Govt Needs To Focus On Affordable, Sustainable And Prioritized Modernization Of Indian Armed Forces

By Lt Gen A B Shivane.

May 24, 2019

Accordingly, ‘Equipment Modernization Strategy’ must address the strategic, technological and fiscal environments and build our equipping priorities based on value, vulnerability and risks in temporal terms.

Inadequate budgetary support, decision paralysis, lack of accountability and responsibility, frustrating procurement cycles and weak defence industrial base are only some of the ills. The key remedy is that the trajectory of defence budget which has hit rock bottom of 1962
debacle, be gradually reversed to attain 2.5 to 3% of GDP. Further, defence budget needs to dovetail a fifteen-year assured financial perspective with inbuilt non-lapsabilty.

Greater accountability and mixed uniform and civil manning of MoD is essential for accountability. Even the defence services need to review their modernisation strategy to a more pragmatic model. Accordingly, ‘Equipment Modernization Strategy’ must address the strategic, technological and fiscal environments and build our equipping priorities based on value, vulnerability and risks in temporal terms. To build and maintain the desired capabilities, we must focus on affordable, sustainable, prioritized and cost effective
mod ernisation decins which integrate mature technologies and incremental improvements, while investing in emerging technologies for the future in a spiralapproach.

Inadequacies in the Present Approach to Modernisation

Although modernisation is an ongoing process however, there are inadequacies and
infirmities in the present, which are listed under:-

• The present approach is personality-oriented approach and not an institutionalized
  approach, resulting in frequent cancellations / review even of cases, sometimes at advance
  stage resulting in waste of time and manhours retarding capabilities.
• In the present dispensation, budget seems to be driving modernization and not vice
  versa or a balance between these conflicting requirements. Resultantly schemes which may
  have manifested to a contract stage after years of effort are not progressed / diluted due to
  insufficient budget.
• Modernisation endeavours and QRs (Qualitative Requirements) are predominantly
  driven by acquisition of state-of-the-art capabilities which are either unrealistic or cost
  prohibitive. Lack of pragmatism and quest for ‘top of the line’ capability often result in
  denial of even available mature technologies. More often than not the procurement and
  kitting cycle is longer than the technological cycle due to sluggish processes and time
  insensitivity.
• While there is a scaling committee in place, but the quest for uniform scaling a large
  military is cost exorbitant and often at the cost of another capability.
• The hard disk memory of defence equipment scams of the past has given way for a
  risk averse culture in the processing and decision-making chain, especially of high value
  procurements which merit either a MoF or CCS approval. Thus, while there is accountability
  for decisions there is no accountability for indecisiveness and time eg FICV case.
• Modernisation, expansion and sustenance are not balanced within the meagre
  budgetary allocation. Expansion and modernisation cannot go hand in hand. Further,
  modernisation and sustenance are two sides of the same coin. This balance needs to be
  addressed to obviate voids and foster prioritised modernisation needs.

What Needs To Be Done

Modernisation will be to balance capability, sustainability, and readiness within the allocated resources to achieve the desired ends. This requires us to build our equipping priorities based on value, vulnerability and risks in temporal terms. The contours of such a
strategy will entail:-

• Tiered Modernisation. This approach prioritises in terms of progressive capabilities
  and tiered modernisation while mitigating the risks of low funding reality.
• Spiral Approach to Technology Induction. The need is to encourage indigenous
  solutions and integrate mature technologies with incremental improvements, while
  investing in future disruptive technologies.
• Risk – Vulnerability Analysis. Calibrated modernisation relates to prioritized
  modernisation based on acquisitions adding maximum value to combat effectiveness,
  mitigating critical vulnerabilities and accepting certain risks in temporal terms.
• Cost Informed Decisions. Modernisation decisions must be both affordable and cost
  effective within the overall budget to include life cycle costs. The opportunity cost of “over-
  spending” to close a specific high cost gap is that we will not be able to afford closing
  several other gaps; thus, we must make cost informed decisions to manage ‘best bang for
  the buck’.

(The author is a distinguished Armoured Corps officer and is presently appointed as Consultant MoD/OFB. Views expressed are personal.) 

Courtesy: ET