TECHNOLOGIES FOR STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

AMIT GUPTA prescribes that the Indian armed forces have to adopt the Chinese approach of a “dumpling strategy”, which is to accept what is initially produced by domestic arms manufacturers and then seek improvements as the production line matures and the manufacturer improves quality

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The last three years have seen two wars—Ukraine and Gaza—that have had a major role in influencing the development ofnew weaponry for the military. Additionally, in India, there have been problems associated with the domestic manufacture of critical technologies like engines, which have constrained the timely completion of weapons programs. What should be remembered is that if one combines these factors, what emerges is not just the need for expensive and advanced technologies but also for basic items whose timely and efficient production would help maintain the military balance in South Asia.

Lessons of the two wars

What the Ukraine and Gaza wars have shown us is that while modern technologies have a role to play in the conduct of military operations, they are not the only systems that lead to effective warfare. Thus, in Ukraine, the use of Starlink, the Storm Shadow long-range missiles, and effective air defence systems have adversely impacted the Russian war effort. But, at the same time, rudimentary weapons like first-person view drones—which have been used with great effect by both Russia and Ukraine—and at a rather low-cost revolutionised tactics on the battlefield. Also, old-fashioned artillery has been used with devastating effect by both countries, and the problem for both Kyiv and Moscow has been finding adequate supplies of artillery shells to maintain the tempo of their assaults.