Gunners Shot

Also published @   https://cenjows.in/article-detail?id=372  And  https://thedailyguardian.com/defence-acquisition-needs-to-be-streamlined-now/ The Indian Army is making incremental, but confused, progress in upgrading its depreciated artillery profile that has languished gravely since the import of Bofors howitzers in the late 1980s as per Rahul Bedi in Hindu in 2014 . In 2020,  the same Hindu reports that the Defence Ministry will introduce import embargo on 101 items. It includes three types of 155mm guns which were part of the ‘ confused progress in our depreciated Artillery’ ! Something has changed? In six years, we have inducted or in the process of inducting four 155mm guns – M77 ULH (FMS/ Govt to Govt), K9 VAJRA Self Propelled gun (Buy Global), DHANUSH towed gun(Buy (OFB)) and SHARANG upgunned 155mm guns (BUY (Indian)) and are developing the ATAGS (design and development). Different routes, different categorizations, different guns, different technologies – all made in India

Published @  https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2020/aug/11/why-corporatisation-of-ordnance-board-is-a-must-2181746.html On 16th May 2020 the Government announced the decision to corporatize OFB to  improve its autonomy, accountability and efficiency . It evoked overwhelming response from the Armed Forces who felt that the step was overdue but suboptimal. Almost everyone wanted the OFB to be privatised on a PPP model. Simultaneously there were discordant notes from within OFB. The feedback indicated that the management and unions were both against the corporatisation decision. Thereafter  the MOD started the process of hiring a consultant to prepare a corporatisation  roadmap. Unions have opposed the move and have given a notice to go on strike from 12 th  October 2020.  These events are happening when the Sino Indian situation is tense with a likelihood of conflict escalation.      There is absolute clarity that OFB is beset with major problems. The foremost amongst them being

Original Article @ https://www.vifindia.org/article/2020/june/20/fdi-in-defence-some-thoughts When our Finance Minister announced the raising of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector under the automatic route from 49% to 74% 1  it was reported as a ‘big push’ for Make in India. It was simultaneously reported that it will encourage multinationals to set up manufacturing bases in India or acquire local companies but will hit hard the local companies who do not have any access to technology or government orders. Almost one month has passed and the only sound is of silence on this front. Even defence experts have not discussed this issue. Hence it needs some discussion. Why do we need FDI in Defence sector? The first order effect is that Indian Armed Forces get hi-tech weapon capability. It must be capability whose technology we do not possess and are unable to develop or invest in for many reasons. The second order effect is that such investment will bring in technol

Original Article Published @  http://epaper.deccanchronicle.com/articledetailpage.aspx?id=14934370 It was long thought that nuclear, space and missile programs will provide us with Security and ‘Stability’. However ‘Instability’ due to threat from China and Pakistan has increased recently. This is happening at a time when the Pandemic is devastating our economy. The PM has responded to the Pandemic with the ‘Atma Nirbharta’ call. Thereafter, the FM and the CDS in a major shift in future defense procurement have emphasized the need to hand hold Indian defense industry. Resultantly, India must indigenize weapon procurement, in recessionary conditions with reduced budgets. The available budgets must cater for old as well as emerging technologies.   Overall India is in a strange ‘Stability - Instability’ paradox in which we cannot let our guard down even momentarily despite the Pandemic . Under such conditions we must reduce imports through Import Substitution of small parts and compo

   Originally Published @  https://thedailyguardian.com/ingesting-technology-in-indian-armed-forces/   It is my deep belief that “ Technology owned is cheap and Technology bought is costly ”. India has paid dearly  due to not owning it since independence. To be a power of reckoning, India needs to invest in requisite Defense Technologies and own them. Surprisingly, many of these are resident in India lying unharnessed. To harness the available technologies, we need wisdom and good leadership to unearth and ingest them into the Armed Forces. It needs determination and vision to do so.     As we have militarily locked horns with China when the Chinese Virus is raging, there are many moving parts in our Military Ecosystem. Military leadership must juggle with the changing realities of emerging threats from old adversaries, disruptive technologies, economic recession due to the pandemic, efforts at enhancing jointness and the thrust for self-sufficiency. The challenges are clearly daunti

‘ Atma Nirbharta (Self Sufficiency) is the only route to Strategic Independence’                     Views of CDS To attain great power status India must strengthen its internationally identified weak link - defense procurement. In the current environment we either indigenize or remain a soft power. The CDS recently made statements to the effect - Boost ‘Make in India’. Give opportunity and hand-hold domestic industry to deliver cutting edge technology . Initially accept weapons with 70% GSQRs. Formulate GSQRS on acceptable and desirable requirements, give a plus minus leeway . Be flexible while not compromising on performance. Need to promote domestic defense manufacturing and reduce imports .  All this was later emphasized by our FM. It appeared that GSQRs are the main culprits and Armed Forces do not hold the hand of indigenous defense industry. GSQRS Let us examine GSQRs first. There are 15 -30 layers to penetrate before a GSQR/JSQR/PSQR is finalized. Each la

Add caption General Corporatization of OFB and ‘not privatization’ repeat ‘not privatization’ of OFB was announced with emphasis by the Finance Minister as one of the big bang reforms being undertaken in the Defense Sector as part of the  Atma Nirbharta campaign. I welcome it whole heartedly. It is more than time for this reform to happen. However in the past few days the social media is flooded with views and suggested SOPs to corporatize the OFB. One look at the SOPs, suggestions and arguments which are floating suggests that these are attempts by vested interests to hijack the agenda. Some are apparently from within to maintain status quo to live happily ever after. Some to craft a new system to the insidious advantage of the chosen few. That is when I thought that I should throw in my hat in the ring and weigh in my opinion despite all that is happening in China and about the Virus. For a change they can wait. To my mind there are some serious issues which merit a