![\"\"](\"http:\/\/imworld.rediff.com\/worldrediff\/pix\/blank.gif\" "\\"Share"){kind=spacer}
<\/a><\/a><\/div>\n![\"Anybody](\"http:\/\/im.rediff.com\/news\/2013\/aug\/24sd1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h4>\n><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nAjai Shukla<\/b><\/p>\n\nAjai Shukla on the titanic mis-spending of lakhs of crores by the Indian defence forces<\/strong><\/p>\nThe disastrous explosion in Mumbai that sunk INS Sindhurakshak, one of India’s 14 conventional submarines, and damaged another is a body blow to India’s depleted underwater force.<\/p>\n
A third submarine lies in Visakhapatnam, crippled by a decade-old attempt to overhaul it.<\/p>\n
At any given time, the Navy can only muster 7-8 submarines.<\/p>\n
The 30-Year Submarine Construction Plan, sanctioned in 1999, planned to quickly build 24 submarines — but not one of those has entered service. Meanwhile, the Navy’s plan to field three aircraft carriers remains a pipe dream.<\/p>\n
When INS Vikramaditya gets here from Russia, it will be more than five years late. The vintage INS Viraat is to be decommissioned by 2018-19, when Cochin Shipyard delivers the INS Vikrant. The Navy continues to dither over the specifications of the Vikrant’s successor. The defence ministry silently watches.<\/p>\n
Also languishing are projects to build six destroyers and seven frigates. They are delayed by the Navy’s decision to do “concurrent engineering”, that is, developing advanced long-range surface-to-air missiles (LR-SAM) alongside the construction of the warship. But with the LR-SAMs delayed, the warships are too. This isn’t global best practice by any means; proven systems should be used on new platforms.<\/p>\n
Indian Air Force planning is even more lamentable<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n<<\/div>\n![\"Sukhoi-30MKI\"](\"http:\/\/im.rediff.com\/news\/2013\/aug\/24sd2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h4>\n><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe IAF has just 36 fighter squadrons today against an authorised requirement of 39.5 squadrons.<\/p>\n
Worse, in 2015, eight squadrons of MiG-21s and MiG-27s are due to retire, to be replaced by only four squadrons of Sukhoi-30MKIs and a single squadron of Tejas LCAs.<\/p>\n
In 2017, another six squadrons of MiG-21s will retire, creating a fresh crisis.<\/p>\n
The Tejas LCA, now on the cusp of completion, would be a cheap and capable replacement; instead, the IAF has lobbied relentlessly for expensive foreign aircraft.<\/p>\n
Consider: the cost of 126 Rafales is some $18 billion; 250 Indo-Russian fifth-generation fighters will cost $30-35 billion; and 100-odd Sukhoi-30MKIs will cost $10 billion. Add another $10 billion for C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Super Hercules and replacing the Avro; $3-4 billion for trainers; and $10-15 billion for the light, utility and combat helicopters currently being procured. That takes the IAF’s aircraft purchases to at least $81-92 billion over the next 10-15 years.<\/p>\n
This wish list is an unaffordable fantasy given the IAF’s modernisation budget is $5.7 billion this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Ajai Shukla on the titanic mis-spending of lakhs of crores by the Indian defence forces<\/strong><\/p>\n The disastrous explosion in Mumbai that sunk INS Sindhurakshak, one of India’s 14 conventional submarines, and damaged another is a body blow to India’s depleted underwater force.<\/p>\n A third submarine lies in Visakhapatnam, crippled by a decade-old attempt to overhaul it.<\/p>\n At any given time, the Navy can only muster 7-8 submarines.<\/p>\n The 30-Year Submarine Construction Plan, sanctioned in 1999, planned to quickly build 24 submarines — but not one of those has entered service. Meanwhile, the Navy’s plan to field three aircraft carriers remains a pipe dream.<\/p>\n When INS Vikramaditya gets here from Russia, it will be more than five years late. The vintage INS Viraat is to be decommissioned by 2018-19, when Cochin Shipyard delivers the INS Vikrant. The Navy continues to dither over the specifications of the Vikrant’s successor. The defence ministry silently watches.<\/p>\n Also languishing are projects to build six destroyers and seven frigates. They are delayed by the Navy’s decision to do “concurrent engineering”, that is, developing advanced long-range surface-to-air missiles (LR-SAM) alongside the construction of the warship. But with the LR-SAMs delayed, the warships are too. This isn’t global best practice by any means; proven systems should be used on new platforms.<\/p>\n Indian Air Force planning is even more lamentable<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The IAF has just 36 fighter squadrons today against an authorised requirement of 39.5 squadrons.<\/p>\n Worse, in 2015, eight squadrons of MiG-21s and MiG-27s are due to retire, to be replaced by only four squadrons of Sukhoi-30MKIs and a single squadron of Tejas LCAs.<\/p>\n In 2017, another six squadrons of MiG-21s will retire, creating a fresh crisis.<\/p>\n The Tejas LCA, now on the cusp of completion, would be a cheap and capable replacement; instead, the IAF has lobbied relentlessly for expensive foreign aircraft.<\/p>\n Consider: the cost of 126 Rafales is some $18 billion; 250 Indo-Russian fifth-generation fighters will cost $30-35 billion; and 100-odd Sukhoi-30MKIs will cost $10 billion. Add another $10 billion for C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Super Hercules and replacing the Avro; $3-4 billion for trainers; and $10-15 billion for the light, utility and combat helicopters currently being procured. That takes the IAF’s aircraft purchases to at least $81-92 billion over the next 10-15 years.<\/p>\n This wish list is an unaffordable fantasy given the IAF’s modernisation budget is $5.7 billion this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/h4>\n
![\"Anybody](\"http:\/\/im.rediff.com\/news\/2013\/aug\/24sd3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h4>\n