Greater indigenization essential for future conflicts Prabhat Khabar 24 Jul 2025 Maj Gen Harsha Kakar

https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/opinion/cds-general-anil-chauhan-said-investing-and-building-ourselves-is-important

Greater indigenization essential for future conflicts Prabhat Khabar 24 Jul 2025

          Speaking at a workshop on ‘Indigenization of critical components,’ the CDS, Gen Anil Chauhan, mentioned, ‘We cannot rely on imported technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions. We must invest, build and safeguard ourselves.’ He added that ‘Yesterday’s weapons can’t win today’s wars, tomorrow’s technology is needed to fight today’s battles.’ The Indian defence industry has begun growing in the past few years since it opened to the private sector, however remains in its nascent stages.

          This is not the first time a CDS has raised the subject of greater indigenization with updated technology, as also reducing dependence on imports. The nation’s first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, had stated as early as 2021, ‘India’s wars have to be won with Indian solutions. We cannot be import-dependent if we have to fight and win future wars. Indigenisation, therefore, is the way forward.’ He had also mentioned that the Indian armed forces would wish to fight their next conflict with indigenous weapons.

          Banking on imported weapons is akin to outsourcing our national security as technical details as also shortcomings of equipment being procured globally are known as these companies also provide them to others. There are other disadvantages too. Foreign governments gain control over a nation’s security as also its foreign policies as they have the ability to turn off the tap for spares and replacements, especially during conflicts, which can have ramifications.

India always had to maintain sufficient reserves of spares to cater for shortfalls in supplies at crucial times. Indian defence forces have over 70% of their equipment of Russian origin, hence relations with Russia have to be on an ideal keel. Further, with Russia involved in its own conflict with Ukraine, deliveries slow down, a prime example is the S400 surface to air missile systems. India has therefore begun concentrating on developing its own.

Further, in few cases, there are restrictions on employment of these weapon systems. There are reports of a ‘kill switch’ existing in some products manufactured by the US. No nation can ever hope to become a regional power while being dependent on foreign technology. Indigenization is the ultimate solution.

What is also important is that domestic products are primarily designed to meet Indian security needs, its terrain as also weather conditions. On the contrary imported equipment have to be modified to suit own conditions or operation plans modified to exploit the equipment.

India is amongst few nations in the world which faces threats from almost all its major neighbours. Its two major adversaries, Pakistan and China, apart from colluding against India are also nuclear powers. Both collaborate in destabilizing the nation from within. Borders with both nations are tense.

In such a scenario, India can never let its guard down. National security for the country is paramount. Thus far, India has been amongst the largest importers of military equipment. This trend cannot continue. India, as a developing nation, cannot expend crucial foreign exchange on importing military equipment. The Indian defence budget is steadily increasing providing opportunities for domestic manufacturers.

Operation Sindoor displayed the power of India’s indigenization, which had for years remained unknown. Locally designed and produced air defence systems as also the Indo-Russian BrahMos missiles were show stoppers. The world noticed India’s technological advancements. Demands for Indian defence products witnessed a rise. Simultaneous was the failure of Chinese defence products, which worked to own advantage.

Indigenization also has other benefits, apart from countering known shortcomings and earning foreign exchange. It enhances domestic employment opportunities as also provides a platform for developing dual use technologies. Most technologies on which modern defence equipment is dependent on, also have civilian usage, benefitting all sections of society.

The government has rightly stated that no single institution can claim exclusive rights over specific technologies. This enhances private sector investments in R and D as products such as drones developed for defence can also be employed in multiple other fields. Simultaneously, what needs specific attention is that parts employed in locally produced products are not procured from inimical nations, as these can be tampered with in critical times. In this regard, the army has ordered a detailed assessment on outsourcing of parts of domestically manufactured military products.

Further, Indian defence equipment, once exported, provides the government with multiple advantages. It enables the government to enhance funding in domestic R and D as also cuts costs for induction of the equipment into service. Exports also helps build the nation’s soft power and expand its influence. More importantly it meets the industry demand for economies of scale, making production cost-effective.

Technology is evolving rapidly. Equipment considered state of the art today can become obsolete in a few years. This implies large investments in domestic R and D as also hand-holding of private manufacturers. Expenditure on Indian R and D is currently a meagre 0.64% of India’s GDP compared to 2.4% of China, 3.1 of Germany, 4.8 of South Korea and 3.5 of the US. If we have to compete and meet our defence needs the same has to increase.

The government has introduced multiple initiatives to support the domestic industry. These include regularly publishing Indigenous procurement lists, earmarking specific share of the defence budget for ‘buy Indian’ equipment, Innovations for Defence Excellence (IDEX) and many more. Each service has established specific organizations for interacting with the private defence manufacturers as also guiding them in meeting defence needs. These initiatives are slowly developing India’s domestic defence industry.

Indigenization of defence production is the need of the hour. The nation can no longer be dependent on imports for national security. It needs equipment designed and produced specifically for its own operational environment, especially as threats rise. For this the armed forces, academia and the industry have to work together, backed by government funding. There has been a change in the past decade and the momentum will continue in the future.