INDIA'S DEFENCE PROCUREMENT DILEMMA

THE STRATEGIC contours of international defence procurement shape national security policies and geopolitical alliances. India, in this global narrative, confronts a critical juncture: choosing between proprietary and open standards in its defence procurement.

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This decision transcends technology, embodying strategic intent, economic foresight, and geopolitical acumen. This article unfolds the layers of India's defence procurement strategies, examining the implications of proprietary versus open standards within the canvas of historical ties, current global shifts, and the future trajectory of national security.

Tracing back to the 1950s, India's defence procurement trajectory has been marked by its alignment with the Soviet Union, a relationship cemented by the procurement of proprietary Soviet military hardware. This choice, steeped in the political and strategic calculus of the Cold War, established a pattern of reliance that has endured for decades. Recent initiatives, notably the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative with the United States, have signaled a strategic pivot, initiating a nuanced shift towards a diverse military inventory and the adoption of Western defence technologies. The recent conflict in Ukraine, however has laid bare the vulnerabilities of a monolithic reliance on Russian military equipment, prompting nations, including India, to reassess their defence procurement strategies. These events, alongside the global supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, have catalysed a strategic shift towards a more diversified and technologically robust procurement approach. India's engagements with Western defence corporations, such as Lockheed Martin, underscore a growing preference for interoperability and innovation in military technology.