Rafale is a reminder
Focus on procurement and defence challenges
The unusual fanfare surrounding the arrival of five Rafale fighters from France is a cautionary tale at many levels. The first is the context of the border confrontation with China. So long as Beijing refuses to restore status quo ante along the Line of Actual Control, India must retain a degree of military readiness as a bargaining chip or as a contingency for further violence. Two, the Rafales represent the first strategically significant upgrade in India’s air power in decades. While India is also fast-tracking the purchase of Russian Migs and Sukhois, one has already been pensioned out of the arsenal and the other serves as a second stringer for the Chinese air force. Three, the importance attached to the Rafales and attempts to fast-track the subsequent batches is a reminder of the slowness of India’s procurement system and the question marks over its indigenisation drive.
India had the luxury of putting defence procurement and reforms on the backburner. After all, it enjoyed military superiority against Pakistan, and had a military restraint understanding with China. The Balakot dogfights showed that, at best, India had technological parity with Pakistan. Galwan Valley has shown Beijing no longer feels the need to be constrained by the past 45 years. The Indian political system has been more concerned about accusations of scandals regarding arms purchases than what the weapons meant for national security. It is telling that the Rafales are the first tangible result of a fighter contract that was first unveiled in 2007. To its credit, the Narendra Modi government has implemented several defence reforms. But the gap has been its focus on weapons indigenisation, where the Make in India focus may not be adequate to address the quality needs of the armed forces. But with the changed security environment, the question has to be asked whether, in the case of offensive platforms, this priority makes sense.
The new paradigm means the services also need to relook at their earlier convictions. Networking allows militaries to get more accurate bang for their buck but barely exists in even the most primitive form in the Indian military. A host of new technologies means older formulae need a rethink. The advent of the armed drone, for example, means the original 42-squadron air force goal of the Indian Air Force may be obsolete. The times they are a-changing in dangerous ways and mindsets need to be a-changing as well.