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The paper "India's Strategic Defence Transformation: Expanding Global Relationship" by Brian Hedrick of Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of US Army Department of Defence, was released on Thursday, takes a global view of India's rise as a regional and future global military power.
"India's defence establishment is undergoing an unprecedented transformation as it modernises its military, seeks strategic partnerships with the United States and other nations, and expands its influence in the Indian Ocean and beyond," writes Douglas Lovelace, Director SSI.
"This transformation includes a shift from an emphasis on the former Soviet Union as the primary supplier of defence articles to a western base of supply and an increasing emphasis on bilateral exercises and training with many of the global powers," he said.
Military Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia at the State Department, Hedrick, who has served earlier in the US missions in India and Bangladesh, said that India's interests have changed over the past decade or more, taking it from a path of nonalignment and non-commitment to having specific strategic interests on a path of "poly-alignment".
"Since 2000, India has increased the number of countries with which it has defence-specific agreements from seven to 26 by the end of 2008.
Bilateral and multilateral exercises are also an increasing feature of India's expanding defence relations as it seeks to find new technologies to transform its military from Cold War era weapons to 21st century capabilities through such opportunities.
Through this new policy, one of the goals of New Delhi is to become a regional power across the Indian Ocean basin and secure agreements from partners in this region that support this goal, while building up expeditionary capabilities in its navy and air force, it says.
"At the same time, it continues to modernize its army to deal with potential threats from its immediate neighbours and internal insurgency groups, and to fulfil its goal of being a global leader in UN peacekeeping," the paper says.
India is also developing "strategic partnerships" with countries perceived as leaders of a global, multipolar order and seeking modern military capabilities from many of those countries.
This includes modern weapon systems as well as the technology and licensed production associated with those weapon systems, it said.
New Delhi wants to secure or maintain ties with smaller countries globally, many of which are members of the NAM, that can provide support in international fora as well as provide potential markets for its own emerging defence industry, said Hedrick, a graduate of the Indian Defense Services Staff College and the US Army Command and General Staff College.
Hedrick said many of the recent changes in India's global defence relationships represent a vast departure from past policy and practices.
Given that the Congress Party and its United Progressive Alliance coalition received a strong electoral mandate on its re-election in May 2009, these changes are likely to continue and perhaps will see bold moves to further develop and deepen strategic relationships around the world, he noted.
The report says there is new opportunity for tens of billions of US dollars in defence-related sales to India.
"Because many of the US defence technologies have important applications in domestic counterterrorism, these sales also expand opportunities well beyond the two defence establishments into law enforcement and border control issues," it said.
However, the report cautioned that as an extension of its NAM policy, India will continue to view its relationship with the United States through the lens of multilateralism, preference for a multipolar global power structure, and the impact on its bilateral relations with other countries.
"India will continue to forge new defence relationships around the world, increasingly with a view to exporting defence material from its own developing industry.
However, it will likely begin to shift its energy towards deepening many of the relationships it has established to date," it said.
Also India will increasingly assert itself as a regional power in the Indian Ocean.
"Occasionally India's interests may diverge with US (such as Indian support to Mauritius' claim to Diego Garcia105), creating potential irritants in the relationship," it said.
Further, India will likely emphasise balance in its defence relations, especially with the larger powers of the United States, Russia, the EU, UK, and Israel.
This balance will often be reflected in defence procurement decisions, as these are enduring symbols of the bilateral relationship.
"Most bilateral and multilateral military exercises will not be affected with considerations of balance, with the exception of larger, more visible exercises," it said.
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it is importanat not only for india but to alll asian countries to become a superpower to coutnter the western military supremacy
I think desire is there in hindustan to become a power...some indicators are also there like mass and size...however, every hindu woman produces on average 5 to 6 kids, legitimate and illegitimate all included, this practice gonna eat up the already depleting resources and by 2020 70% of indian population would be below powerty line, 65% will be illitrate, and 20% would be criminal ! such a county would be dangerous for the world which would take decisions to eliminate the threat just like taking measures from some epidemic ... in this scenario who see india a power in future ?
i am very happy to hear that india is becoming a global power in the future.but it needs a radical change in the primary level to reach a super power status.first i personally thinks she as to protect the brain drain of youths.a condition should come that no indian should go out of the country for better oppurtunites.if that condition is attained then i will agree india is really a super power.if its only in the military level then there is no use of using the word as globle power.its should be attained that status in all levels mean to say politically ,economically,socially & research and development and all its weapons should be manufactured indigeniousally so that it will provide employement as well as technology to our services and as well it will avoid dependence at the time of crisis and avoid foreign exchange. first political system as to change and every indian should contribute to the countrys developments. right full person should be at top level.then she will be super power.
im from pakistan and i do agree that india is on its way to acquiring a lot of weaponry as evident from on going acquisitions in nearly all parts of the forces i.e army, navy and airforce. i also think its true that india is aiming to become a regional and global power. however, this is leading to a destabilizing factor in the region, i hope that does not turn out bad for the people who dont want wars but prosperity.
it seems the only thing lacking in India is a proper curriculum for the teaching of grammar, as is apparent by the previous posts.
i paramveer singh of class 10 i want to say that our power is a gold power becuse they save me and all the people living in india ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so plz give rise to him
India is a super market,weapons,nuclear reactors,big defence forces who spend quite a faction of their task in internal duties,big population who are in ill health and illeterate do not make you a super power,As long as corruption prevails in epidemic conditions,reservations take the toll of merit,naxals,seperatists dominate the headlins.farmers commit sucide,no project completes before the set deadline,india cannot be a super power.A excellent heritage,a extraoridinary will of its people has been killed by the internal rulers for last six decades.Let us not see any merit in the veiwpoint of a thinktank as this news projects
Hi guys think? do US TT can predict India's rise to future? i dont think so. its just a propaganda. we are growing, i agree. but are we really strong enough to compact naxals? no we are but we can.. see US power is nothing other than technology. its backed by good academic research, a superb economy policy decisions and infrastructure. we need a similar systems like that.we still have $50 bn budget for defense imports. so we need to take a long ride to become a super power. its foolish to assume that taking muscle stimulants will give a more powerful body rather than taking good food, proper exercise and a sound mind and a healthy way of life. so lets us Indians take a decision that we do every thing to strengthen our systems/ basics first. rest will follow (An aggressive attitude need an aggressive altitude)
Hi, do not get biased on all these types of appreciation,indian leaders should clear their mind wherever these americans entered they first appreciate and sell their nasty weapons,finally they distroy that country,india had capability to grow by their own skill if our leaders allow our scientists and experts given chance,along with modernization our rural areas and poor people to be brought up ,erradicate poverty,remove beggers from street,give education to childrens,improve our social status.Jai hind.
India currently has 500 Mn youths which is more than the whole of Europe. We need a youth revolution(not like the Psychic Mao Zedong revolution). Revolution to Bring unity in people belonging to the land(Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhist, Jainism). Only the people of the land can live harmoniously. A Revolution to bring dying nationalism. A revolution to retake the land we lost A revolution to educate all people. A revolution to eradicate poverty A revolution where there will be no caste A revolution where there will be only people belonging to the religion of the land. A revolution to be self-sufficient in Food, Technology and Military Production. Its High time every Indians care about their surrounding and Nation and keep a full stop to sloppy attitude. Lets call every one who called for Fatwa on Vande Mataram.
Man..you seem to be replica of Hitler; he thought Aryans should rule the world and purged 6 million Jews. India does not belong to any religion.India belongs to everyone born in India and is not for any community.the whole earth belongs to the Lord and no country is any religion's private property.
This is another illusion our Indian Leaders have. we donot have an internal security system in place to protect the common man on the street. This common man can do anything for just a good meal even sell his soul to the devil to blow or kill a few people in the name of terrorism. Our borders are not safe where our security and military officers are enjoying their lives with tax payers money. Our politicians are looting the coffers of the govt and become sick during investigations. from our military to the common man - everyone is corrupt to the core. we are not seen as a regional or some power in the international arena.. We are considered as a pawn because of the Growing Dragon next to us. CHINA - which the world is getting worried. So India can always be use as a bait to control and contain this Dragon. No one worries about the bait..
A brazen comment; any indiam worth his or her salt should not subscribe to such base propoganda; US can never see another country rise to a status of a self sustaining nation let alone being some sort of regional or global power.
India WILL NEVER be any power JOINING HANDS WITH U.S. This is all PROPAGANDA. The fact that U.S. simply WILL NEVER WANT INDIA TO BE OF ANY KIND OF POWER THAT IS FOR SURE. While the rest of the world nations are increasingly distanting themselves from U.S. that is failing because of it's worldwide controverisal policies and objectives, THIS MANMOHAN KING led conspiracy to totally Americanised India from culture to education to economy to what not will ineveitably cripple and ENSLAVE INDIA. THE INDIAN MEDIA ALONG WITH ALL THE LEDERS ARE SOLD OUT BUNCH.
IT IS HIGH TIME THIS BULL SHIT IS REMOVED FROM THE FRONT PAGE OF I.E. AND SEE THAT MY COMMENTS ARE PRINTED WITH THAT Raj Thackeray .
With people like Chidambaram and Antony at the helm of affairs, India will become "CORRUPTION SUPER POWER". Corruption pervades all facets of Indian public life, right from ration card to crematorium. Let the politicians take oath that they will "ABJURE CORRUPTION" and will not spend money to win elections. Let them spend 50% of their time with the people who elected them to serve; when this happens even without anybody's recognition, India will become a Military Super Power. At present, I don't find any difference between India and Nigeria.In Nigeria the insurgents based in Niger Delta are fighting the Nigerian army to get a fair share of the oil revenue from the Niger Delta region. A similar situation exists in Maoist infested regions in India where our corrupt leaders like Koda conveniently had ignored their problems for a long time. The country has to be internally strong for it become a Military Super Power.
India in the eyes of the world is a poverty stricken country,inflicted by relegious bigotry,faction-ridden on relegion,politics and shattered econmy favouring the rich,corrupt government officials.India cannot become military power,when it has failed to get back our lost land from Pakistan and China.Now US with its militay power sitting next door to us,preventing to get back any of our lost land.We have lost the opportuniy to recover our land and the future is bleak.
I would agree India is a military superpower and in the opinion of many experts no power can fight her and hope to win. A critical analysis reveals that India is much stronger than China militarily, this is certain now.
I think this corrupt UPA is corrupting the media to publish misleading information to gain votes in the future elections.
Why must India sit back and wait for a neuclear attack before reacting !!? It is indeed very silly to treat your Neuclear weapons as "Demo Model" by adopting a no first strike policy. Do Indian politicians really believe that other intelligent nations will bw hoodwinked into lethrgy. I certainly think NOT.Your immediate neighbour is ready to defend itself by a preemptive strike while you hide your weapon behin a thin vale of goodie-goodie boys! Let us wake up and live in a real world. Cancel the no first strike business and dare anyone to act funny against India. Chidambarab and Antony have made some noises in this direction. Keep it up in deed and not only in words, for effect.
It gives warm feelings. But acquiring huge quantities of weapons and systems does not make a nation a superpower. Let us put ourselves the following questions. 1. What is our dependency on imports? The weapons like many high technology items become obsolete soon, demanding replacements at higher costs. 2. For every rupee spent on defense, how many paise worth of weapon assets are we acquiring? Like, the rupee spent on development, very little. 3. How many acquired weapons and associated systems are in ready to use condition? Many are awaiting spares. 4. When we have such formidable defense, how could a bunch of irregulars attack our financial capital and how did kargil happen? 5. How do you make the R& D of defense more accountable? India has the potential to become one of the best military and economic powers. But we should seek answers and remedies for the above questions
Good job by Indians, China will for sure triple its defense expenditure. Pakistan will do so. Both combined will increase naxals, khalistan, kashmir, blasts and other problems. US will be happy to sell the old technology to India and stimulate its economy. Poor Aam aadmi will be victim of bad elected dumbocrats. Jai ho..
I don't think India wants to be a military power in the sense that China wants to be a military power. India is more interested in saving itself from the neighbor military like that of China and Pakistan who continuously keep needling India at the borders and sending terrorists and arms inside India. India indulges in a game of Catch Up with its neighbours. However, if any neighbour thinks that India can be a pushover, it would be a grave mistake. When it comes down to real fighting, India can fight. China, just have a look at the way India fought during Kargil. The Indian soldier just kept coming uphill all the time, till the area was reclaimed. So, it would be a folly on China's part if it attacks India in Arunachal Pradesh, as China also would taste Indian bullets, like Musharraf realised at kargil.
The Indian soldier just kept coming uphill all the time, till the area was reclaimed during Kargil.- this is foolish why would we be proud of this sentence? this is ridiculous. our soldiers kept dying because of the poor politics and corruption in regional and in army offices. Those people who sell themselves for a single paisa should be kicked on their assess and killed at a time. they are a threat to india and aam aadmi who unknowingly gives bribe to his rescue from complicated rules and procedures.
Its only when India starts making its own hightech weaponry that it can really become a world power. As long as it still relies on foreign sources for its weaponry, India will remain a bit player. It needs to do something to make its much flaunted weapon system like the Arjun main battle tank and the Light Combat Aircraft, for instance, world class. Then and only will India become a true global power which will command the respect of all.
If this is correct, it is excellent. India should become an economic super-power. To be that it has to become a defense super-power simultaneously. The two always go together; examples: erstwhile Great Britain, USA, China, etc. We have taken enough beating from our neighbors. It is time that we protect our interests fully while extending a friendly hand to even those who have, and want to harm us, take away our land, etc. Enough of the wrong interpretation of "Gandhism", although our enemies will tell us that we have forgotten Gandhi. Please know that the greatest of Gandhi followers—Nelson Mandela and Dalai Lama now believe that reverse violence as the last resort is necessary. To be prepared for that eventuality, India needs an impeccable defense.
The idea makes many people nervous- Pakistanis in particular, who write under pseudo names.DO THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF A MILITARY SUPERPOWER ? DO THE IDIOTS WHO CITE POVERTY/HUNGER UNDERSTAND THAT A COUNTRY COULD BE A MILITARY SUPERPOWER INSPITE OF HAVING TONNES OF POVERTY? USA AND USSR BOTH HAD POVERTY WHEN THEY WERE AT PEAK OF MILITARY POWER.SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRY ENJOY HIGHEST STANDARD OF LIVING ARE THEY MILITARY POWER ? SO D'ONT LINK THESE 2.INDIA HAD BEEN GROSSLY INDIFFERENT TO THE THREATS IT FACES FROM TERRORIST PAKISTANIS AND CUNNING CHINESE.BUT INDIA SEEM TO BE BECOMING MORE SENSITIVE TO THREATS AND PREPARING ITSELF THOUGH AT SLOW PACE BUT THERE IS AWARENESS.AS LONG AS WE DEFEND KASHMIR AND ARUNACHAL AND D'ONT LET ANYONE ALTER BORDERS BY MILITARY FORCE WE ARE A MILITARY SUPERPOWER.i DONT CARE FOR TAGS.