Military & Aerospace

Quest for the Golden Hind
Star Rating Loader Please wait...
Issue Vol. 28.2 Apr-Jun 2013 | Date : 13 Sep , 2014

Creating Excellence in R&D Standards

To become a great nation i.e. from mere Bharat to ‘Maha Bharat’, there is the inescapable need to create excellence in both Basic and Applied Sciences research standards in our country. The first and foremost precondition to achieve this is to inculcate honesty and desist from bragging after making even small levels of achievement. Look at the top five nations in scientific research achievements, and we should marvel at their dedication and managerial methods. The Indian Government should immediately start a ‘Project Nobel Programme’ and nominate Specificied Sections under the following Top Twenty One Establishments to come up with a Nobel Prize winner within the next ten years. This List should be reviewed every ten years:-

In India, unfortunately we have gone for ‘mass’ and sacrificed ‘quality’ in the Indian Army’s officer cadre.

  • Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
  • National Physics Laboratory, Ahmedabad.
  • National Chemical Sciences Laboratory, Pune.
  • CDOT, New Delhi.
  • Meghnad Saha Institute for Scientific Research, Kolkata.
  • VSSC, Trivandrum.
  • BARC, Trombay.
  • Central Electrochemical Research Laboratory, Karaikudi.
  • Central Institute for Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.
  • RITES, Lucknow.
  • Central Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Jamshedpur.
  • National Institute for Physics Research & Computing, Bhubaneshwar.
  • National Semi-conductor Research Laboratory, Chandigarh.
  • Designated Labs and Identified Establishments under ICAR, New Delhi.
  • CUSAT, Kochi.
  • Central Veterinary Sciences Research Institute, Izzatnagar.
  • JIPMER, Puducherry.
  • RMDRL, Jorhat.
  • National Aeronautical Laboratory, Bangalore.
  • RMDRL, Bhopal.
  • RMDRL, Udaipur.

The research faculty in these Institutions should be paid 2.5 times the nationally approved pay scale. If they do not produce a Nobel Laureate within ten years, then 50 per cent of the staff of the designated ‘Nobel Sections’ should be compulsorily turned over. Individuals’ validation should be carried out after every three years, and non-performers de-rostered by an independent and empowered committee. Only then can we match the giant strides made by China in science.

Intellect Deficit in the Indian Army

“War is a very simple type of activity but at the same time its outcome is unpredictable to most minds, as the influence and final effects of the many variable inputs is very complex, and needs a lifetime of study and application to master it.” This is one of the remarkable observations made by Clausewitz nearly two centuries ago. Clausewitz was one of the founding members who established the famed ‘Kreigsakademie’, the Prussian War College in 1801 under General Gerd von Sharnhost.

Our OFB and Defence PSUs can only manufacture obsolescent weapon systems on ‘collaboration’ basis from foreign manufacturers.

The rigorous study of War and the application of all contemporary advancements, techniques and scientific developments throughout the world was taken to heights of excellence in the German Army, where the influence of the ‘variable inputs’ in War from time to time was properly addressed. Besides excellent knowledge of Staff Duties, the German military hierarchy encouraged the culture for experienced military commanders to think aloud and learn from the mistakes and successes of the German and other armies. This created the officially supported Discussion Group, the ‘Militarische Gesselshaft’ where no limits were observed in putting across considered analyses and opinions even contrary to the existing military doctrine, thinking and practices.

In India, unfortunately we have gone for ‘mass’ and sacrificed ‘quality’ in the Indian Army’s officer cadre. Textbook thinking and blind obedience of orders is our forte. ‘Unpredictability’ is our nemesis and we always get ‘surprised’ at all levels. Nobody can risk airing any ‘original’ or ‘alternative’ views, if one is aspiring for good confidential reports.

Today, most of the officers who have attained Brigadier or higher ranks in our Army do not have any military articles published in reputed and independent periodicals to their credit! This is because the efforts put in to get their hard-earned promotions have totally suppressed their faculty for intellectual development, original thinking and healthy debate. This rare quality of the intellect encapsulating the hunger for military knowledge and respect for professional wisdom, which is so very essential for winning wars cannot be manufactured merely by putting senior officers through ‘long courses’. Such courses have become in our Army more of a stamp on career dossiers and an entry ticket for fostering mutual help associations.

The Chinese Divisional commanders in the 1962 conflict won every battle hands down in such inhospitable terrain like NEFA and Karakorum, without having done any long ‘Staff’ or ‘Command’ courses. There is no substitute for intense cumulative learning and applied wisdom. Our country therefore needs to adopt a ‘Top Gun’ programme to attract the best quality officer material into our Army. We need to reverse the present adverse ratio of 30:70 per cent career satisfaction after 15 years of service, and the 10:90 per cent career satisfaction level after 25 years of service in our Army. Which first rate Indian youth will join our Service Academies now, if there are far better career prospects, earning possibilities and perks – in any of the Class I Civil Services, Police Services, Banking and Insurance sectors, or in any of the Technical, Managerial or Professional lines in the Private sector?

2013 would be an ideal year for carrying out nuclear warhead testing by India…

For this change to materialise, we need to cut down the intake of Direct Commission officers to 30 per cent of our present intake, and increase the in-house officer promotees from the experienced Non Commissioned Officers grade who have put in ten years of service to 70 per cent. Only this measure can save our Army from becoming a clone of the Pakistani Army with its deteriorating moral, professional and ethical standards; due to the ‘please-the-boss-by-any-means’ syndrome becoming ridiculously acute. To add to this rot, the Non Functional Basis Pay Promotion Scheme which should have been introduced for the Armed Forces first due to their serious shortage of Promotion posts and consequent Early forced retirement age, had got introduced for the otherwise privileged IAS first by way of bureaucratic shenanigans after the Fifth Central Pay Commission, and has now been extended to all Class I Central Civil Government posts after the Sixth Pay Commission!

Revamping India’s Military Industrial Complex

Nothing succeeds like success. Ask any successful first generation businessman or politician. The key to success the first time is to tread off the beaten track with a calculated game-plan and not to be intimidated by repeated failures. A ‘have not’ should not have the fear of losing. The policies followed since the sixties to build up a relevant and state-of-the-art defence manufacturing capability and cutting edge R&D set-up in India have not borne fruit. Look at the Chinese Defence industry. There, in the public sector, corruption is ignored so long as productivity, quality, time schedule and profits are not compromised.

In India, all rules are observed on paper and corruption is quietly swept under the carpet, but there are no fearsome accountability standards regarding what is the main aim of the organisation or establishment, and the ‘non inflated’ returns on the annual investment put in by the state. There is no point continuing with these same policies and fool the public and the gullible press by merely re-packaging the same failed methodology using better PR. Has the parliament ever seriously debated the Standing Committee’s Report about the physical and quantifiable yields the 54 DRDO Labs have delivered to the defence services during the last 15 years? Can’t a convention be created whereby four days of a parliament session is devoted to discussions on national security by the Business Committee, with all political parties agreeing not to indulge in any disturbances and adjournments?

Click to buy

Our OFB and Defence PSUs can only manufacture obsolescent weapon systems on “collaboration” basis from the foreign manufacturers at nearly twice the global prices. Why have their inbuilt R&D failed or not given the DRDO and foreign manufacturers the fright of competition? Why has the monitoring and facilitating mechanism in the MoD bureaucracy not been pilloried and hammered for not avoiding slip-ups and delays? Why hasn’t the ‘Made in Bharat’ stamp not become a brand name in the world arms exports market, thereby automatically offsetting the costs of developing the next generation models of costly weapon systems? Why isn’t there an ongoing Ten Year Plan to field the following badly needed top Defence Systems?

  • An ‘F-22 (Raptor)’ equivalent, Long Range Stealth Fighter with Phased Array radar and Beyond Visual Range AAMs – 500 such pieces, including the carrier version, will be required by 2022.
  • An ‘Advanced Patriot/S-300’ equivalent Theatre Air Defence Complex system and Anti Ballistic Missile shield on the Western, Northern and Maritime borders by 2022.
  • An ‘Attack Helicopter’ with five-tonne lift/payload capacity and stealth characteristics, which can be modified for Airborne Surveillance and High Altitude use – 300 such helicopters required by 2022.
  • A ‘nuclear submarine’ which can fire Agni-V missiles. Six such boats will be required by 2022.
  • A ’52-Calibre’ networked GPS-based 155 mm Artillery Gun system capable of firing precision munitions guided by drones – 200 such pieces will be required by 2022.
  • A modern ’39-tonne MBT’ and ’19-tonne APC’ – 2,000 pieces each will be required by 2022.
  • State-of-the-Art mobile ‘EW and Anti Radiation Equipment’ to equip one Regiment each per Combat Division by 2022.
  • Lightweight ‘Air Defence Gun and Missile’ system, which are Anti-Radiation missile-proof, to equip all Combat Divisions with a Regiment each by 2022.
  • The best and most lethal Carbine in the world with a range of 200 metres to equip Infantry Units by 2020.
  • Most effective lightweight night vision goggles and weapon sights for Infantry troops, by 2020.
  • A 50-tonne lift capacity wide-bodied all weather rugged modern turboprop aircraft – 60 such planes will be required by 2022.
1 2 3
Rate this Article
Star Rating Loader Please wait...
The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

About the Author

Col JK Achuthan (Retd.)

8 GR was commissioned in June 1980. 

More by the same author

Post your Comment

2000characters left

2 thoughts on “Quest for the Golden Hind

  1. I entirely disagree with the conclusion reached in this article. Is there a shortfall in leadership, manpower, weaponry, training or morale? The author starts with the nuclear doctrine, shifts to Pakistan and then concludes that the Indian army is at its nadir! He also seems to suggest that an increase in defence spending by 25% will resolve the problem. Why not 35%? A disjointed article which surprisingly has been published.

  2. “Quest for the golden hind” flawlessly depicts the conspicuous loopholes in our mindset up regarding military preparations. this loophole continues from the post independence period when chines attack caught us bu surprise and our government conceded a vast territory before Chinese army.
    The narrow mindedness of leaders on the fores is shrinking the very idea of Indian Pride. If someone talks ardently in favor of huge military budget, they are just said to be jingoists.
    If all these things not corrected in time, the day is not very far when our interest and freedom would be on stake.

More Comments Loader Loading Comments