Present scenario :-
- According to latest reports of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India is fifth on the list of world’s biggest military spenders as of 2016.
- India’s overall defence budget seen an hike of 6% in 2017-2018.
- As per the latest reports of SIPRI, India is the biggest defence equipment’s import from 2012-16. Accounted for 13% of the total global arm import.
- India imports arms from countries like Russia, the US, Europe and Israel.
Why India imports defence equipment :-
- India’s defence industries dominated by Public sector and defence ministry find it difficult to promote private sector. Roughly 60% of India’s defence requirements met through Imports.
- Importing defence equipment’s from major arm producing countries has ensured and enhanced India’s defence on the global front.
- Due to lack of clear-cut vision in India’s defence industry, India lacks flourishing defence industry of its own.
- India is still struggling to upgrade its arms manufacturing industries. Despite the huge budgets, there is no systematic transformation and over dependence on Russia is a hindrance in indigenization.
- After India declared itself “Nuclear Power’ in 1998, it has been under obligation to move towards greater power status.
- India currently face tow enemies Pakistan and China, as Pakistan is also importing weapons from China, violation of Peace treaty and border standoff between India and China is also there. To counter these India is strengthening its defence.
- India needs weapons to protect it from internal enemies, there are Naxals and other internal security issues to deal with.
Situation of other countries :-
- United States is the leading arm exporter in the world with increased in exports by 11% in the last decade.
- Conflicts in the past decade drove Saudi Arabia to increase its military stock, making it 2nd largest importer of arms.
- China holds the thirds place as an arms exporter and fourth as importer of arms.
- Pakistan as the major buyer of China’s arms managed to strengths it military power.
Conclusion:-
At present India is the biggest defence equipment importer as it stucked among politically unstable countries and with such neighbours, being Military active and strong is not a choice but a necessity. Due to defence scams of earlier governments, slow progress was seen. Now, India is moving towards its own defence system, prompting it under ‘Make in India’ initiative. Many praiseworthy progresses are seen in missile technology building India’s own defence equipments. Yet, a lot needs to be done to make sure that there’s effective private-public partnership and joint-production with foreign firms for the growth of India’s own defence Industry.
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