India’s defence atmanirbharta pitch is high on rhetoric, low on substance

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Editor's note: On Diwali, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent a few hours with soldiers on the Pakistan border at Kargil. Highlighting Atmanirbhar Bharat, he pointed out that the most important aspect of India’s security is the possession of modern indigenous weapons by the armed forces. According to Modi’s official website, “Pointing out the benefits of using indigenous weapons, the Prime Minister said that when the jawans of India fight with the weapons made in the country, their faith will be at its peak and their attacks will come with a surprise element for the enemy while crushing the enemy’s morale.” This logic postulated by the PM is hard to comprehend for a former soldier like me. In his speech—which was delivered a couple of hundred miles west of where the actual crisis is on the China border at Ladakh—Modi gave the examples of the Prachand light combat helicopters, Tejas fighter jets and the colossal aircraft carrier Vikrant, and also highlighted India’s missile strength in the Arihant, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Pinaka rockets and Arjun tanks. But he didn’t mention the Rudra advanced …