Instability in India’s neighbourhood is a concern, says CDS
- Instability in India’s neighborhood is a cause of concern
Highlights:
- The world is in the most violent phase of its existence since World War II
- India has its own share of security challenges, we have proxy war raged by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir
- The prolonged border dispute with China is yet to abate.
- These are two major security challenges that we face.
- Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India, continues to remain here as her destination for asylum is not finalised yet.
- Large nation like India, with an abundance of security problems, cannot remain dependent on foreign imports for fighting wars or for sustenance, especially given that global security and governance are in a state of flux and India has “live borders” with unresolved disputes.
- India’s quest for indigenisation is central to maintaining this strategic autonomy
- Whole concept of atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency) goes beyond defence manufacturing
- The global security environment has been altered by two major wars that are not only intense but also been protracted for a very long time
- Conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
- The vagaries of this VUCA - volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity — world are impacting global defence supply chains, especially for ammunition.
- The global arms industry is presently grappling with this widening gap between demand and supply, and the reliance on imports to bridge this gap is becoming a necessity for most nations
- These disruptions have presented opportunities to global defence arms manufacturers, including the ammunition industry in India.
Prelims Takeaway
- India-Bangladesh