However, as the consensus goes, New Delhi needs to focus adequately on shoring up its conventional deterrence capabilities. India’s former Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor suggested at a seminar in December 2009 that the Army needs to build its capabilities to fight a two-front war. With a history of arguments in the east with China and in the west with Pakistan, it has to focus its attention on the twin threats. Earlier, in 1980, then Chief of the Army General K.V. Krishna Rao, too, had devised a sensible roadmap to address such threats. General Rao’s priorities were : the development of infrastructure along the disputed border with China over 15 years (1980 to 1995) ; and special attention to North Kashmir where Pakistan and China have a land link-up.
A leading Indian defense analyst opines that New Delhi has to identify its core areas in aerospace, land, sea and underwater regimes and encourage the private sector to form joint ventures with foreign manufacturers . India must leapfrog through the induction of the latest defense technologies. Ironically, New Delhi has not yet been able to manufacture a single combat aircraft.
The sources say that in view of its already expressed commitment to effective defense, the Modi dispensation in New Delhi is likely to be inclined to adopt all appropriate measures in this regard. It seems to be of the thinking that Russia’s recently growing bonhomie with China endangers India’s status as Moscow’s preferential defense customer. Israel could replace Russia in this crucial area.
