ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT : MODERNISATION OF DEFENCE FORCES WITH EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

“One who performs duties (Karma) without desire for rewards (Fruits) is certainly superior” - Chapter 5 of Bhagwat Gita - This is the prevailing conviction of every Indian Armed force personnel.

Technological advancements have significantly transformed the landscape of military power and warfare strategies. Over the past three decades, defence technology has witnessed rapid evolution, leading to the development of sophisticated military systems. This shift has not only altered the methodology of traditional war-fighting but has also expanded the scope of conflicts into hybrid domains, incorporating niche technology and space elements thereby narrowing down the decision-making space for defenders. Critical targets in depth are now fully vulnerable due to the advancements in technology. This changed scenario requires military strategists to adapt and develop new tactics to protect their interests in this increasingly complex and high-stakes environment.

Demystifying the Real Threat

India's security strategy, particularly concerning the concept of a two-front war with the earlier traditional ‘boots on ground preparedness’ to tackle potential threats from both China and Pakistan is one of the most debated topics in the recent years by the defence strategists. However, as global security dynamics evolve, it is crucial to assess whether such a scenario remains plausible. Over the years, China has actively continued to modernise their military capabilities as also has tried to strengthen strategic partnership with Pakistan. Though, currently Pakistan is going through a bad state both economically and internal insecurity wise, yet their collusion which is indicative of the risk of limited skirmishes or proxy wars cannot be entirely ruled out. Also, they have been known to employ indirect & non kinetic domains of conflict, such as supporting proxy forces or engaging in cyber warfare. Therefore, any conventional war with India will undoubtedly open doors for direct intervention by certain global powers, taking full advantage of the prevailing situation to settle their own personal scores with China. So, then, where does the real threat on India actually prevail? 

Changing Character of War

Armed forces of the countries worldwide are investing heavily in advanced technologies to strengthen their military capabilities. Cyber, space, robotics, directed energy weapons and quantum technology are becoming increasingly crucial domains for warfare. Infusion of niche technologies have facilitated gravitation of conflicts from kinetic to non - kinetic and non- contact domains with enhanced reach to ensure non simultaneity and non-linearity in battles. Advancing technologies have facilitated prominence of Grey Zone Warfare. The United States and China are leading the charge in development of Artificial Intelligence, potentially creating robotic-powered standing armies. Geo-engineering technologies such as the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) give the US military the ability to manipulate weather and militarization of space. Russia and China have also raced substantially in developing the capabilities of militarising Space. Moreover, recent reports have frowned concerns over China’s venture into weaponisation of weather as well.

In today's uncertain world order and rapidly evolving global landscape, a paradigm shift in defence strategies is necessary by embracing diverse components and advanced technologies. This involves reorienting armed forces to incorporate non-military components as a prerequisite for effective war fighting. The focus should transit from threat-based forces to capability-driven structures with substantial offensive content, aiming to establish both punitive deterrence and expansionist intent.

Atmanirbharta : Road to Viksit Bharat 

Fortunately, today we see India turning into a fastest growing economy globally surpassing China. With a GDP of $ 3.7 trillion (2023) and as per the latest report of MoD, exports related to defence and technology have grown by 31 times in the last ten years to stand at Rs 21,083 cr ($2.63 bn) in 2023-24. India is now the fifth largest economy in the world and on track to become one of the top three economies globally by 2028. What has brought about this big change? Undoubtedly, it’s the visionary program of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ led by Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi, who visualises a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. He has laid out a well-planned roadmap that treats defence as a critical sector for fostering economic growth. One of the key outcomes of this initiative is the increased role of MSMEs in the defence industry. By empowering these businesses, the government has nurtured a more robust and self-sufficient ecosystem within the defence sector. This has led to enhanced domestic production capabilities and contributed to India's economic growth.

Year 2023 marked significant progress towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant, secure and inclusive India, particularly in the realm of defence production and Armed Forces modernisation. Achieving 'Atmanirbharta' in this sector has seen remarkable advancements, with record defence exports and an all-time high in defence production. Despite budgetary constraints, modernisation efforts have gained momentum, incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as drones, autonomous weapons, nano technology, bio and chemical weapons and active phased array radars. The space industry and avionics program have also witnessed substantial growth. However, it is crucial to recognize that there is still a long way to steer in order to maintain and strengthen our national security further in view of the unfolding global security scenario.

With anticipated growth of the economy to $5 trillion, it is crucial to invest in a focussed manner in advanced military technology to maintain national security and protect our interests. Developing next-generation weapons, upgrading existing ones, and exploring new technologies like directed energy weapons, hypersonic vehicles and missiles, unmanned aircraft, armed drones, and supersonic cruise missiles can provide us with an edge in future conflicts. Quantum computing and artificial intelligence are the technologies that can improve our strategic decision-making, enhance situational awareness and streamline our defence systems. India's successful advancement into space calls for the development of anti-satellite weapons capable of targeting hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits. However, while focusing on these advancements, it is equally important to prioritize robust cyber security. With the growing instances of malicious cyber-attacks, we must ensure that our defence systems and critical infrastructure are well-protected. A strong cyber security framework will not only safeguard our military capabilities but also maintain the integrity of our nation's digital assets.

From Largest Defence Importer to Significant World Export.The increasing focus on domestic defence industry and military exports signifies India's commitment to self-reliance and global partnerships. By allocating a higher percentage of the defence capital procurement budget to domestic industry, India aims to boost its indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and create a robust ecosystem for innovation and growth. In this regard, the interim budget of FY 2024-25 has maintained an upward trend in the capital outlay allocations to fill the critical capability gaps through the modernisation of the Armed Forces. In the past 10 years, the modernisation budget and the capital outlay on defence services have grown consistently. This move not only strengthens national security but also contributes to the economy by generating employment opportunities and fostering technological advancements.

By successfully penetrating international markets with Indian made defence equipment, India is not only enhancing its global presence but also establishing itself as a reliable defence supplier. Engaging with countries across various regions including the United States, Philippines, Armenia as also those in South East Asia, West Asia & Africa, showcases the quality and competitiveness of Indian defence products. As trial and negotiations with other nations are underway, it is essential to maintain high standards of quality and performance in indigenously produced defence equipment. In this regard a national level defence testing infrastructure has been created to further achieve the world standards which will help the Indian defence manufacturers to compete in the global market. These efforts will not only help India secure more defence contracts but also contribute to the overall growth and stability of the international defence industry.

Through consistent contribution of the defence industry, the defence exports reached an all-time high of approximately Rs 21,083 Cr ($2.63 Bn) in 2023-24, almost Rs 7,000 crore more than the previous financial year. It is a rise of nearly 14 times since 2016-17. India is now exporting to over 85 countries. One encouraging factor to note is that there has been a significant growth of defence exports coming from the private sector which highlights emerging Public – Private partnership. In 2023, Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, approved, proposals worth a total of over Rs 3.50 lakh crore to enhance the operational preparedness of the Armed Forces.

                Also, significant to note is that Defence manufacturing hubs are coming up in a big way in States of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra and Karnataka in the form of Defence Corridors. Hopefully, more states will come forward to set up indigenous defence manufacturing infrastructure. States like West Bengal and Bihar have tremendous potential for the same.

Infusion of Niche Technologies in Defence Forces

We have seen how the military modernisation in India has been given a significant push, especially in the past few years. The Indian Army has inducted Ultra-Light Howitzer, Advanced Towed Artillery guns, high mobility track based guns K9 Vajra, Dhanush gun, better lethality assault rifles and Thermal Image night sights for better night vision capability. It is also moving ahead with inducting Sharang guns, Apache Attack helicopters, Future Ready Combat vehicles, lighter tanks in addition to upgraded swarm drones and counter drone equipment. The Indian Air Force is in the process of upgrading the MiG 29 fleet by rearming with advanced air-to-air missiles with increased fuel capacity and latest avionics, upgrading Su-30MKIs for carrying Brahmos cruise missiles with Zhuk radars with onboard computer and advanced electronic warfare systems. Similar upgradation is ongoing in case of the Mirage 2000 and Jaguar as well besides expedited production of indigenised light combat aircraft Tejas and Rudra helicopter. We are also going ahead with manufacturing of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft which is a fifth generation multi role all weather fighter aircraft designed with high survivability and stealth capability.

The Indian Navy has focussed on developing indigenous platforms, system sensors and weapons. While an indigenously-built diesel electric attack submarine has got inducted, the Navy is currently looking at building more ships indigenously instead of procurement from foreign sources. In the backdrop of the increasing presence of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy is investing more in anti-submarine ships, long range maritime recce aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, additional heavy-duty aircraft carrier, multi-role support vehicles and Naval light aircraft in addition to Software Defined Radios (SDRs).MoD has also inked contract with AWEIL for 463 Stabilised Remote Controlled Guns for both Indian Navy and Coast Guard besides procuring 11 Shakti Electronic Warfare Systems from BEL for Indian Navy.

Bide Time and Build Capability

We need to exercise patience to allow time for the much-anticipated economic growth to touch $5 trillion in next five years. The modernisation plan currently worked out, however, must continue at whatever best pace possible in the given economic scenario; But at the same time, it must be ensured that the current modernisation plan must graduate from just upgrading the existing technology, into breaking through the technologies. Drones, autonomous weapons, nano technology, bio and chemical weapons are few emerging technologies which are adding a new dimension to the warfare methodology and own security.  Mission Shakti was undertaken to develop highly potent Anti-Satellite weapons (ASAT) and India has already completed its first successful attempt at shooting a satellite in lower earth orbit (LEO). While India has been successful in advancing into the space industry as also in avionics programme to include active phased array radars, manufacturing Arjun tanks, infantry combat vehicles, Pinaka multi-battle rocket launchers, various missile to include Agni, Nag, Akash and BrahMos and unmanned vehicles like Nishant and Lakshya, but at the same time India still has a long way to go.  We need to keep building our capabilities duly strengthening our assertive stature on the global pedestal incorporating all pillars of national security without getting into direct confrontation with our adversaries, thus ‘bade time and build capabilities’.

Conclusion

                One major fact which cannot be ignored is that the competition between US, China and Russia continues to rapidly intensify. This growing rivalry is intensifying impacting trade, technology and global security. The ongoing Ukraine- Russia war, Israel- Hamas war slowly extending to Iran clearly indicates that we must now watch for the next Super Power fuelled rivalry flashpoint like Taiwan and South China Sea, erupting sooner than later into another crisis. This increasing global conflict scenario will also give rise to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and financial system leading to big social chaos. Today, therefore, India needs to not only focus on building robust cyber security system but also increase awareness, especially in our younger generation, of this hanging threat and related safeguards.

With anticipated growth of the economy to a significant level in the coming decade, India must begin to look at working proactively on developing next generation weapons. The integration of war fighting resources (military and nonmilitary) duly infusing civil – military fusion will add to the capability of the nation. The character of war is dynamic and keeps changing with advancement in technology and means. The whole of nation approach is the mantra for comprehensive success of our effort to steer the nation towards achieving ‘Atmanirbharta’, and, thus gravitate to achieve vision of ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’.

Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, retd
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