Introduction

You don't win a war by dying for your country. You win a war by making the other
son-of-a-bitch die for his.
- General George Patton

Mr K Subramanium rightly conveyed his apprehension in demanding that “a high

power commission to go into the entire question of role of Indian Armed Forces for the
21st century, their sizes, composition, equipment, personnel policy, training and their
relations with other friendly powers. That is to be the first step in modernising the Indian
Armed Forces”

Current Status and Remedies: Structure and Credibility

We need to have developed special weapons and mobility means in hills. We have not
explored seriously unmanned means to monitor and gather intelligence along
and across the borders that could reduce troop deployment.

Equipment

Combat systems availability for training and operations is poor though the inventory is
large. Management of logistics chain is primitive. Serious attention is required by the
government to go into the depth of the reasons and remedies.

Indigenous Capability
We cannot jump to the moon in a single stage. We need to phase development and
production, enhancing capabilities in phases than expecting wonders in one go.

Budget and Expenditure

We need good database on cost of equipment and cost of activities without which it will
not be possible to effectively outsource that which could bring in higher efficiency and
performance. Every activity should be costed and cost accounting and should be pursued
as followed in the West.

Future Military Operations

A serious study is needed to arrive at the optimum mix of forces. Such an exercise must
ensure that core competency is not diluted or duplicated, integrating operations, logistics,
administrative and training support between the services and enhancing interoperability.

Transformation

The government must formulate National Doctrine on Defence. The Doctrine in turn
would guide the long term plans - equipment, infrastructure, organisation, force structure
and methods of employing the forces.