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"We (Indians) need to conceptualise and build asymmetric capabilities against superior forces," Antony told the first Consultative Committee meeting of new Members of Parliament attached to the Defence Ministry, which dwelt on the Indian Air Force (IAF) strengths and weaknesses, here.
He said the government's endeavours were aimed at ensuring the IAF's capabilities are in consonance with India's stature, aspirations and threat perceptions, and it was taking a series of steps to develop the IAF into a "dominant aerospace power."
The Defence Minister said the steps included enhancing significantly the strategic reach of IAF to operate effectively far away from the Indian mainland and integrating potent capabilities in terms of space-based assets, air defence, surveillance, modern aircraft and advanced weapon systems.
Referring to the perspective plans of the Armed Forces, he said the gestation period for induction of new equipment was long and, therefore, there should be clarity in strategic assessments and projection of requirements.
"We need to hasten our procurements to prevent voids in defence preparedness," he added.
Antony said efforts are also being made in the Defence Ministry and its various wings to ensure that the country reached the level of developed countries in defence technologies, without going through all the intermediate steps.
"In our drive for modernisation and in execution of our daily tasks, we must be ever mindful of economy and avoid waste or duplication. We must lend our shoulders to indigenisation and think of ways in which we can reach the level of advanced states without necessarily following all the intermediate steps," he said.
Antony informed the members that IAF was in the process of considerable transformation and modernisation. Giving an account of various projects, he said the 'Hawk' Advanced Jet Trainers had already been inducted into the IAF, the inter-governmental agreements on the Fifth General Fighter Aircraft and Multi role Transport Aircraft had been inked with the Russians, and the evaluation process for the selection of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft was on.
The Members of Parliament, appreciating the IAF's role over the years in not only protecting the country but also providing humanitarian relief during natural disasters, wanted to know its road map for the next 10-20 years to meet the security challenges.
Some members expressed their concern over cases of corruption in acquisition process and under-utilisation of funds earmarked for capital acquisition. IAF vice chief Air Marshal P K Barbora gave a detailed account of various measures being taken by the Air Force to spread its assets across the country, as also to keep the morale of air warriors high.
The MPs, who attended the Consultative Committee meeting included Murli Manohar Joshi, Shivaji Adhalrao Patil, Harsh Vardhan, Manish Tewari, Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya and S S Ramasubbu, all from the Lok Sabha, and Ram Chandra Khuntia, Shivanand Tiwari, Janardhan Waghmare and Veer Singh from the Rajya Sabha.
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How about creating a militia and loosening the gun control laws? Better yet, distribute guns to everyone and train them in their proper usage as well as teach them responsibility. Let the commies try to invade a country where most citizens have a gun...
Our politicians are more interested in lecturing and advising rather than doing what they advise should be done. We would like to know what this minister has done to prepare the Armed Forces for their role during war and peace. It is a sad commentery on the efficiency of the ministry of defence that we are short of officers to the extent of 25% and guns 50%. Nothing has been done to address this vast deficiency. We only hear advice and lectures while the defence of the country is in the hands of illequipped and leaderless soldiers who are ever ready to sacrifice their lives for the country.
Any nation's defence policy is as per Nation's political phylosophy.India's political phylosophy fom it's independence is "Live and let live",without streching our boundries.Since beginning we were just maintaining our Defence budget just to maintain thoughtful force,without enchroachment plan.I am proud and salute my Defence forces for thier bravery and work they have done with dedication to the country.We were not expecting threats from any nation,but in recent and in 1962 taught us that freinds can become foes,hence we started developing and augmenting.Our forces are there to defend and not for offend.
Prof.PDG: Your way of thinking is completely combatible with what Mr. Kuldip Nayar expressed recently whereby Indo-pak border should be kept open for people of both countries to move in freely. KN might not have thought about the apocalypse this free movement could have brought to India.
super good...nice
I forgot to mention one of the biggest jokes and scandals - the LCA - since 1975 we have been designing it. After millions of dollars of waste and blaming sanctions we want a foreign partner! We don't even have a wind tunnel! Same for the radar dome aircraft. It crashed and we had to buy from Israel. Now watch for how we are going to be fooled into spending on another home grown pride: the 'soldier of the future' program. Our scientists read the latest foreign journals and use high flowing technical terminology to appropriate more and more funds that yield little. More empty talk. But like we Indians say "chalta hai". So whhhat yaaar!
This is a typical uneducated remark made by somebody who does not have the first clue about the LCA. The LCA design was begun in 1988, not 1975! India does have wind tunnels, several of them, including at NAL, which is used for all of India's programs and a hypersonic wind tunnel is also being made for future programs. I think robert would be better educated if he read something about the LCA then watching zaid hamid programs.
To even get a foreign partner we need to reach a technological level. Find out if 20 yrs ago was any country ready to develop aircraft in collaboration - NO. But, now we have technology transfer agreements, localization, etc because we have some capabilities. & money spend on R&D is not lost as it's peanuts when compared to procurement from overseas.
Does Mr Antony expect the general multitude to advise him on strategies for defending the country or is his loud thinking the result of concepts gleaned from defense magazines? He says, "The Govt aims to enhance I.A.F's capabilities to justify India's stature and expectations". No arguments there, but what took the strategists so long to realize a basic and fundamental reality? "The gestation period for induction of new equipment is long." Very true, but yet the defense planners would risk the nation's security by holding off new purchases. "Evaluation process for selection of 126 multiple role combat jets is on", a process that ought to have been finalised long ago but the reprehensible delay in replenishing badly depleted asset resources made the nation vulnerable to enemy threats. Mr Antony's belated disclosure of transparency merely reflected his Govt's cavalier attitude to defense readiness.
So another lecture by the minister straight out of a foreign military magazine to fool the common man. It is his responsibility to make it happen and not give speeches. Now let us take a look at the Indian politician and scientists hollow track record. 66 aircraft for training - 20 years! MBT - Arjun - since 1974 and still unacceptable. 126 MRCA = 10 years to prepare a procurment policy. Trishul - scrapped after 20 years of tamasha. Howitzers - 25 years of development. Aircraft carrier - 30 years of "strategic planning". Need I say more. But let our idiot politician and incompetent defence scientists throw more smoke in our eyes and misuse our tax money. In the meantime China marches ahead.
For the country`s sake, let us not say "We will do this , that etc". Do it; then announce " We have done it". We all know what happened in 1962; what happened on 26/11/2008. We all know which political party should take the blame for these massive lapses. We all know how much ( in thousanda of sq kms)of ourland has been grabbed by other nations. We all know which political party deserves to be blamed for the colossal loss of our lands. No Indian is in a position to believe the promises of politicians (Indian)in general. So act first; then inform us " We have done it".
It is no secret that the ruling party and the defence officials have been receiving huge kickbacks in importing military equipment. Comibined with bureautic hurdles, by the time we procure the equipment or techonology from another country, it is already obsolete and does not give an technological edge over others. The DRDO is like any other govt. run which is incapable of delivering hi-tech weapons and is a drain on taxpayers money going in fat salaries. Upgrading defence quickly must be the top priority of our nation as the Jehadi nation and evil commies are waiting to pounce upon anytime. Only a strong nation will be respected by all in this world.
surjeet,I do agree with you ,"For best in the world equipments we have to ask Israel to help us out." For India ,Israel would be the only reliable country to depend on.I think India and Israel MUST have army,navy and air force exercises so as to learn for each other.I hope A.K Antony is not deluding himself?
Don't just talk; do it. There is too much talk and no action. The present Govt. is the worst performing Govt.
"country should "build" asymmetric warfare capabilities", talks, talks and more talks. Any action minister ? How is Swiss bank account going ? More military contracts, more Swiss banks. Has he forgotten that it is his responsibility ?
Anthony is not only a honest person but also a good defence minister. While most experts agree that no power on this planet can fight India and hope to win, yet we must continue to enlarge our armed forces and also enhance our defence capabilities.
Indian Navy is fast acquiring the necessary hardware to be an effective blue water naval force and our airforce is also reaching that global capabilities.with our army with its historical&established ,recognised valour&abilities all that is needed is the security vision of our civilian defence leadership&doctrine to be upto expectations.like some of the comments it need not be broadcast but quietly set in motion.
DON'T TALK AND DISCLOSE THE PLANS. JUST DO IT QUIETLY. THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH ALL THE MINISTERS IN INDIA. TALK BUT NO ACTION AND WHEN THE TIME COMES THEY HIDE BEHIND EXCUSES.
In order to build asymmetric warfare capabilities, if Indian Defense Minister needs to go to public rather than parliament and reveal its next 10 to 15 years strategies to general public, friends and enemies. What you will call him %u2013 Naive or Foolish? His immature actions will be difficult for India to ravel!
We took 20 years to procure those Hawk trainers at the loss of 200 pilots. That is the value we have for human life. Waste of public money on Arjun, LCA, missiles... you name it. India's beurocracy is the biggest problem of all. Who knows how many years before the induction of 126 fighters. We can't even have the LCA production version rolling out but we are ready for the MCA. Pakistanis all over the forums are laughing at our "achievements". It takes hours to deploy strike forces during terrorist attacks even in big cities like Mumbai. They can't have a strike force in mumbai! It has to be approved by the cabinet, PM, President, Sonia Gandhi and above all GOD...We are ill-equipped not just in terrorism fighting, even militarily... Wake up guys.
Instead of warfare capabilities, india needs to solve the hunger problem in the country and feed its poor, already the infrastructure in tatters and civil war going on, if it cannot manage its state of affairs then it should split the country up.
When ,will our defence ministers stop giving false hopes,we all agree,that the gestation period is long in procurement of defence equipment,but if proper planning and execution is done ,things can go in right direction. The army is in need of guns for the past 20 years,but till now,nothing has been done towards filling this crucial gaps,this was also felt during the kargil war,but our politicains never hesitate in giving day dreams to their people.Today people are more educated than 20 years ago,so these politicians can no longer fool their people .So please show things on ground rather than pipe dreams
After 60 yrs of independence all ministers irrespective of portfolios held say "this has to be done,that has to be done"in military,in housing,in infrastructure,in power,in education,in health,but nothing moved appreaciably.Remains all in speeches.Now work and tell what you achieved.Talk less.India has everything in possesion except the spirit and working atmosphere.For this these crooked,dishonest politicians are responsible.
Hon. Mr. AKA: Whom are you telling that India should have asymmetric warfare capabilities? Please implement it, and then tell the poor Indians that "India has successfully achieved Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities". Hollow statements have no meaning; do something and convey the message to your countrymen. No doubt, India has money & brains. Make India possess a Pacific Fleet, Indian Ocean Fleet, Atlantic Fleet, Mediterranean Fleet (to cover Black Sea & Red Sea) with carriers bigger than USS Enterprise intended to chase ships carrying clandestine cargo belonging to rogue states; and make India a global power. Let our defence men bring glory to the Land of Hindustan.
People do live in dreams. Just look who are ruling India. Do you really think it will happen ? Whats about Swiss bank accounts ?
Why should Mr. Anthony tell the world how India proposes to ccounter China's superior military strength? If he knew what asymmetric warfare means he would not have talked about it at all. What the terrorists do, he should realise, is a good example of asymmetric warfare.
"think of ways in which we can reach the level of advanced states without necessarily following all the intermediate steps". This is the first time a politician has made a sensible statement. Hopefully they will followup their words with actions. I Wish every politician starts thinking in this way.
Well said, I think with the Bofors scam and other we seem to be taking Security preparness in terms of tools and equipment for granted while our neighbours have taken giant steps. We need to ensure the lessons learned in 1965 war - Ill-equipped and less trained Armed forces should not be repeately. if you are strong and mightly you are respected and can will be able to navigate and negotiate with the powerful and mightly. on our west we have neigbhours who are little short of barbarians and we need to take heed of histroy here. Freedom and security comes at a price and we must not take it for granted. War is the last option but let our foes not get fooled that we are not strong, let's not rely on the valour and bravery of our soldiers alone to win war for us every time, let us equip them with the best. There is a chinese saying that 'one must spend to have a well fed and prepared army of thousands just to protect the country for few days of war'
When it comes to National Security, it is paramount and no compromises are accetped. We should get the best. Biggest hole: Internal security mor than external. If we really analyse we have been hit the hardest because of our failure in this area. We sort of have been inviting trouble. Inspite of Pakistanis proving to be untrustworthy, we have not tightened our visa rules. Post fact we learn from America as to what damage these guys have been doing.,It is pity that we could we hit anytime We must not worry as to whom we contract for the best in the world. For best in the world equipments we have to ask Israil to help us out. Our armed forces and other para military forces are the best and have high morale. They need the best equipments to fight, and best equipment to have a world class intelligence. No two ways about it; sooner the better.