Ukraine exposes Indian impotence
After a 7th vote this past March to abstain from UN resolutions condemning the Russian invasion, India laid bare its impotence. The paper “Make in India” tiger, toothless and decrepit, made itself the laughing stock of the Chinese dragon in Beijing and the big bear in Moscow.
Indian nationalists continue to weakly rationalise that Western powers understand the calculus for India not taking Moscow to task. Russia is India’s major defense partner and it’s unwise to poke the bear that feeds you.
It is too painful for the nationalists to state the real reason for such weakness. Russia has India in a blackmail vise. An entrapment that is the grand prize for 75 years of foolish choices and Indian ineptitude. To the rest of the world, these weak rationalisations compound the shame of India as a toothless tiger. It had 75 years to create an indigenous weapons industry, and failed. Alternatively, they had 75 years to diversify arms procurement. And failed.
Now, India is cornered. Not smart enough to make useful weapons and too naive in the games of geopolitics and statesmanship. A country with no heft.
For a country crowing about engineering prowess, but advertises on billboards that people can buy countertop stoves made with Italian technology, even the average Indian has little faith in Indian engineering.
Lee Kuan Yew said if India didn’t allow Suzuki in 1982 to make cars in India, India would still have its clunker Ambassador plying Indian roads.
This lack of expertise in the technical and management realms reflects why India has no capability in advanced arms production. Aside from an assault rifle and a light machine gun, it relies on Russia for more than two-thirds of its advanced weaponry. Including advanced guns.
The Indians badly want to join the pantheon of nations with a potent military industrial complex. But they’re incapable of the engineering required.
Consider their wasted 40-year struggle to develop a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The contract went to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1983. Knowing its limitations, HAL started with low expectations, stating the aircraft was for training, not combat. They had delusions they would discreetly develop an advanced fighter “indigenously” and wow the world with the prowess of Indian engineering. Instead, they cemented a reputation of engineering ineptitude. And no surprise there. A 2019 study by an independent assessment company showed that of engineering students from India, the U.S. and China, 80% of Indian engineers were unemployable. That doesn’t bode well for a country with illusions of besting China in a fight.
2023 will crown the 40 year anniversary of the ongoing development of the “indigenous” LCA. More than 70% of the aircraft is now imported. The engine and radar, comes from America and Israel. The control systems and all else of value, imported. The “indigenous” Indian components are the nuts and bolts.
There’s also the budget variance from 40 years of wasted effort. Starting at US$560 million (with 1983 exchange rate of Rs. 10 to a dollar), the Indians spent more than US$2 billion by 2018 (a 2018 rate of Rs. 63 to a dollar — the 75 year streak of India’s rupee devaluation a shameful story for another post). By standards of other countries, these figures are modest. But for India, with more than 500 million people below the poverty line, often without one meal a day, this has been a criminal and shameful waste of taxpayer money, stemming from foolish pride and an unwillingness to learn from others.
Meanwhile, in less time, China, Korea and Japan rolled out successful fighter jets. One should note that unlike India, these countries don’t brag about their engineering prowess. They get on with it.
China is developing new models with advanced capabilities at a blistering pace. Japan is on it’s 6th generation of fighter jets. And Korea will soon export an affordable fighter jet that has countries like Malaysia and Indonesia salivating.
Turkey, another country that doesn’t boast like India, will roll out an advanced fighter jet in 2023. It also produces many other formidable weapons. Its Bayraktar drones have done more damage to Russian morale and tanks than weapons provided by the U.S. and Europe.
Back in India, 75 years of misguided policies has created a sad state of a country crippled by inadequacy, incompetence and inferior defense capabilities. India rightly fears the might of China. Compared to the impotent “Make in India” tiger, the Chinese dragon is virile and armed to the teeth with capabilities in all spheres, jets, tanks, naval assets, cyber-warfare, everything.
Despite the change of guard over the last 8 years, and the thumping of a 57" wide chest, India hasn’t woken up. Russia won’t matter when the time comes. India is not Syria. In a geopolitical calculus that values Chinese investment more than Indian “friendship”, Russia will find crafty ways to minimise support for India against Chinese aggression. The only guarantee India can expect, is a rude and painful awakening.
India is aware of its shortcomings, But sadly, it is solely focused now on petty non-issues. Perhaps, if China comes calling with a pelting of its dragon tail, Indian pundits will realize that petty tribalistic behaviors belong in the jungle, and not in the pantheon of powerful nations it slavishly wishes to join.
