By Bilal Ahmed Sheikh
India with an armed forces strength of over 1.44 million active personnel, is the world’s second largest military force after China. Its defence industry is a strategically important sector, but India is also the world’s largest arms importer, with most purchases coming from Russia, France, Israel, Japan and the USA.
The Modi government slogans are Buy (Indian) and Buy and Make (Indian). Yet India cannot rely on local industry, and failed programmes have cost Indian taxpayers Rs50,000 to Rs70,000 crore in the last 20 years.
Tejas Light Combat Aircraft: After spending over Rs7,399.69 crore India only get 32 Tejas Light Combat Aircrafts in which 16 are prototypes. This programme was originally started in 1969, but suspended in 1975 due to technological and industrial constraints. In 1983 IAF again initiated it.
This project faced many delays due to lack of planning and false statements of indigenous production. Finally in March 2005, the IAF placed an order for 20, with a similar purchase of another 20 to follow. As of 2019, the planned number of Tejas in the IAF inventory, is 324, but only 32 are delivered.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a new report listing several deficiencies. Thus the Indian government already purchased SU-30 from Russia and ordered Rafale from France to fill the gap after the retiring of MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and MiG-27s.
Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a twinjet multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russia, built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the IAF, because of the Tejas project failed. Development started after India signed a deal in 2000 to manufacture 140. In November 1996, India signed a $1.462 billion deal for 50 Russian-produced Su-30MKIs in five batches.
The first Russian-made variant was accepted into the IAF in 2002, while the first indigenously assembled Su-30MKI entered service in 2004. The IAF had 240 in service as of October 2017. It is expected to form the backbone of the IAF fighter fleet to 2020 and beyond. In June 2018, India has reportedly decided not order any further Su-30s as one costs $60 million.
The HAL Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is an Indian programme to develop a fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The project awaits approval to begin design and development. In October 2010, the Indian Government released Rs100 crore to prepare feasibility studies in 18 months. In November 2010, the ADA sought Rs9,000 crore for the AMCA. The funding would be utilised to develop two technology demonstrators and seven prototypes. In mid-2018, it was reported first flight of a full-scale prototype is scheduled to occur in 2032.
The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is an Indian multirole combat helicopter. It has been ordered for both the IAF and the Indian Army.
The impetus for the development of the LCH came in the form of the 1999 Kargil conflict, which revealed the Indian armed forces lacked a suitable armed rotorcraft capable of operating unrestricted in the high-altitude theatre. Accordingly, both HAL and the Indian armed forces commenced explorative efforts towards the defining of a conceptual combat helicopter to perform in this role. During 2006, the company announced that it had launched a development programme to produce such a rotorcraft, referred to simply as the Light Combat Helicopter. Originally, the LCH was anticipated to attain initial operating capability (IOC) by December 2010, however, development of the type was protracted and subject to several delays, some of which having been attributed to suppliers.
The HAL Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is a single-engine light helicopter. Along with a derivative, known as the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH), it is set to replace the HAL Cheetah and HAL Chetak. The project was launched in 2009 for $579 million. Indian Army and IAF required 348 LUH but only three are in service.
The HAL HJT-36 Sitara is a subsonic intermediate jet trainer aircraft developed for the IAF and the Indian Navy. The HJT-36 will replace the HAL HJT-16 Kiran as the Stage-2 trainer. In 1999, following reviews by the Indian Air Force, the Government of India awarded HAL a contract for two prototype IJT aircraft.
The first and second prototypes of the HJT-36, labelled PT-1 and PT-2, flew on 7 March 2003 and in March 2004, respectively. The programme was then delayed with the Air Force assessing the engine as under-powered. There were then delays in delivery of the new engine by two years, as well as due to two accidents in February 2007 and February 2009 involving each of the prototypes. In March 2017, due to the HJT-36’s “unresolvable” issues of critical stall and spin characteristics it is not ready to serve as an intermediate jet trainer. The air frame was modified to make spin recovery easier. The modified aircraft flew for the first time in April 2019.
The HAL HJT 39, aka CAT (Combat Air Trainer), was an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) project proposal by HAL for the IAF. The programme was Announced at Aero India, February 2005, with mock-up of front fuselage and cockpit shown. It was projected to fly within three and a half years of go-ahead. HAL plans to deliver a prototype in 39 months after the clearance from the government with the project cost of Rs750 crore. (2005). The project was most likely shelved with no further news. India bought Hawk 132 AJTs.
The Ilyushin Il-276 (SVTS) is a medium-airlift military transport aircraft initially planned by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) of Russia, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India. The two companies began the joint venture in 2009, when it was expected that each would be investing $300 million. The MTA was intended to replace the IAF’s ageing fleet of An-32 transport aircraft. It is designed to perform regular transport duties and also deploy paratroopers. The aircraft was expected to conduct its first flight by 2017, and enter service by 2018. In January 2016 it was announced that the India’s HAL would no longer be involved in the project and that Russia would proceed with the project alone.
The Arjun is a third-generation main battle tank developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), for the Indian Army. Development began in 1972, it was only in 1996 that the Indian government decided to mass-produce it. The Arjun project experienced serious budget overruns and repeated delays that resulted in a development time of over 37 years. A complicating factor was that advances in technology and the threat environment led to multiple revisions of requirements by the Army. While the government sanctioned Rs15.5 crore for the initial design in May 1974, by 1995, DRDO had spent Rs300 crore on development due to changing requirements and inflationary cost increases.
It was rejected by Indian Army due to its weight: at 58.5 tons, it is significantly heavier than the Soviet-legacy tanks used presently, and required changes to the Army’s logistics establishment, including new railroad cars. The required changes have been made but the cost of the whole project has increased. Due its heavy weight and old technology Arjun totally failed in its field test.
The Arjun Mk.2 is an improved version developed in cooperation with Israeli firms, with 13 major improvements. The Mk2 has improved protection, firepower and mobility. Its Trials began in 2012. It was first publicly revealed in 2014. Series production is expected to begin a couple of years later.
The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. The BrahMos project started in 12 February 1998 with an authorised share capital of $250 million. India holds 50.5 per cent share of the joint venture, and Russia the rest. Approximately Rs15 billion will be invested in the facility to make BrahMos components and integrate the missile systems. This was necessitated by the increased order book. One BrahMos costs $2.6 million whereas the USA’s Tomhawk costs $1.87 million.
Nirbhay is a long range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. With a range of over 1,000 km, it supplements the BrahMos, which has a range of only 450 km. The first test flight was planned in October 2012, but the launch was postponed to December owing to the changes being made to the launcher. Then it was delayed to February 2013. The missile was to be ready for induction within 12 to 18 months after the February test. There were unconfirmed media reports that the missile would be scrapped due to multiple test failures but it was then reported that the project has been given an 18-month extension, till June 2018, to fix all outstanding issues. The project cost is Approximately Rs20 billion.
Prithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), The first missile handed over to the Army in 1994 since then only 30 of these missiles were built till to date and three versions but none are fully successful.
The reasons behind this massive failure are many. The Indian Army since independence change its procurement frequently from different countries. India faced shortage of spares after the fall of the USSR. Now Indian army is again shifting towards France, the USA and Israel for weapons.
India’s weapon’s procurement system is marred by bureaucratic delays, corruption and poor long-term planning. Many cases are still pending due to political pressures. Indians are very sad due to failure of their moon-landing attempt, which cost Rs9,000 crores, but real reason is weak and corrupt system which can only work with the help of international assistance.
