Indian arms imports fell 33% over last five years, drop hits Russia the hardest

[TheSnakeEatingMarkhur]

New Delhi: India’s arms imports saw a 33 per cent drop between 2011-15 and 2016-20, with sales from Russia hit the hardest even as Moscow increased its exports to Beijing, new data shows.

In a report published Monday, Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Russia witnessed a 53 per cent fall in its arms exports to India even as Delhi’s imports from Paris increased.

The report said the drop in Indian arms imports seems to have been mainly on account of its complex procurement processes, combined with an attempt to reduce its dependence on Russian arms. It added that India is planning large-scale arms imports in the coming years from several suppliers.

The new data comes at a time when the Narendra Modi government is taking steps to reduce imports with a focus on Make in India.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on 8 March, the Ministry of Defence said 304 contracts were signed for modernisation of armed forces in the previous five fiscals (2015-16 to 2019-20) and the current financial year (up to January 2021).

Out of the total, 190 contracts were signed with Indian vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment for armed forces.

In August last year, the government had released a negative list of 101 imports and their time tables. At the time, the ministry had said almost 260 schemes of such items were contracted by the tri-services at an approximate cost of Rs 3.5 lakh crore between April 2015 and August 2020.

With the latest embargo on import of 101 items, it is estimated that contracts worth almost Rs 4 lakh crore will be placed with the domestic industry within the next five to seven years.

Of these, items worth almost Rs 1.3 lakh crore each are anticipated for the Army and the Air Force, while items worth almost Rs 1.4 lakh crore are anticipated by the Navy.

In its report in April 2020, SIPRI had said with an expenditure of $71.1 billion in 2019, India emerged as the third largest military spender in the world, just behind the US and China.

Indian arms imports fell 33% over last five years, drop hits Russia the hardest

The new data published by Swedish think-tank SIPRI comes at a time when the Narendra Modi govt is taking steps to reduce imports with a focus on Make in India.

theprint.in

India is going to US Block and like many others (Including Pakistan) india will be stabbed by US once US' interests are fulfilled...

On other hand Pakistan is offering Russia what is has been wanting for decades... a road to warm waters of Asia..

 

[Windjammer]

what about the Mig-29s and Su-30s you ordered recently around the time China started harrassing India in Ladakh?? YOu also agreed to buy more submarines from Russia..you guys have huge defense needs bra.

There's a saying in our part of world....The illiterate kid in the class has the heaviest school bag.
India already fields over 250 SU-30s and over hundred Mirage-2000s and MiG-29s combined.....but when the test came, the Indian PM was crying for a few dozen Rafales.....what price a few more SU-30s and MiG-29s.

 

[Hassan Guy]

Sales went down globally
Same period Pakistans imports dropped by 23%

 

[Zapper]

what about the Mig-29s and Su-30s you ordered recently around the time China started harrassing India in Ladakh?? YOu also agreed to buy more submarines from Russia..you guys have huge defense needs bra.

The number of Migs & Sukhois ordered are insignificant, more so to replenish the ones which've crashed over the pat two decades and they'll be license manufactured by HAL like the rest. A decent chunk of the license production includes procurement from local firms.

I'm unaware of any recent submarine deal with Russia except for one nuclear sub for lease which has been in talks for a while. I don't expect that to clear anytime soon since we have completed the construction of a new shed which will house our upcoming SSBN manufacturing

https://twitter.com/x/status/1370325335435309058

The only other submarine contract is the conventional P75I program where IN might go for the French option where they're pitching a hybrid of the Scorpene and Shortfin Barracuda

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

India already fields over 250 SU-30s

China currently fields 200+ J-16 and all Su-30MKK are upgraded to J-16 standard which has AESA which Su-30MKI don't have. On top of that China fields Su-35S which is most advanced Russian fighter jet in service anywhere in the world.

 

[magra]

India is going to US Block and like many others (Including Pakistan) india will be stabbed by US once US' interests are fulfilled...

On other hand Pakistan is offering Russia what is has been wanting for decades... a road to warm waters of Asia..

India is not putting all eggs in US basket. India will continue to maintain ties with Russia as well.
India is already working with Russia to create a route through Iran. Read about "International North South Transport Corridor".
Security implications are lesser for Russia to go through its ally Iran, rather than dealing with separatists in Balochistan.

 

[Khan vilatey]

India is not putting all eggs in US basket. India will continue to maintain ties with Russia as well.
India is already working with Russia to create a route through Iran. Read about "International North South Transport Corridor".
Security implications are lesser for Russia to go through its ally Iran, rather than dealing with separatists in Balochistan.

yes india can try to keep relations with Russia and America in defense but Any arms deals with Russia will bring sanctions from America! Case and point Turkey which is a core nato country that is the gateway to the Black Sea, responsible for significant western defense was not given the f-35.....and you think you in India the cannon fooder troops of the Americans are going to be allowed to give money literally to the enemy ?

This is what I call being the “Indian baniya pan” they think that strategic interests from other countries are negotiable. Explain to me the strategic reasoning behind the US trying to curry favor with the Indians? Is India good to the west in its current form or is it better to break it into Pakistan sized countries that would be economically and defensively dependent. Why create another power in the east to compete against them, why not make India fight the Chinese, slow them down and create a few countries in south India to somewhat check China. The same role Japan and South Korea played against Russia ?

k

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

yes india can try to keep relations with Russia and America in defense but Any arms deals with Russia will bring sanctions from America! Case and point Turkey which is a core nato country that is the gateway to the Black Sea, responsible for significant western defense was not given the f-35.....and you think you in India the cannon fooder troops of the Americans are going to be allowed to give money literally to the enemy ?

This is what I call being the “Indian baniya pan” they think that strategic interests from other countries are negotiable. Explain to me the strategic reasoning behind the US trying to curry favor with the Indians? Is India good to the west in its current form or is it better to break it into Pakistan sized countries that would be economically and defensively dependent. Why create another power in the east to compete against them, why not make India fight the Chinese, slow them down and create a few countries in south India to somewhat check China. The same role Japan and South Korea played against Russia ?

k

One way around CAATSA is joint project with Russia. That why US cannot sanction India.

 

[Khan vilatey]

One way around CAATSA is joint project with Russia. That why US cannot sanction India.

I don’t think the US will play this cat and mouse game with India. I thinks it’s way more cut snd dry for the Indians. They wanted to take favors from the US to counter China, they got what wished for.

See india militarily and economically is too dependent on the west They would be very susceptible to say America taking its service industry away......the thing india had working for it, was secularism and democracy, this the Modi goverment removed so now the only real option is to fall in line .

Also I am happy to make captain today lol . I am so proud of myself

k

 

[magra]

yes india can try to keep relations with Russia and America in defense but Any arms deals with Russia will bring sanctions from America! Case and point Turkey which is a core nato country that is the gateway to the Black Sea, responsible for significant western defense was not given the f-35.....and you think you in India the cannon fooder troops of the Americans are going to be allowed to give money literally to the enemy ?

This is what I call being the “Indian baniya pan” they think that strategic interests from other countries are negotiable. Explain to me the strategic reasoning behind the US trying to curry favor with the Indians?

For US, Russia is an enemy, sure. But nowadays, China is a bigger enemy and headache for Americans. India is too important for US in its anti-China game. And India has several options if US wants to ditch India. US also wants to do multi-billion dollar arms deals with India. So cannot afford to antagonize India. US will not apply CAATSA on India.

Is India good to the west in its current form or is it better to break it into Pakistan sized countries that would be economically and defensively dependent. Why create another power in the east to compete against them, why not make India fight the Chinese, slow them down and create a few countries in south India to somewhat check China. The same role Japan and South Korea played against Russia ?

US wants India to be strong to be able to deal with China.
Even assuming that US has any power to break India (it does not), a broken India would fight among itself rather than counter China.
US has immediate worry about China. It cannot worry about how India will behave once it is very powerful.

 

[Khan vilatey]

For US, Russia is an enemy, sure. But nowadays, China is a bigger enemy and headache for Americans. India is too important for US in its anti-China game. And India has several options if US wants to ditch India. US also wants to do multi-billion dollar arms deals with India. So cannot afford to antagonize India. US will not apply CAATSA on India.


US wants India to be strong to be able to deal with China.
Even assuming that US has any power to break India (it does not), a broken India would fight among itself rather than counter China.
US has immediate worry about China. It cannot worry about how India will behave once it is very powerful.

Okay let’s break this down,

1) your assumption is that the one of two superpowers America with a total debt of 3 trillion to China which is greater than India’s total GDP (2.8 trillion ) which spends 650 billion on its military and procurement is going to care about India’s Mosley 4-5 billion dollar orders ....... what sorta a la la land do you live in. The Americans gave Paksitan 6 billion dollar worth of weapons to take care of their India problem. How many Oliver perry class frigates or 250 self propelled artillery or f-16s inclusive of 500 amrams are needed to fight the insurgents ?

2) Western stratgey is to get India to get into a border fight with China and Pakistan, lose most of north India all the way to Gujarat and make smaller countries in south India. These countries will help support American ambitions in the Indian Ocean and create a market for their arms and economical output. The future countries will look like Paksitan, Bihar and up 4-5 countries , Gujarat broken into Maratha and others , the anchal pardesh and 7 sisters all broken up , the country of Tamil and, hydrabd, Kerala and so on. A very good example of this is Yugoslavia .

k

 

[magra]

your assumption is that the one of two superpowers America with a total debt of 3 trillion to China which is greater than India’s total GDP (2.8 trillion ) which spends 650 billion on its military and procurement is going to care about India’s Mosley 4-5 billion dollar orders.

Although it does not sound huge compared to their defense budget, it is still not a small amount. Defense purchases were a reason why US did not crticize MBS over Khashoggi murder for a long time.

The Americans gave Paksitan 6 billion dollar worth of weapons to take care of their India problem.

US was more neutral earlier. Now it is firmly in India's camp. You wont get any good toys anymore. Anyways you dont have much money left to purchase those shiny things.

Western stratgey is to get India lose most of north India all the way to Gujarat and make smaller countries in south India. These countries will help support American ambitions in the Indian Ocean and create a market for their arms and economical output.

If US wanted it and could have done it, then how did India survive as one for so long. India was a lot weaker in the initial years after independence. If we survived that time, no one can break us now.
Come out of your fantasy-land and worry about how to pay next installment of CPEC loan. Or else you might have to give Gwadar for 99 year lease.

 

[Khan vilatey]

Although it does not sound huge compared to their defense budget, it is still not a small amount. Defense purchases were a reason why US did not crticize MBS over Khashoggi murder for a long time.


US was more neutral earlier. Now it is firmly in India's camp. You wont get any good toys anymore. Anyways you dont have much money left to purchase those shiny things.


If US wanted it and could have done it, then how did India survive as one for so long. India was a lot weaker in the initial years after independence. If we survived that time, no one can break us now.
Come out of your fantasy-land and worry about how to pay next installment of CPEC loan. Or else you might have to give Gwadar for 99 year lease.

okay let me put it another way, America Bahi provided 10 billion worth of weapons to Pakistan in the last 5 years for free to contain and instigate India. This forced india to fall in line. This was to solve americas india problem.
India’s iron brother France just sold Pakistan military helicopters to defeat IA .

The reasons india was safe before was.......India upto the 90s was an independent country with an independent foreign policy. I remember helping some bubling International relations students and us reminiscing in awe about the Indian democracy and how the facade of secularism worked to keep the 100 of nations in India together. That all was solved by the western plant Modi.By alienating minorities , circumventing laws, wearing institutions and coercing the media to drown out all competing voices. Modi has put india on a completely self destructive trajectory.

in Paksitan we know a lot about bigotry and we are pretty good at it so playing our game against us is a bad idea.

look at the problem rationally , can india defeat China in any war the answer is no, can India. Defeat Pakistan in any meaningful way the answer is no, will the west come and fight India’s war the answer is no, will the Chinese come and fight Pakistan’s war the answer is yes.

is India Neibiour’s with the West no, is India Neibiour’s with Pakistan and China yes . Then if all I say is true what is the benefit of India fighting with Pakistan or China ? Why not solve the very small problems we have and focus on trade and economic growth?

how is the west in any shape or form beneficial for India ? Why is India only comparing itself to Pakistan? Why is India’s economy smaller than Japan , Korea and Taiwan ?

see back in the day Indians use to be able to do this type of analysis , today they cant

K

 

[Vanamali]

is India Neibiour’s with the West no, is India Neibiour’s with Pakistan and China yes . Then if all I say is true what is the benefit of India fighting with Pakistan or China ? Why not solve the very small problems we have and focus on trade and economic growth?

What is small problem? Kashmir? What is the solution for that small problem?? Giving Kashmir to Pakistan on plater?? Then you will adk Junagadh and then Hyd... You only said it's small problem, we are able to live with it and concentrating on ecomomy....

Pak is not in position to advice India in any area... You pls continue your fight for survival, read somewhere UAE asking back 1 billion... Without China help you can't pay it back... Which asset you are going to pledge to China now?? Aazad Kashmir or Islamabad??

Now seeing the percapita GDP, it is Pak which has to resolve issues with India, India will resolve it's issues with China accordingly

 

[magra]

America Bahi provided 10 billion worth of weapons to Pakistan in the last 5 years for free

Give me credible non-Pakistani source of your above statement.