India has paid / going to pay for these imports:
Multi role combat aircraft 8 Billion Dollars
Mi 17 helicopters : 45 Million dollars
Transport planes : 1.1 Billion dollars
Barak missile deal : 270 Million dollars
Submarine deal : 3.5 Billion
Smerch rocket systems : 500 Million

Defense imports are expected to touch 14,000 crores by 2026.Compare this with what the nation is planning to spend on education, health and broadcasting budget in 07 /08. It is 9,321 crores. The questions we ask is why would the nation give away so much of its money to other countries. Let’s start analyzing with this chart.

Category	Usa & allies	Russia	China	India
Nuclear weapons	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Satellite & launches	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Aircraft manufacture	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Artillery manufacture	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*
Tanks & munitions	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*
Missile systems	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Radars & electronics	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*
Warships	Yes	Yes	Yes	No*

under licence yes*

India has achieved great success in the fields of nuclear and space segments. These segments are more complicated requiring advanced knowledge and skills. If India has achieved success in these segments then it can do so in other crucial segments like,

Aircraft manufacture
Radars & electronics
Warships & submarines
Artillery & rocket systems

What percentage of blame should be on the politicians? It’s hard because the same band of politicians whom we blame for everything have made crucial decisions which has helped India to surge ahead in other segments. Then why is there not a similar push for self sufficiency in other core sectors.

It is said that average commissions in defence imports are between 10 – 12 percent, which means approx 1400 crores would be pocketed by middlemen, agents and politicians. It is this group of people who are working against India securing self sufficiency in these core segments. This group of people who form a small part of the elite of the Delhi durbar, party with the high and mighty, have little respect for Indian laws and Indian public, disrespect the man in uniform yet want to share the booty from the Indian exchequer. After the bofors smoke which has ruined the reputation of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, the nation should have resolved to achieve success at least in the manufacture of artillery systems. We still import them, but what the politicians have achieved is to plugs the leaks in commissions so nothing comes out in the open.

What was ironical was in a small scale war like the Kargil war India resorted to emergency purchases of 260 crores for ammunition, and supplies. Should not the war chest be strong and armed instead of resorting to such panic measures? What would happen if for example another war breaks out with our friendly neighbor “china”, and these arm suppliers who have a grouse on commissions refuse to supply. The great India will go down on its knees, while the middlemen and agents go holidaying in their plush resorts abroad?

It’s said that bad situations created by poor judgment by generals were overcome by valiant soldiering efforts on the front line of battle. Many battles which India won were simply due to the soldier’s bravery. Its time the soilder is backed up by a big and well stocked armory.

Let’s simplify it in a language a politician understands. Instead of giving away 14,000 crores to nourish the arms economies of the world, Indian politicians can earn twice or more of the commissions they make now if only they can make India an arms exporter instead of an arms importer. Our politicians know “money” and wish they see this simple reality.

Arms imports by developing nations contributes to the superiority of the west in defence sector because they have the chance to offload their current technology. This while freeing their inventory also provides cash to improve upon the earlier designs to keep them at the fore front of technological advances in defence.

The average Indian engineer is bursting with enthusiasm, hope and a dream. Given a chance an Indian can create the best weapon systems in the world. They have demonstrated it with nuclear and space systems.