Ensuring military capability

There is little urgency in govt's approach to modernisation

The discussions at the Aero India 2021 show in Bengaluru last week underscored the complexity of India’s regional security matrix and the need to urgently modernise and upgrade its arsenal. Complicating India’s security calculus further is China’s aggressive new posture on the Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh borders and concern that Pakistan is taking advantage of the opportunity to fish in troubled waters. With violence likely to spike in Kashmir when winter ends, India is confronting a two-front situation that seemed unlikely as recently as a year ago. Yet there is little urgency in New Delhi’s approach to equipment modernisation.