Gyan wrote:<SNIP>My conspiracy theory is that Pinaka is being screwed by Grad upgrade and Smerch Import lobby. What has happened to Pinaka-III which was direct competitor to Smerch? Why no action on Prahaar which can take on some roles, of super costly Fake JV Brahmos?
Ever wonder why Army is not interested in FICV of either DRDO or to award Make In India contract to a Pvt Sector Company? Because upgrade deal of BMP is being pushed for many years whose cost would be equivalent to a new FICV.
Your conspiracy theories would make some sense if you made at least some effort to think through them...and not pull them out of your Musharraf!
Can you point to single data-point which shows that IA is interested in more Smerch units beyond three regiments? When all the news points to the fact that beyond 10 regiments of Pinaka-1, IA will get Pinaka-2. And longer ranged versions will evolve from Pinaka-2.
As for GRAD upgrade - the upgrade is in form of newer trucks/platforms. Unless, your argument is that we throw away what is working w/o having replacement in place just to satisfy your 'patriotic' feelings.
And on the FICV front - the whole FICV concept and pushing for private participation has come because of the IA. It is MOD which sat on the FICV tendering for donkey years. And has now woken up under MP. Again, look up the timeline for induction of FICV - should BMP-2 fleet be simply allowed to rot till WHOLE of it can be replaced by FICV?
Thank goodness we don't have planners in Services like you or the whole thing would've gone to dogs!