After being severely beaten by China, India realized the urgency. Whether it's the fifth-generation fighter or domestic aircraft, they all need to be expedited. However, a sentence from India's defense minister exposed a family disgrace that could no longer be hidden.

India's Defense Minister Singh

Recently, Defense Minister Singh rarely admitted a cruel reality and publicly disclosed that almost none of India's military procurement projects were completed on time. He even angrily questioned why bother taking on such tasks if there was no capability to finish them. It is evident that Singh is extremely angry this time.

However, if one understands India's defense industry situation, they would know that what Singh said was not an exaggeration at all. For example, four years ago, the Indian government ordered 83 aircraft from the largest aircraft manufacturer in India, but so far, not a single aircraft has been seen. What's more outrageous is that some orders took nearly 20 years to complete, which is why Singh lost his temper.

Previously, after being severely defeated by Pakistan with China's J-10 fighter jets, India did not want to admit its failure. But after this incident, India not only announced the acceleration of the development of the fifth-generation fighter but also required enterprises to deliver on time, which indirectly reflects that India was truly frightened by the beating and must reform its military production.

India's fifth-generation fighter model

In addition, Singh even compared India to China and tried to emulate China. He once proposed involving private enterprises in national defense construction to make up for the current lack of defense production capacity, slow speed, and lack of innovation in India. However, the chronic diseases existing in India's defense industry cannot be changed overnight.

Firstly, India's military equipment procurement process is like a "marathon," with long approval times and many formalities. Many confirmed orders have not officially started production for decades. Moreover, the structure of India's military expenditure allocation is quite deformed, with over 60% of the defense budget used to pay military salaries, leaving the remaining funds to repay old debts and procure new equipment, which is far from enough.

Singh with Modi

The most important point, and the one that has been ridiculed by netizens, is India's "global brand" equipment. Russian-made Su-30MKI, French "Rafale," and American P-8I anti-submarine aircraft are all part of the same team. Just think about how effective such a combination can be. This systemic inefficiency has put India in a vicious cycle of "the more urgent, the messier." It can be said that India's fifth-generation fighter jet's debut will be quite difficult.

The key to solving India's predicament lies in two areas. The first is technology. Without core technologies, it will be hard for India to lead the world in the manufacture of domestically produced aircraft. Currently, whether it's engines or radars, India relies heavily on foreign technology. The second is industrial manufacturing capabilities. Although India boasts itself as a "manufacturing giant," its manufacturing technology does not meet the standards.

American and Russian fighters at the India Air Show

Modi's government tied India's fifth-generation fighter program with the "Make in India" strategy, attempting to replicate China's rise in the military industry path, but it may be an imitation of the east that fails to succeed, making it difficult to find a way out. India's total number of aviation research personnel is less than one-fifth of China's, with low participation of private enterprises, making it difficult to form an industrial cycle, and insufficient manufacturing levels, all of which urgently need to be addressed.

Now, delays in military procurement and technical shortcomings have already cost India on the battlefield. India equates technological independence with a procurement contract and simplifies strategic deterrence into an air show performance. True military modernization requires the determination and innovation of a full industrial chain investment like China's over several decades. India's dream of becoming a military power still has a long way to go.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7510147770897187363/

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