My dear friend again I am not speeking anything against U.S. or India relationship. Even we are trying to have good relations with China. It is realy good to have better relations. But my point is that we need to increase our fighting capabilities.
I think I have failed to explain my point here. My point is to increase and improve our fighting capabilities when we know we are surrounded with so many enemies. We need to improve on all grounds. As you can see China improving all its relations with all surrounding countries of India. First it was focusing with Pakistan, But now with the intervention of U.S. It has started shifting towards Nepal, Bangladesh, Srilanka.
Here my point is we need to start building our own tanks and planes, warships etc. We are developing them but the pace is very slow. It should be having more pace. Thats the only point.
If i have understood your concerns correctly;
A. - India needs to have improved bilateral relations with neighbours and the rest of the world while not being blindingly trusting
B. - India needs to have improved Military capabilities with more domestic content
While we are not were should or want to be on both counts we are progressing
A.
India is doing a lot of lobbying and building up new ties in its immediate neighbourhood as well as the rest of the world. Most countries look positively towards having a great relationship with India due to economical and political reasons. In recent ties - It occupies almost uniquely a healthy engagement with both the 'Eastern' as well 'Western' blocks.
Recent achievements/efforts include. The signing of the civilian nuclear accord with US and other countries overcoming regulatory bodies created just to stop India from making such gains. Edorsements from almost all permanent members of the UN security council for a permanent seat (along with G4). Vastly improved relationship with USA in the last 12 years or so prior to which India was seen as Russian/USSR stooge of sorts. Entry into many world body orgs like G-8 as guest participants,active g-20 member, leading a block of developing nations in the climate change talks, BRIC, etc etc
B.
Indian Military is currently under modernisation plans with a budget of about 100 Billion USD
Major Plans/Upgrades
Indian Army
Acquisition of T-90 and Arjun tanks - In process
Acquiring Field Artilery including towed howitzers- order yet to be placed - very delayed
Plans to acquire light tanks and APCs for the eastern sector - order yet to be placed
HAl Dhruv- in process
Light Combat Helicopter - under development - late
Light Observation/Utility Helicopter - under development -late
The F-INSAS program - planned completion by 2020 - looks promising
Major Issues with Army Equipment
Lack of Mobility - not enough IFVs, APCs - IA was recently in the news for a report which stated that it had a mobility capacity only for 30% of its forces inside the country (the report was vehementl denies by IA), on all counts IA still needs more tracked and wheeled armoured infantry troop carriers, most transportation is done by trucks which have zero armour and can be easily starfed
Delayed Acquisitions- the artillery, the light utility helos, lack of combat helos (although it is a doctrine choice)
For CT ops the current INSAS is not the ideal weapon. The INSAS is designed to inflict injury unlike the AK series which is intended to make kills, the terrorists do not while enaging security forces try to evacuate injured comrades rather try to kill maximum soldiers, soldiers have been asking for a different weapon for such ops
IA soldiers who have been issued Body armour or Bullet proof jackets is a miniscule percentage of the operational force size
Indian Air Force
LCA / LCA Mk2/ LCA Naval Version - orders recieved/ under develoment/under development
Mig-29 Upgrades-in process
Mig-27 upgrades - completed
Jaguars upgrades - planned
Mirage 2000 upgrades - planned
Su-30 MKI/ MKI 2- delivery in process/ under development
Hawk trainers- delivery in process
Phalcon AWACS - delivery in process/ 2nd order to be placed for next 3 nos
AEW&CS - under development
Combat Helo- order yet to be placed; as well as LCH and LOH as detailed above
MMRCA 126 fighters- order yet to be placed - very delayed
HAL Dhruv- delivery in process
Mi-17- new helos ordered
Indo-Russian FGFA 5th gen fighters - under development
MCA 5th gen fighters- planned
HJT-36 trainer- in process
AJTrainer- order yet to be placed
HTT-40 trainer-planned
C-130 Herc- ordered
A2A refulers - order yet to be placed
Heavy lift helos-order yet to be placed
Heavy lift transports - C-17 is being considered - order yet to be placed
MTA transports - under development
An-32 Upgrades - in process
Major Issues
Delay, Delay, Delay - LCA, LCH, MMRCA, AJT - also a lot of new orders are yet to be issued
Dwindling Sqdn nos from a sanctioned 39.5 to a needed 60 it operates/will operate at about 31-33 sqdns.
10-15 years down the line Mig 27s, Jaguars, Mig29s, Mig-21 Bisons will all need to be replaced, if a plan is not implemented well in advance then it will be the Mig-21 vs MMRCA all over again
Pilots retiring prematurely -Commercial Airlinerers are luring away IAF pilots for lucrative salaries
Radar coverage - the IAF doesnt have complete radar coverage over the country
Indian Navy
Aircraft Carrier ADS 1 & INS Vikramaditya - under construction
ADS 2 (& 3) - planned
Project 15 A and 15 B destroyers - under construction and planned
Project 17 & Talwar and 17 A class frigates - under construction and planned
Project 28 and 28 a Corvettes - under construction and planned
LPD, LST Ambhibious ships, different classes being constructed and planned
INS Viraat - upgarde/overhaul completed
Mig-29K carrier based fighters - delivery in process
Nuclear Submarines (SSBN and SSN) - under construction, under development & lease acquisition
Scorpene Submarines - under construction
Project 75 (A/B) - additional submarines - order yet to be placed
Midget submarines - planned
- IN has also acquired a decent number of assets like the INS JalAshwa, the Delhi class destroyers, the Talwar class frigates, the type 16 frigates, the Shardul class ambhibious ships and some patrol ships
Major Issues
Although i personaly feel the IN does better than IA and IAF in terms of planning (because of recent acquisitions + under construction ships) it still lags badly in important areas esp subs
Lack of nuclear submarines
Lack of operational conventional submarines - sometimes the overhaul takes several years
Aircraft Carriers - plans are sufficient but delayed
Lack of enough no of operational carrier based fighters - the Harrier numbers have dwindiled
Coastal Defence - although this is under the Coast Guard , the ICG itself is under the IN so the responsibility for that is on IN and recent events and audits have revealed glaring gaps
Indigenious Efforts & Joint developments
Arjun Tank
LCA Tejas
Arihant Class nuclear submarines
ADS
HAL Dhruv
IGMDP missiles
INSAS weapon systems
Radars
Akash SAM
NAG Missile and NAMICA carriers
Sagarika and Shaurya missiles
Astra BVRAAM
BrahMos Missiles
Upgrades on BMP II s and other engineering vehicle developments
Abhay IFV and MPVs
HJT-16 and HJT-36 trainers
UAVs
MCA & FGFA, MTA, LCH, LOH, Medium Lift Helo, programmes
also the licensed production of Hawk trainers and Su-30 MKI fighters
Ankit i would advise you to engage in discussions which are specific in nature so that more people might be interested in dicussing with you.