Continuing their joint Seminar series, The Delhi Forum for Strategic Studies (DFFSS) and The Society for Aerospace Studies(SAS) organised a seminar on ‘Defending India : Urgent Modernisation Imperatives’ on 3 June 2019, at the India International Centre, New Delhi. India is situated in one of the most volatile regions of the world,and faces numerous strategic and security challenges. Whilst major wars may well be only a distant possibility, numerous threats persist and cannot be wished away. In fact, the asymmetrical challenges to India’s security, which are both internal to it and emanate from outside, have created a peculiar dilemma in which the nation finds itself exposed on “two-and-a-half fronts”,which loom large and real to imperil its safety. Urgent security reforms, including modernisation of India’s defence forces is therefore imperative.
Introductory remarks were made by Lt Gen Kamal Davar, former Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency and founder of the DFFSS, a distinguished soldier and strategic thinker and who has continuously made pertinent precise assessments of the military as well as policy issues. Lt Gen Davar flagged some issues and shared the urgent need for modernisation of the Indian defence forces so as to ensure military readiness to meet conventional and unconventional challenges that are affecting India’s sense of internal security and its safety in the volatile neighbourhood. In so doing, he highlighted the importance of private players to co-develop military infrastructure in the country. India being one of the largest importers of military equipment, Lt Gen Davar also suggested that policy-makers must match their rhetoric with actual steps taken on the ground. Bureaucratic sluggishness and an over-cautious approach need to give way to dynamism and fresh thinking, both crucial in an ever-changing world. Capabilities and operations of India’s defence forces have certainly been impacted by political overtures, but the lack of requisite equipment can potentially put the country in harm’s way, at a time when adversaries are modernising continuously.
Focus at this Seminar was on the status of new fighter aircraft acquisitions, with timelinesas priority on which former DCAS Air Marshal Nirdosh Tyagi made his keynote presentation, thereafter followed by industry representatives who flagged the need for establishing catalysts, leading to meaningful transfer of technologies and thus ‘Making in India’.
Plans and perspectives of Indian Naval Aviation were thereafter articulated by Rear Admiral Davinder Sudan, former ACNS (Air) and latelySenior directingstaff at the National Defence College. The Indian Army’s modernisation imperatives were the theme of Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia, former Director General of Military Operations and now Director CENJOWS, the Inter Services think tank. Concluding remarks were made by Dr Manoj Joshi, the well-known political and defence analyst with ORF.
Air Marshal Nirdosh Tyagi
Air Marshal NirdoshTyagi began with an overview of the combat aircraft situation as prevails today with timeline estimates as to inductions of new types in the next decades. He did not dwell on the vexed matter of MiG-21/MiG-27s phasing out, with its successor yet to be identified (MMRCA 2.0 ?), however, focussed on replacement of the present 12 squadrons of ‘legacy’ types (Jaguar, MiG-29, Mirage 2000), inducted in the 1980-90s and projected for phase out from frontline service in the early 2030s. The IAF has pinned its hopes on the indigenous LCA Mk.II, now given a new appellation of ‘MWF’ or medium weight fighter, whose induction into the IAF is projected as from 2028. The earlier 83 numbers of the LCA Mk.IA are planned to be inducted from 2023, even though HAL have yet to complete integration and certification of key new systems which distinguish this variant from the earlier Mk.1.
The former Deputy Chief referred to the ‘110 new fighters’ which the IAF has issued an RFI for two years back but considering the processes ahead, induction of these could take another 8-10 years after selection, which is sobering reality. Considering this, the Air Marshal felt that instead of waiting for the yet to be formalised “strategic partnership” route, the 110 fighter programme should be progressed under the ‘buy and make Indian’ approach with the private sector fully involved. He was also open in his views that ‘offsets’ should be discontinued and DPSUs privatise or become competitive.
As for the next (5th) generation fighter, the Indian government has “opted out” from joint development with Russia of the FGFA (now the Su-57), first deliveries of the indigenous advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) would not be before 2035. It would be certainly advantageous to team up with other nations and OEMs for co-development and co-production of the next generation fighter.
Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi (centre) with Air Marshal AjitBhavnani, Air Commodore SurenTyagi and Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak.
The Interactive Session was moderated byPushpindar Singh, President The Society for Aerospace Studies who after a brief backgrounder, requested the various distinguished Air Marshals present to reflect on the presentations made. Former CASAir Chief Marshal SP Tyagi shared his views on the pressing need for modernisation of the Indian Air Force and that procurement of not only new gen fighters but other force multipliers. Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani, stressed the importance of co-development and co-production to ensure both timely availability of different hardware and the need for prioritising on indigenous R&D. His views were seconded by Air Marshal DC Kumaria. While Air Marshall Vinod Patney agreed that while the present state-of-affairs wasreal, he cautioned against over pessimism. Summing up this Session, it is apparent that the “Air Force knows what it wants – but does not get what it needs” !
Naval Aviation
Rear Admiral Davinder Sudan
Rear Admiral Davinder Sudan, who has just recently hung up his flying boots, has had a chequered career, having commanded the Sea Harrier squadron,as also 4 warships, including guided missile destroyers, before taking over as ACNS (Air) and then as being senior directing staff at the National Defence College.
He took the previous discussions forward and observed the manner in which Indian defence forcesin general and Indian Naval Aviation, in particular, are on the cusp of major changes. These are both structural and operational in nature, butmust include reforms of various kinds and progressing towards a defined set of goals. He stressed on the need for ongoingupgradation of systems, which as he noted, is different from buying newer platforms. Rear Admiral Sudan also highlighted some of the critical issues that have imperilled the procurement process for the Indian Naval Aviation as well. While he did not deride offsets for what they are worth, he did share the sentiments of the preceding speakers and spoke on the need for (a long overdue) change and the hindrances to the strategic partnership model, which can certainly become an effective production and delivery mechanism.
Vice Admiral Anup Singh, with Air Marshal VR Choudhari DCAS on his left
The ensuing interactive session was moderated by Vice Admiral Anup Singh, who has had a distinguished career in the Navy, retiring as FOC-in-C, Eastern Naval Command, has since been actively engaged with different think-tanks, sharing his insightful views on naval issues and much else. Hefocussed on theparticular challenges that India faces by virtue of being one of the largest peninsular countries in the world. With as many as eight different choke points, many serving as entry and exit to open seas present in the Indian Ocean, he stressed on the need for sustained maritime surveillance as being major challenge for India’s security in this vast ocean-centric region. Recalling what the former US Secretary of State had once said, the Admiral noted the urgency for India to assume a bigger role – that of a net security provider – in the Indian Ocean and not be content in remaining only a linchpin,which it is today.
Indian Army :Modernisation Imperatives
Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia with Vice Admiral SPS Cheema on his right
This Session was addressed by Lt GenVinod Bhatia, who retired as Director General of Military Operations after which he was appointed at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff as the Director of Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS).
There is imperative need to modernise the Indian Army, one of the largest in the world. The General lamented the present state-of-affairs in which, according to him, all of the 38 items essentially needed by the soldier,“is suboptimal”. On the necessary push needed to spur indigenous research and development, he was of the view that previous US sanctions against India would not have been so bad after all ! The way forward, according to him was to away with the present anarchic procurement procedures, create avenues for greater self-reliance and ensure greater alignment of responsibilities, ‘authority’ currently with the government and ‘accountability’ shouldered by the Armed Forces !
Major General Ashok Mehta with Air Marshal DC Kumaria on his right
The distinguished solder and now articulate member of several national and international think tanks, Major General Ashok Mehta, cautioned against excessive interference by the National Security Advisor in the matters of the defence forces. The General conceded that while India faces a “many fronts war”, perhaps one does not even quite know what the threat is ! Operational requirements and tactics,are vital as much as are strategic and systemic demands. What is needed today is a combined defence ecosystem in which there is greater joint-ness, cohesion and coherence – amongst other things.
Dr Manoj Joshi
In his concluding remarks Dr Manoj Joshi, the very well known defence and political analyst, who has also been a member of the National Security Advisory Board and currently a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, brought the seminar to close by underlining the importance of comprehensive defence reforms for which, he said, “we need to talk to the politicians”. Practical requirements, Dr Joshi observed, must be interactive with policy changes in a manner that they create a symbiotic ecosystem in which “the defence forces thrive and with it the security of India survives”.
Chayanika Saxena