on it have not succeeded as they failed to deliver 1400-1500 hp.

The Army requires about 3500 tanks immediately and it may not be possible to produce all of them indigenously even under collaboration with a foreign supplier.   The capacity of the Heavy Vehicles Factory Avadi is limited and it cannot execute such a large order within a reasonable time. It all depends on the result of the Army's trials for which it has placed orders of only 126 pieces.   Thus, indigenous production of such a huge order is not possible and the country will have to continue relying on imports of the latest Russian T-92 tanks for many years.   Testing the Arjun MBT should not unduly delay acquisition of the tank needed by the ground forces in view of the fact that Pakistan has acquired close to 1200 tanks from China, mostly based on Russian design.   Russian Premier Fradkov was in Islamabad obviously to offer Russian military equipment directly, instead of Islamabad getting it from China.

The Indian Air Force also is badly in need of replacement for its ageing fleet of MiG series fighters and has made known its intention to buy 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) in an immediate requirement, delaying of which could be dangerous.   Even though arrangements for purchase of additional 40 Su-30 MKI multi-role fighters from Russia have been finalized, that will not take care of the immediate requirements.   The IAF fleet may be large in numbers but the bulks of the planes are old and outdated and need replacement.   The inventory of Mirage and Jaguar is woefully inadequate and, even with the Su-30 MKIs, leaves much to be desired.  

The new Air Chief Fali Homi Major  talks of IAF being transferred into a global player, with the capability to operate around the globe.   The Su-30 and Mirage fighters can operate long distances with extended ranges with the help of IL-78 mid-air refueling aircraft, six of which are being acquired.   As India grows economically, it needs to further enhance its strategic reach with new acquisitions in addition to the plans to have 190 Su-30 MKI fighters.   The essence of the thing is in the time, particularly so because Pakistan is receiving large consignments of Chinese JF-17 fighters with Russian R-33 engines, as well as US F-16s Awaks etc etc. to neutralize any edge India may have in this area.

Defence Minister A. K. Antony talks of inviting FDI in the defence sector in order to step up indigenous production of the much needed equipment.   But the Government's offset policy, under which vendors will have to enter into agreements with local companies to source items worth 30 per cent of the deal, is not found acceptable to foreign entrepreneurs, particularly those manufacturing sensitive items.   They insist that the offset policy would come in the way lead to compromising on quality and cost escalation and affect their reputation.  An Israeli company supplying radars has entered into agreements with L&T and Astra Microwave.   A redrafting of two tenders for acquisition of helicopters has also been ordered with Hindustan Aeronautics and Bharat Electronics ready to enter into agreements with foreign companies.   The foreign supplier has the right to insist on quality and precision manufacture of local components which will come upto expectations because some of the Indian companies are reputed internationally.   The process, however, needs to be accelerated as defence demands priority handling.

Ultimately, it is not the Government's intention to acquire defence equipment worth $20 billion on a priority basis that matters, as the need to expedite procedure, speed up tendering and evaluation processes and firming up decisions within the shortest possible time.   Delays will be dangerous and the political leadership will be held responsible for endangering national security.

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