Naval firepower

Self-reliance in the defence sector is a tough goal that India, one of the world’s largest importers of arms, has set for itself. The Union Government has been emphasising on ‘Make in India’ right from the outset. In the past eight years or so, the expenditure on the capital procurement of defence equipment from domestic vendors has generally remained higher compared to that from foreign entities. In a new move aimed at achieving Atmanirbharta in defence manufacturing, the government has approved the procurement of military equipment and platforms worth Rs 76,390 crore from domestic industries under the ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ categories.

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The procurement of next-generation corvettes (NGCs) and the manufacture of Dornier aircraft and Su-30 MKI aero-engines, among others, are expected to enhance India’s combat capabilities. The seven NGCs, to be procured at an estimated collective cost of Rs 36,000 crore, will be deployed for surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence, surface action group operations, search and attack, and coastal defence. With China, which has the largest navy in the world, flexing its muscles in the Indian Ocean Region, it is imperative for India to augment its naval power and reaffirm its commitment to the ambitious Mission SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

The decision to build the NGCs in-house, ‘using the latest technology of ship-building’, comes at a time when an investigation into the Rs 22,842-crore ABG Shipyard scam, considered to be India’s biggest bank loan fraud, is in progress. It is alleged that between 2006 and 2014, the Gujarat-based firm managed to receive major orders from the Coast Guard and the Navy despite its dubious financial record. The Ministry of Defence is well advised to allocate the big-ticket NGC project after a thorough verification and ensure transparency during the entire process. The ministry should also factor in the quality and cost-effectiveness of the corvettes so as to make the indigenous exercise a success. There is reason enough to be hopeful as indigenisation has been a strong point of the Indian Navy over the past five decades.