Wishes to the coming defence minister!

[Kaalapani]

New defence minister

She only got 15 votes.

 

[JayAtl]

That would work against BJP, since they came up with false accusations in serveral deals, which lead to delays because of investigations. Just found 3 examples against Rafale, for a post on IDF. So don't expect them to do something that will hurt themself.
The MoD can give guarantees only at their parts of the work, but they can't for IAF trials, for the negotiations between the industrial partners, so that might not be possible either.

1. Most of the complaint happen from other vendors. So a dent of 80% on delays is still better.
2. Guarantees I requested are post selection. Contracts should not take more than 6 months because proposals are already in and they know costs associated on the requested product and volumes .

I also want allowance on FDI allowed in the private defense industry to be doubled...

 

[Killswitch]

A Chief of defence staff

Army:

F INSAS ASAP
Artillery (1800 towed 300 ultra 800 spg)
New AA guns
new manpads
New IFCV
Arjun 3 50 tons to replace T90

Navy:

All sub-systems complete (sonar, Barak missile, etc)
Build 20 subs in the next 10 years
100+ medium multi role helis to replace Sea kings, cheetaks, Kamovs
Fix the safety problem by any means necessary

Airforce:

Pilatus maxnumbers (to hell with HALs prototype)
Scrap IJT and move to 2 stage training

200 LCA
450 MKI or 272 and the rest Rafale

Scrap MRTA, avro replacement, and create a C130J line in India

Find 1 plane for AWACS, refuelling, (phase out IL 76)

20 total C17


Missiles:

100 Agni V ready to launch with MIRVS

Infrastructure:

Entire border with China should be fenced bunkered mined and have roads and rail ready in 5 years


Thats not my wish list, thats the BARE MINIMUM

 

[Alphacharlie]

My VOTE VK SINGH.

TAGRA RAHO

 

[Vinod2070]

This is one area that needs urgent focus from the new Modi government.

Strong focus on indigenization, private industry, co-development, faster decision cycles on weapon induction and rooting out of corruption and agents should be some of the key priorities.

Also the creation of the joint chief of staff and reducing the power of the bureaucracy. We need to get strong professionals to manage Indian defense.

 

[sree45]

I get a feeling that it would be Nitin Gadkari. I hope am wrong.

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Long shot but here are my wishes...
1)A tri-service chief in the real sense(not ceremonial).
2)Dividing the army and forming a 'Marines' division complete with their own tanks,artillery,CAS and a good air wing.
3)More SF soldiers who can operate a long way from the motherland,hold territory till the 'Marines' can take over.
4)More mechanized infantry battalions,more 155mm artillery pieces.
5)More troop transport ships(some thing like the Mistral).
6)More acceptance towards Indian equipment.
The most important one(imo) is that women be allowed to fly fighter aircraft and the AF top brass stop with the bullshit that 'they get pregnant' etc.

 

[thesolar65]

What wishes would you have to the next defence minister (apart from party politics), to increase Indias defence capability and more efficiency of the forces and the defence industry?

My top 5 suggestions would be:

1) Take a stronger stand against government own companies and the forces, lead them and don't give them free hand to do what they want (no vetos of DRDO & Co. against procurements, no developments of DRDO & Co. that the forces don't want, no preference of weapons for one force ignoring that times and threats have changed...)!

2) Forget about pride in defence developments and aim on a steady growth of indigenous developments for the lower end, while high end weapons and systems will be jointly developed!

3) Follow Antony's way of a strong stand against corruption and bribery, but make it even stronger against the own forces and more efficient to not delay unrelated procurements (too less fear about strong punishment among the officers, don't investigate any complaint, but those that actually are reasonable or have a propper relation to a case)!

4) Create more competition in the Indian defence market, by reducing the monopoly of DRDO and co, focusing them on core fields only and getting the private industry to take more responsibility for the defence of the country and not only on financial benefits for them!

5) Focus on strategic joint defence developments with friendly and reliable countries (Russia, Israel, France) to gain from their know how, under our requirements!

And also when evaluating a major foreign equipment, go for two choices at least and do not declare who is the best. Start negotiating with both the vendors and take whichever gives you the better offer.

 

[sancho]

This is one area that needs urgent focus from the new Modi government.

Strong focus on indigenization, private industry, co-development,

These are policies that already were inculuded in the recent years by the UPA MoD and according to the BJP manifesto, they will follow this route. The important part however will be, how they will take on DRDO and Co and how they will convince the private industry to do more.

The joint chief is a long standing issue, but mainly should be a problem between the forces right?
I would find it interesting if the joint chief als would be head of a joint procurement division, that tries to combine procurements for different forces, rather than doing the same evaluations on and on again.

And also when evaluating a major foreign equipment, go for two choices at least and do not declare who is the best. Start negotiating with both the vendors and take whichever gives you the better offer.

That would not be possible, since it's far too complicated for vendors to team up with Indian industry, sign all the partnership contracts and then would be named as looser of the competition.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Additionally @sancho, whilst not directly concerning defence preparedness I really hope the next Def Min of India moves foreword with the plans for a national war memorial in Delhi:

It is utterly shameful that in the almost 7 decades of Modern day India with 4 wars, numerous CI operations and 10s of thousands of heroes having laid down their lives for their country there is STILL no national war memorial with all their names honouring their sacrifice.



Let's hope this changes new with Modi, the BJP and a new Def Min.....