Defence outlay too inadequate

Lt-Gen OP Kaushik (retd)

IN its report presented to the Parliament on March 13, the Parliament Standing Committee on Defence has criticised the government for inadequate allocation of funds to the armed forces. It is 1.57 per cent of GDP, the lowest as percentage of GDP in 60 years.

A few days earlier, the Vice-Chief, Lt-Gen Sarat Chand, while briefing the committee had said that allocations made for the Army in the budget were inadequate even to make emergency purchases whereas on the security front it was facing a real two-front war scenario — an ever assertive China along the northern border and increasing hostilities from Pakistan on the Western border. He said 68 per cent  of the Army's equipment was outdated and unfit for use.

Why defence outlay must be hiked 

1. Our security environment today is highly critical. China has enhanced its operational capabilities in Tibet by four times by completing Lhasa rail line, which has now been extended up to Shighatse, completing 58,000 km of roads and five air fields. To meet this threat we need three times the force than what we have today to defend our frontiers against China, Otherwise, another 1962 may be in the offing.

Pakistan has been receiving liberal aid from the USA on the pretext of fighting terrorism, though it recently showed some reservations in this regard. China has been boosting Pakistan's military strength and hardware, including their nuclear capability. Recent acquisitions of F-16 nuclear capable aircrafts from the USA and latest long range missiles from China give an edge to Pakistan over India. It is because of this military preparedness that Pakistan dares to ignore all warnings from India.

 We also have to contend with the volatile security environment developing on the Nepal, Mynamar, Bangladesh borders as also the recent happenings in West Asia and the Maldives. These developments demand an enlarged financial package to build up our military capabilities.

2. There has been unprecedented rise in the cost of modern weapons. A tank which cost Rs. 6 lakh in 1980 now costs Rs 15 crore. The price of a fighter aircraft has risen from Rs 25 crore in 1980 to Rs 800 crore today and we need to replace our ageing nearly 300 MiG 21 aircraft. A Navy frigate which cost about Rs 20 crore in the sixties is now costing over Rs 3,000 crore. Due to the financial crunch, no new weapon system has been purchased since 1986. Indigenous production of weapons has been dismally slow. Navy's needs of surface to air guided missiles, induction of refurbished aircraft carrier and replacement of old frigates are miles behind schedule. The Air Force needs replacement of the ageing fighter aircraft, better radar and electronics. 

3. Manpower costs constitute a very large chunk of the defence expenditure. The salaries of three services alone amount to Rs 1,18,966 crore which is approximately 40 per cent of the defence allocation . Mounting threats to our security have resulted in military strength rising from about 2.3 lakh in 1960 to about 13 lakh today. And yet, as against the authorised strength of 46,615 officers, the Army alone is short of about 10,000 officers. The Army is overstretched due to its commitments on the borders, fighting terrorism and insurgencies and in aiding civil authorities in natural disasters and establishing law and order. All these commitments are resulting in stresses and strains on soldiers who get much lesser time to take care of their families. The government must sanction, at least 10 more divisions of the Army. It has sanctioned only two divisions. China can today employ 35 divisions against us as opposed to six it could in 1962. At present, we have only seven divisions guarding this border. 

4. Our defence budget has been one of the lowest in the world. This is despite the increase in defence spending in terms of the percentage of GDP (1.57 per cent). China spends 12 per cent and Pakistan 7 per cent. As declared by the government, the country is to procure 126 multi role combat aircraft, 197 light helicopters and 145 light Howitzers (field guns). This will require additional allotment of defence budget. If because of procedural wrangling this scheme gets delayed, it will harm our defence preparedness grievously.

5. Very little could be spared for modernisation and improving cutting edge although during the last three decades, the defence budget has been on the rise. In 1993, the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had promised to give roughly 3 per cent of the GDP for defence needs, but to date that figure has not been reached. Demands in this respect have fallen on deaf ears. Many crucial demands for new weapons and equipment are pending in the Ministry of Defence. On an average roughly Rs 8,000 crore of the defence budget had been surrendered every year during the last seven years. Fortunately, in 2017-18, the entire capital outlay was utilised. Impact of continuous surrenders of defence budget, coupled with delay in supplies from our main supplier, Russia and main emphasis of shifting to internal security, the Indian Army has almost lost its edge over Pakistan. 

A climate of secured environment is needed for development and to provide that, well equipped, well officered, well trained and fully contended armed forces are an inescapable necessity.