Editorial: Defence modernisation brooks no delay

India's air power deficit stands aggravated by an ageing fleet and delays in key indigenous projects at a time when China already has two variants of fifth-generation fighters in service and is trialling two new sixth-generation fighters

Faced with a two-front threat from Pakistan and China, India cannot afford to be lax in modernising its military forces. ‘Operation Sindoor’ highlighted the urgency of maintaining battle-readiness in an ever-changing geopolitical environment. However, delays in defence production and delivery remain a major concern for the armed forces, whose valour and professionalism were on display during the recent operation against Pakistan. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh was spot on when he flagged constant delays in defence projects and failure to stick to delivery schedules, especially of fighter jets. While speaking at the CII’s Annual Business Summit recently — his first public interaction post-Operation Sindoor — the Air Chief questioned why those involved in developing military hardware, particularly fighter jets, “promise something which can’t be achieved”. This is particularly relevant because the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now committed to the policy of “atmanirbharta”. There is no denial of the fact that air power is most crucial in contemporary warfare and expeditionary missions. It is time for the Defence Ministry to take urgent measures to reduce procurement delays and implement structural reforms aimed at boosting private sector participation in the defence economy. Key components of these reforms are the removal of outdated practices such as product reservation for defence PSUs and streamlining of procedural bottlenecks that have historically slowed defence acquisitions. The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), 2020, also needs to be reviewed to better align with operational realities and expedite decision-making.

Inordinate delays in the acquisition of modern weapons can be very frustrating. The excruciating delays in the delivery of the Tejas fighter aircraft into service is one such concern. The first batch of 40 ‘Tejas’ Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ordered in 2009-10 is yet to be fully delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The LCA saga holds hard lessons for the defence PSUs, which need to pull up their socks and step up their efficiency levels to meet the growing requirements of the armed forces. There is also an urgent need for an increased role for private partnership in developing defence products and providing more funds for Research & Development (R&D). Currently, the IAF operates 31 combat squadrons against an authorised strength of 42, with Rafale being the most advanced combat jets in its inventory. The air power deficit stands aggravated by an ageing fleet and delays in key indigenous projects, particularly the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and the LCA, at a time when China already has two variants of fifth-generation fighters in service and is trialling two new sixth-generation fighters, and Pakistan is fast-tracking acquisition of 40 Chinese J-35 stealth fighters. Unfortunately, in India, not a single indigenous defence project has been completed on time. At $71 billion, the defence R&D spending in India is very low, compared to $784 billion and China’s $723 billion.

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