India News and Features Alliance (INFA) - Brothers In Arms: INDIA-RUSSIA STRATEGIC TIES, By B.K. Mathur, 23 Jan 07

President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India last week has undoubtedly strengthened the long, dependable Indo-Russian strategic partnership. The continuing military cooperation between the two countries at once reminds one of the year 1959 when India began purchasing Soviet military hardware, the process for which was started four years earlier by Prime Minister Nehru’s visit to Moscow. Those were the years when highly sophisticated military machines had begun to be produced in developed countries. India needed them for strategic reasons and threats from the neighbours, but had difficulty in outrightly purchasing them in view of the country’s low foreign exchange levels.

The Soviet Union, now disintegrated with Russia continuing to be the main producer of state-of-the-art military machines, came to India’s rescue by selling its equipment against deferred rupee payments. That helped India to procure supersonic aircraft of the MiG series, MiG-19, which the Indian Air Force needed desperately after the Chinese invasion in 1962. Significantly, the fighter jets were purchased not only on deferred rupee payment basis but also on transfer of technology basis that facilitated their licensed production in India. The strategic partnership developed fast and the Soviet machines began to be inducted into the Indian Navy in a big way, which made the sea force a blue water Navy. It showed its strength as the famous missile boat attack off Karachi proved in 1971.

That alarmed the Western powers, especially the Americans who also offered their military machines to India. These machines were definitely superior to those produced by the Soviet Union, but India stuck to its relationship with Moscow for three reasons. One, the Soviets were dependable suppliers. Two, the payments were made in rupees. Three, and most significantly, the machines were procured on transfer of technology basis and later produced in India. In fact, Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister initially spurred all offers of highly-sophisticated machines from the Western countries, mostly from America, Britain and France, without the transfer of technology. She relied on dependable friends in need and opted even for inferior machines.

At present, things have drastically changed. The market scenario has changed, India is high on foreign exchange and, significantly, Western arms producers have started selling their military machines and weapon systems without any conditions and with transfer of technology. Each one of the military equipment producer is today hardselling his machines. An open commercial competition is the order of the day, both for the Western producers and the Russians. The latter may have advantage of being long and dependable brothers in arms. Nevertheless, where highly-expensive machines are to be bought, the defence planners have need to consider all things required for a good purchase in an open global market.

Today, the mighty producers of military equipment, the Russian and American defence industries are competing with each other globally. Both have made a strong pitch for their latest state-of-the-art fighter planes to bag the Indian Air Force’s 6.5 billion dollar multirole combat aircraft. President Putin has tried to hardsell Russia’s latest MiG version, MiG-35 which has a stiff competition from the American F-16 and F/A 18, French Rafale, Swedes JAS-39 Gripen and the European Consortium’s Typhoon. India has to make its choice and while doing so the defence planners have only to keep in mind their friendship and cooperation with Russia in military technology, which the two countries reiterated at the sixth meeting of the bilateral Inter-Governmental Commission during Putin’s visit.

At the same time, however, the terms and conditions of all the offers need to be studied carefully and the selection of military machines be made on merit. Whatever decision is taken must be done fast, especially for the Indian Air Force’s demands. Presently, the combat Squadron strength of the force is fast depleting and the IAF brass is worried over the need to maintain its strategic strike capability and fighting edge in the context of the threat posed from across the border. Pakistan’s plan to acquire 30 latest F-16 fighters from the USChina’s decision to make available to Pakistan the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) along with most advanced fighter aircraft is worrisome. Added to this is the inordinate delay and uncertainties in the developmental schedule of India’s fourth generation Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). and

As it is, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is saddled in its task to make the LCA operational with the problem of qualifying the multi-mode radars (MMR) that hold the key to its weaponisation. Also, the delay in the development of indigenous Kaveri engine to replace the American-supplied GE-F404 engine has adversely affected the LCA programme. It is now proposed to rope in foreign agencies to complete both the weaponisation of the LCA and development and qualification of the Kaveri engine. The proposal would further delay the programme. Already, more time is expected to be taken in getting from Britain the Hawk advanced jet trainer for which a deal has already been finalized at a cost higher than the Price Negotiating Committee had fixed months ago.

Against such a bleak backdrop, Chief of the Air Staff S.P. Tyagi has recently made a case for the fast track procurement of 126 latest generation combat aircraft. He wrote to the Defence Minister recently: “Unless steps are taken to move ahead with the procurement, the IAF’s combat strength will deplete to a level that may entirely neutralise the forces’ conventional superiority over the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Pakistan has planned to increase its strength from the present 19 Squadrons to 26 Squadrons by 2011-12, while the IAF could reduce it to 26.5 by 2015.” As a matter of fact, the IAF’s proposal to buy 126 fighter planes was intended to provide a stop gap arrangement until the availability of the LCA Tejas and indigenously-produced SU-30-MKI by 2002.

All available indications are that the procurement of the IAF’s demand for the 126 fighters would be a painfully slow process. Even if the final Request For Proposal (RPF) is issued now, it could take upto two years to sign a contract, given the time taken for extensive trial evaluation, laborious technical talks, prolonged contract bargain and ultimate approval. It may take another two-three years for the first lot of the aircraft finally selected and for the HAL to set up its assembly lines. By the time the aircraft is selected and procured for induction into the IAF, the technology of the aircraft would become old and obsolete, which has all along been the tragedy of the Defence Ministry’s procurement programmes for the armed forces.

Such a situation, fast developing not only in the IAF but also the Army and the Navy, requires urgent attention of the Defence planners. It is easy to welcome guests and even CEOs from the militarily developed countries. President Putin’s two-day visit may have strengthened the Indo-Russian strategic cooperation and the joint development programmes between the two of “hypersonic” BrahMos missiles and the fifth generation fighter aircraft may well be greatly encouraging. At the same time, however, the armed forces’ short-term needs must be looked into fast, so that the combat readiness of the forces does not suffer. Any delay on this front will be at the nation’s peril. ---INFA