How to build defence capabilities

India needs to move beyond being a licensed weapons producer, and acquire the capability of developing globally competitive weapons systems that meet its requirements

There has been considerable discussion about India’s defence industry, including the ongoing debate in Parliament over the purchase of Rafale aircraft, connected offsets and the technical capability of our leading defence PSUs. It is a sad commentary that even 70 years after attaining independence, India is incapable of designing and developing its own MMRCA, and there are doubts whether its premier aerospace company — HAL — is capable of manufacturing these aircraft under transfer of technology. This holds good for most other defence PSUs which may be required to manufacture other complex weapon systems.
 

Clearly, over the past seven decades,