It’s a tough call. Of course, operational readiness is foremost…BUT (that’s a big but) IMHO, long term thinking is needed. For that #Atmanirbhar is the only way. If we compromise now, 20 years later a similar debate will still be on. At some time one has to say - No more! 2/n

Sometimes good outcomes can result from Hobson’s choices. It happened with the IN decades back & the Navy emerged the stronger for it. Similarly, the other services are at an inflection point now…the decision made now would impact ‘operational readiness’ for decades to come. 3/n

In 1947, ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY & Indian Air Force were both better off than the IN in domestic capability - including design & manufacture - due to many reasons including WW2. Navy had the smallest budget and nil in-house design capability. There was little maritime capacity in the country also. 4/n

In fact DRDO was set up (1958) by merging Army’s Technical Development Establishment and IAF’s Dte of Technical Development & Production with the Defence Science Organisation. The Navy had nothing. IN Budget further reduced after 1962 as land/air were the priority. 5/n

What helped the IN was good (and long-term) planning. The plans paper of 1948 was approved but never got the budgetary commitment. We realised the need to build domestic ‘capacity’ & ‘capability’ as else we did not have the funds to meet the Navy’s planned requirements. 6/n

Setting up of in-house design offices & collaboration with other stakeholders followed. Initial batches of constructors were trained in UK & domestic courses (initially IIT Kharagpur) were also started. We had trained constructors (1950s) before a cadre was sanctioned (1974). 7/n

We started making coastal vessels while importing bigger vessels. We didn’t start with the ‘best available’ but made do with what we could. Started small…aimed big. IN also invested its own funds in capacity building of shipyards & academic institutes. 8/n

As per R Adm Baxi (the 1st Director of Weapons and Electronic Systems Organisation), what set the Navy apart was that “…the NHQ was itself the vendor and was also the customer…unfortunately, in the Army and the Air Force, exactly the reverse happened”. 9/n

Other Services (with little stake in design / construction) viewed not only the industry & DPSUs but also DRDO as ‘vendors’ and the Service HQs as ‘customers’. These vendors were then often compared with global best. They were never allowed to walk before asking them to run! 10/n

Please note that the Navy has till today stayed away from ‘serial production’ from a particular class. This permits incremental improvements even from one class of ships to another. Unfortunately, not everyone understood or appreciated IN planning big even without resources. 11/n

In the Navy (unlike the other two) the Vice Chief looks after the ‘future navy’ while the Deputy Chief looks after the ‘present navy’. In other words planning for the future is given more importance than day-to-day functioning & crisis management. Which is more important? 12/n

If your predecessors did not plan well…you can’t execute well. What legacy is the current generation leaving the warfighters of the future? Think BIG, think LONG TERM. Imports MAY be ok - but ONLY when critical…and there HAS to be a plan to ensure they are the last. n/n

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/coun… The Satark Park, definitely on the bucket list next time I’m in Pune. And of course that Aiyaars Bar! ‘The gave their today for our tomorrow’ 🫡

tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/… The human cognition is attuned to visible & near term threats. The bizmen can see threat of #data sales to rivals, but cannot visualise the larger threat of data flows outside territorial jurisdiction being weaponised. #Privacy is central to economy.

wired.com/story/aria-moo… He was fascinated by orgs that transformed the world: the Manhattan Project, Xerox PARC, Bell Labs, ARPA and early NASA. Mid-century America seemed to buzz with breakthroughs. “operates outside all normal bureaucratic systems,” Waiting for this avatar!

"Safeguarding the nation from state-sponsored cyber threats must be a top priority. We must fortify our digital defences, enhance indigenous capabilities and eliminate reliance on foreign technology." A long road to go. Lt Gen D S Hooda tribuneindia.com/news/comment/i…

ड्रोन टेक्नोलॉजी से लेकर आर्टिफ़िशियल इंटेलिजेंस तक, इज़रायल किस तरह हिज़्बुल्लाह जैसे संगठनों के खिलाफ़ बढ़ा रहा है अपनी ताकत? साइबर और फ्यूचर वॉरफ़ेयर के जानकार रिटायर्ड कर्नल Pavithran Rajan ने बताया #ReporterDiary #Israel #Iran #Lebanon | Manjeet Negi

Aravind Social media in India is being owned and run by foreign companies. Narrative run and promoted by these companies is impacting the swing voters. It's important for a nation to have its own social media companies.

It's all politics at the end of the day. Friends and foes become the same. Strategic Perspectives Foundation