The new BJP government in India is taking its regional position seriously as it has announced a Rs800 billion (Dh48 billion) defence budget which is designed to put Indian forces into a more prepared state than that under which they have languished for some years, and also greatly increase their firepower and capacity. The government has made national security a major priority and the renewed military determination follows recent border tensions with China and exchanges of fire with Pakistan in Kashmir.
Despite buying 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles and upgrading 12 Dornier surveillance aircraft, the majority of the spend was on India’s naval capacity, both upgrading some old equipment, and expanding capability. The headline item was the decision to manufacture six submarines in India which attracted attention because it was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategy to “make in India”. The naval focus of the defence plans is important to a major trading area like the Gulf which shares maritime routes with India, as Indian naval forces can help maintain the law of the sea, as they did when they took a lead in fighting the pirates of Somalia.
