RCase wrote:As the Yanks would say... "This is a cluster f**k".
Curious if US and China are also bogged down with such muddled weapons systems planning roadmaps. I believe in the US, Pentagon does the planning and not the individual services. Not that everything is hunky dory, but you don't have situations where a carrier is looking for aircraft!
Would it be prudent to have a defense roadmap think tank under civilian leadership (similar to TRAI for telecom) that takes inputs from the armed forces, but lays out the integrated equipment needs for the next 25 - 50 years or so for all services? The CDS can focus on implementing the plan and putting his foot down on goalpost shifting.
It is indeed messed up.
The US - being a democracy - does have squabbles and budgetary arguments, but not dysfunction at this level. What we have in India is 100% dysfunction and a visceral apathy towards national security. The Babu Raj (I call it Gunda Raj) calls the shots in India. Nothing will move without the Babu giving the nod. Prime Minister Narendra Modi famously remarked (post the 2019 General Elections), "I will not let the bureaucracy waste the next five years, as they did in my first five years."
One Service Chief was bluntly told to his face (by a Senior Babu) of his place in the hierarchy. Being a Service Chief, he had to swallow his ego and pride and take it on the chin. And Service Chiefs have spent four decades of their working life in the military. They get a level of respect (salute, being called Sir, etc) that is not reproduced in civilian life. They come with a huge baggage of ego and pride.
Just in case, you are unaware of the hierarchy, I reproduce it below;
1) Indian Administrative Service
2) The Almighty Himself
3) The Rest of Us
There was a well known story of a Minister who went to see General Sam Manekshaw in his office in New Delhi. When the Minister went there, he told one of the General's Staff Officers (a Colonel or perhaps it was Major) - in a very condescending tone - to do some task. General Manekshaw immediately told the Minister to NEVER speak to his staff officers in that manner. The Minister was taken aback. Which Service Chief in India has the gumption to do this today? Sam was a unique cookie. We have not had another Sam and that is sad.
China is a different ballgame altogether. When it comes to National Security, they have a beautiful system in place. It is called Communism. You want to bulldoze hundreds of villagers to create a testing range? Sure, why not. Who cares if those villagers are displaced or are homeless. You cannot do this in India. Just not possible. Not that I am advocating for that, but the system is different. Until Xi the Permanent Emperor came onto the scene, no matter who the President of China was...it did not stop their advancement in military programs. Every President of China has worked towards that goal. Like a missile heading towards it target, it diverted from its path when challenges arose, but it has a laser vision focus on its target i.e. making China a superpower.
In India, the Govt will institute a military program. The opposition will oppose it, just because they are in the opposition. They don't have an iota of a clue what they are even opposing, but they will oppose it. When the opposition is not effective, then yell corruption. Then institute a JPC (Joint Political Committee) to investigate the allegation of corruption. The committee will meet weekly to discuss the updates. But no discussion can occur without an order of masala chai and piping hot samosas or bondas. Discuss to kingdom come (in India that is measured in decades, not even years) without any resolution. Heaven forbid, if these allegations end up in the legal system of the country. So now waste another couple of decades. Who suffers as a result of this malaise? YOs and NCOs. If they die, oh well. Maha Vir Chakra diya usko! Aur Kya Chaiye?
Kudos to the Prime Minister for actually pushing through the office of CDS (20 years after the Kargil Committee recommended it!!!). It was tragic that he died in the manner he did last December. The next CDS should first work towards some fundamental tasks, soon as he takes over;
1) Staff College should train and educate middle rank officers - who are being groomed to command/flag rank - to think beyond their own service and look at the larger picture. Stop thinking tactically (this is my service and so this is my job) and think strategically. If you are expected to be a Flag Officer, then you must be able to think of your sister services and what is best for national security. Right now, every service chief believes only his requirement (114 MRFA, 65K aircraft carrier or next generation main battle tank) will save the country from disaster.
2) Staff College should drill Atmanirbhar Bharat into middle rank officers who are being groomed to command/flag rank. Every decision they take as future Flag officers should have that goal in mind. That self reliance checks off every economic box, it makes the services stronger, it reduces wait times to get the product, that serviceability is quicker, spares are cheaper...I can go on. Right now the system is
we-don't-have-this-capability-so-let's-write-an-RFI-for-a-global-contest. We all know how that works out.
3) Equally important is the CDS' immediate subordinate (the VCDS) should be ready to take over, if something ever happens to him. Succession Planning is Rule 101 in effective organizations. No one person is bigger than the institution or the office. This is not hero-giri or hero worship. National Security is a serious issue.
I hope the Govt finishes the bifurcation of the CDS and Secretary DMA as quickly as possible. We need these appointments like yesterday.