India's defense expenses to be 2nd highest ($100 bil.) in Asia-Pacific by 2016

[CardSharp]

Hey if you don't want to take Mike's point that's fine. It suits the people who want India's growth to slow just fine.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

IMO the GOI should focus on spending for infrastructure, food security and education etc.

Yes! those mentioned above are certainly important.But the spending on defence is not done at their cost.
for ex:Our Govt already assigned $1 trilllion over infrastructure.
For education we hope the 35$ laptop like projects may make a difference,as the previous ones like free education,free lunch etc have not made a significant different in quality.
Food security needs agricultural reforms thats all.That part some member can tell what is being done.

The China government has trillions in surplus and can well afford to spend more on defense plus their infrastructure is already top notch. Understandably every country needs good weapons for defense but having a nuclear weapon is already a good deterrent. Building the country up will least give it a good foundation and prosper in the future.

Nuclear weapons are only useful in a nuclear war just to prevent a Hiroshima or Nagasaki scenario
And for a country like India surrounded by both nuclear powers it offers little deterrence and threat of conventional war is there,though it will be a limited conflict.

Right now it seems India is caught up with a arms race with China which is similar to what happened to Russia and US during the cold war. Luckily India has many innovative companies who are making money for the nation unfortunately the GOI is just squandering it like no tomorrow again IMO.

If we try to match weapons for weapon with China then India would go bankrupt.

We have 2 concerns relating to defence.
1)80% of our defence equipment is foreign.
2)Large part of equipment be it tanks,fighter jets are obsolete,run out of their time span.

So we have one option to solve both the problems that is indigenisation which takes a lot of time and money.
And if don't start now.,then again in 2-3 decades many of our equipment becomes obsolete and we have to buy from outside.

Also in future there will certainly be returns on it in terms of defence exports.

 

[CardSharp]

Yes! those mentioned above are certainly important.But the spending on defence is not done at their cost.
for ex:Our Govt already assigned $1 trilllion over infrastructure.
For education we hope the 35$ laptop like projects may make a difference,as the previous ones like free education,free lunch etc have not made a significant different in quality.
Food security needs agricultural reforms thats all.That part some member can tell what is being done.

All expenditure is a balancing act, you can't say that money spent on defence can't be useful else where. But I agree India's military spending isn't outrageous.

Nuclear weapons are only useful in a nuclear war just to prevent a Hiroshima or Nagasaki scenario
And for a country like India surrounded by both nuclear powers it offers little deterrence and threat of conventional war is there,though it will be a limited conflict.

Agree, it is ridiculous to have a binary 1 or 0 response. No nukes or nukes, but I disagree that Nuclear weapons are not an effective deterrent against other Nuclear powers (what gave you that idea esp when Agni V comes on line)

If we try to match weapons for weapon with China then India would go bankrupt.

We have 2 concerns relating to defence.
1)80% of our defence equipment is foreign.
2)Large part of equipment be it tanks,fighter jets are obsolete,run out of their time span.

So we have one option to solve both the problems that is indigenisation which takes a lot of time and money.
And if don't start now.,then again in 2-3 decades many of our equipment becomes obsolete and we have to buy from outside.

Also in future there will certainly be returns on it in terms of defence exports.

I don't see India's indigenous effort as being able to fill the gap bridged by imports as of right now. I would have suggested earlier in this thread for India to accept a shorterm reduction in capability to focus on large scale indigenous development but I was afraid Indian members here would accuse me of wanting India to lower her guard

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

All expenditure is a balancing act, you can't say that money spent on defence can't be useful else where.

Even i'd wish that $100 billion can build a whole new city or skyline.

but I disagree that Nuclear weapons are not an effective deterrent against other Nuclear powers (what gave you that idea esp when Agni V comes on line)

They"re the best deterrent to prevent a nuclear conflict,but conventional conflicts will happen like Sino-Soviet border conflict.

I don't see India's indigenous effort as being able to fill the gap bridged by imports as of right now. I would have suggested earlier in this thread for India to accept a shorterm reduction in capability to focus on large scale indigenous development but I was afraid Indian members here would accuse me of wanting India to lower her guard

True local defense industry is immature and will take 2-3 decades easily before we can bridge the gap on imports.

Can you be more clear on the reduction on shorterm capability part?

 

[Prometheus]

Bharatis are upto something................Pakistan should be more vigilant

 

[CardSharp]

Can you be more clear on the reduction on shorterm capability part?

Nothing insidious I assure you. I just meant partial reallocation of funds spent on imports to indigenous efforts. (which would result in a shortterm reduction of capabilities)

I just don't see the strategic and economic benefits of India's massive foreign equipments buying. You're paying for some else's R&D with only token parts of the projects given to Indian industry.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Nothing insidious I assure you. I just meant partial reallocation of funds spent on imports to indigenous efforts. (which would result in a shortterm reduction of capabilities)

I just don't see the strategic and economic benefits of India's massive foreign equipments buying. You're paying for some else's R&D with only token parts of the projects given to Indian industry.

hmmmm.....then i interpreted your post correctly.

I think it should be balanced the spending on JVs for future technologies and the indigenisation of existing technologies.

 

[Agnostic_Indian]

Nothing insidious I assure you. I just meant partial reallocation of funds spent on imports to indigenous efforts. (which would result in a shortterm reduction of capabilities)

I just don't see the strategic and economic benefits of India's massive foreign equipments buying. You're paying for some else's R&D with only token parts of the projects given to Indian industry.

Thats why i don't like us..they will only feed you..wont teach how to cook.
russia,france,isreal,europe, etc are ready for JV AND TOT.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Does anyone know what nation is currently #2 military spending wise in the Asia Pacific region right now?

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Does anyone know what nation is currently #2 military spending wise in the Asia Pacific region right now?

As of 2009 its Russia with $61 billion.

But if Russia is not considered within Asia-Pacific then its Japan with $46 billion.

 

[Devianz]

Nothing insidious I assure you. I just meant partial reallocation of funds spent on imports to indigenous efforts. (which would result in a shortterm reduction of capabilities)

The best option would be allow more private participation in defence manufacturing. DRDO already got a mouthful. Private companies should be given more opportunities for developing high-end weapons systems and should not be limited to building small armored vehicles and trucks.
The private sector can pump in billions of dollars into defence R&D and hence help in developing indigenous weapons.

 

[CardSharp]

The best option would be allow more private participation in defence manufacturing. DRDO already got a mouthful. Private companies should be given more opportunities for developing high-end weapons systems and should not be limited to building small armored vehicles and trucks.
The private sector can pump in billions of dollars into defence R&D and hence help in developing indigenous weapons.

The corrupt officials would have a field day... but there are attractive features of a contractor system, ie you don't have to pay for failed projects and competitiveness often result in excellence.

China right now has about 20,000 civilian contractors and this number is growing.

 

[praveen007]

its saudi-arebia with about $35-45bil. per year on defence

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

The best option would be allow more private participation in defence manufacturing. DRDO already got a mouthful. Private companies should be given more opportunities for developing high-end weapons systems and should not be limited to building small armored vehicles and trucks.
The private sector can pump in billions of dollars into defence R&D and hence help in developing indigenous weapons.

Agree!

Remember that time when TATA signed deals for JVs with Israeli Areospace Industries(IAI) for manufacturing missiles and stuff.

The tangible results may seen by the end of this decade,but they"ll be worth the effort.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

its saudi-arebia with about $35-45bil. per year on defence

He asked in the Asia-Pacific region and Saudi Arabia is not a part of it.

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