SP Guide Publications puts forth a well compiled articulation of issues, pursuits and accomplishments of the Indian Army, over the years
I am confident that SP Guide Publications would continue to inform, inspire and influence.
My compliments to SP Guide Publications for informative and credible reportage on contemporary aerospace issues over the past six decades.
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By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd) Former Director General of Information Systems, Indian Army |
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has slammed the Government on March 9 through its report tabled in Parliament on Demands for Grants for 2017-18, for its lack adhocism, casual and lackadaisical approach saying it would adversely affect the country's defence preparedness as well as hit the morale of the armed forces. Media may enjoy using the term "slammed" but what is the use? This committee, like all other committees, is just an advisory body whose observations and recommendations are consigned to the cupboard or trash can without much ado. It is certainly not akin to the Senate Armed Forces Committee of the US, to whom the US Government is answerable, which should be the case in any democracy. Isn't it a shame that in a paper submitted to the Indian Government, the National Security Council had appreciated Parliament as the top target of terrorists three years before the attack that found us totally unprepared? But military modernization is not the only issue that is hitting the morale of the armed forces, as indicated by the above committee.
There are many issues contributing to this, some prominent ones being:
If the youth in universities are being programmed for shouting anti-India slogans as part of hybrid warfare of our enemies, so is the move to downgrade military in stature even as it controls increased hostility from across borders. Whether certain government functionaries are gullible innocents or willing collaborators of our adversaries is the moot question. Getting back to the snubbing by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence to the government, the highlights include: in terms of modernization demands for FY 2017-2018, the Army, Navy and Air Force have only received 60%, 67% and 54% respectively; only 86,488 crore has been earmarked for modernization from the total defence outlay of 2.74 lakh crore — what makes matters worse is bulk of this capital will be used to pay "committed liabilities" of earlier arms contracts instead of new projects; Army received only 25,254 crore against its demand of 42,500 crore, and with committed liabilities of 23,000 crores it leaves only 2,254 crore for new projects — which is likely to affect both modernization and operational preparedness; IAF that should have a 458-aircraft force by 2027 is making do with just 235 aircraft at present, with many of them on their last legs; huge deficiencies in authorized and existing levels of ships, submarines and aircraft, and; the Committee has asked government to provision at least another 13,000 crore additional capital for modernization.
As per media, MoD has written to the MoF for additional funds but that may be the end of the story what with the euphoria of the recent elections. India somehow has not been able to strike the appropriate balance between economic development and national security. With predictable difference of opinions, any coherent national security strategy must have a long-term thought process and vision, the basis for which is strategic culture. We neither have a national security strategy and while we desire global status, we take decisions in the cloistered confines of MoD and MoF, which is hardly appropriate.