Arming Aiming

244 Pages·2010·3.6 MB·English

arming aiming
C
Advance Praise for Without India’s
doctrine of strategic restraint in place since Nehru. o arming aiming growing affluence has led experts to
h Without
In that context, its approach of arming without e arming aiming predict a major rearmament effort. The second-most
Arming Aiming n Without
strategic purpose remains viable as India seeks without / populous nation in the world is beginning to wield

great-power accommodation of its rise and does D the economic power expected of such a behemoth. Its
i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n
a
not want to look threatening. The danger lies in s i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n border with Pakistan is a tinderbox, the subcontinent
“M g
its modernization efforts precipitating a period of uch has been made of the emergence of India on the global stage. In u i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n remains vulnerable to religious extremism, and a
p
strategic assertion or contributing to misperception Arming without Aiming, Cohen and Dasgupta provide an expert assessment t military rivalry between India and China could erupt
a
of what India’s rise means for its unevenly modernizing military, which is
of India’s intentions by Pakistan and China, its two in the future. India has long had the motivation for
destined to become the third largest in the world. Anyone with an interest
most immediate rivals. A modernizing its military—it now has the resources
in the growing rivalry between India and China, or in the impact that a
as well. What should we expect to see in the future,
stronger, although still extraordinarily outdated, Indian military will r
mean for U.S.-India ties, should read this. This is an important book on an and what will be the likely ramifications? In Arming
m
important subject, which is likely to remain unparalleled for many years.” without Aiming, Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta
—EDWARD LUCE, Washington bureau chief, Financial Times i answer those crucial questions.
n
India’s armed forces want new weapons worth
“I g
ndia’s rise to power will remain incomplete until it acquires, and more than $100 billion. But most of these weapons

develops, the capacity to effectively utilize the full panoply of military must come from foreign suppliers due to the failures
w
◆ ◆ ◆ power. Although India has made impressive strides in this direction in
of India’s indigenous research and development.
recent years, Stephen Cohen’s and Sunil Dasgupta’s Arming without Aiming i
Stephen P. Cohen is a senior fellow in Foreign t Weapons suppliers from other nations are queuing
demonstrates how much still needs to be done. This cautionary tale will be
Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution. His required reading for all those concerned about Indian defense policy and h up in New Delhi. A long relationship between India
is the author of numerous books, including The military modernization.”—ASHLEy J. TELLIS, Senior Associate, Carnegie o and Russian manufacturers goes back to the cold
Idea of Pakistan and India: Emerging Power Endowment for International Peace u war. More recently, India and Israel have developed
t
(both with Brookings). strong military trade ties. Now, a new military
“T
he book is an empathetic, objective, and comprehensive narration A relationship with the United States has generated the
Sunil Dasgupta is director of the University of and analysis of the evolution of Indian defense policy and management. greatest hope for military transformation in India.
i
Maryland-Baltimore County’s Political Science The Indian strategic establishment is groping to find ways and means m Against this backdrop of new affluence and
of safeguarding its progress toward becoming a twenty-first-century
Program at the Universities at Shady Grove, and newfound access to foreign military technology,
i
knowledge power in an international community still dominated by
he is also a nonresident fellow in Foreign Policy n Cohen and Dasgupta investigate India’s military
strategic thought from the World War II era. Steve Cohen and Sunil
Studies at Brookings. He also spent five years as Dasgupta have brought into bold relief this somewhat inchoate and as yet g modernization to find haphazard military
senior correspondent for India Today. not fully formulated effort. This will be a required reading for all senior change that lacks political direction, suffers from
service officers, civil servants, politicians, and academics engaged in Indian
balkanization of military organization and doctrine,
security.”—K. SUBRAHMANyAM, Indian defense expert
remains limited by narrow prospective planning,
Cover art: detail from “Lifting an Elephant Single-Handed,”
and is driven by the pursuit of technology free
from the Hamzanama
(c. 1557-72). Photograph © MAK/Georg Mayer. from military-strategic objectives. The character of
Ownership: MAK-Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/
military change in India, especially the dysfunction
Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS S t e p h e n p. C o h e n a n d S u n i l d a S g u p ta
in the political-military establishment with regard to
Washington D.C.
S t e p h e n p. C o h e n S u n i l d a S g u p ta
Jacket design by Peggy Archambault www.brookings.edu S t e p h e n p. C o h e n aanndd S u n i l d a S g u p ta procurement, is ultimately the result of a historical
Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 7/31/10 7:53 PM
Brookings_India_CohenDJ_Revised.indd 1 Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 8/4/10 6:21 PM 8/5/10 6:24 PM
Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 7/31/10 7:53 PM
arming aiming
C
Advance Praise for Without India’s
doctrine of strategic restraint in place since Nehru. o arming aiming growing affluence has led experts to
h Without
In that context, its approach of arming without e arming aiming predict a major rearmament effort. The second-most
Arming Aiming n Without
strategic purpose remains viable as India seeks without / populous nation in the world is beginning to wield

great-power accommodation of its rise and does D the economic power expected of such a behemoth. Its
i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n
a
not want to look threatening. The danger lies in s i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n border with Pakistan is a tinderbox, the subcontinent
“M g
its modernization efforts precipitating a period of uch has been made of the emergence of India on the global stage. In u i n d i a ’ S m i l i t a r y m o d e r n i z a t i o n remains vulnerable to religious extremism, and a
p
strategic assertion or contributing to misperception Arming without Aiming, Cohen and Dasgupta provide an expert assessment t military rivalry between India and China could erupt
a
of what India’s rise means for its unevenly modernizing military, which is
of India’s intentions by Pakistan and China, its two in the future. India has long had the motivation for
destined to become the third largest in the world. Anyone with an interest
most immediate rivals. A modernizing its military—it now has the resources
in the growing rivalry between India and China, or in the impact that a
as well. What should we expect to see in the future,
stronger, although still extraordinarily outdated, Indian military will r
mean for U.S.-India ties, should read this. This is an important book on an and what will be the likely ramifications? In Arming
m
important subject, which is likely to remain unparalleled for many years.” without Aiming, Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta
—EDWARD LUCE, Washington bureau chief, Financial Times i answer those crucial questions.
n
India’s armed forces want new weapons worth
“I g
ndia’s rise to power will remain incomplete until it acquires, and more than $100 billion. But most of these weapons

develops, the capacity to effectively utilize the full panoply of military must come from foreign suppliers due to the failures
w
◆ ◆ ◆ power. Although India has made impressive strides in this direction in
of India’s indigenous research and development.
recent years, Stephen Cohen’s and Sunil Dasgupta’s Arming without Aiming i
Stephen P. Cohen is a senior fellow in Foreign t Weapons suppliers from other nations are queuing
demonstrates how much still needs to be done. This cautionary tale will be
Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution. His required reading for all those concerned about Indian defense policy and h up in New Delhi. A long relationship between India
is the author of numerous books, including The military modernization.”—ASHLEy J. TELLIS, Senior Associate, Carnegie o and Russian manufacturers goes back to the cold
Idea of Pakistan and India: Emerging Power Endowment for International Peace u war. More recently, India and Israel have developed
t
(both with Brookings). strong military trade ties. Now, a new military
“T
he book is an empathetic, objective, and comprehensive narration A relationship with the United States has generated the
Sunil Dasgupta is director of the University of and analysis of the evolution of Indian defense policy and management. greatest hope for military transformation in India.
i
Maryland-Baltimore County’s Political Science The Indian strategic establishment is groping to find ways and means m Against this backdrop of new affluence and
of safeguarding its progress toward becoming a twenty-first-century
Program at the Universities at Shady Grove, and newfound access to foreign military technology,
i
knowledge power in an international community still dominated by
he is also a nonresident fellow in Foreign Policy n Cohen and Dasgupta investigate India’s military
strategic thought from the World War II era. Steve Cohen and Sunil
Studies at Brookings. He also spent five years as Dasgupta have brought into bold relief this somewhat inchoate and as yet g modernization to find haphazard military
senior correspondent for India Today. not fully formulated effort. This will be a required reading for all senior change that lacks political direction, suffers from
service officers, civil servants, politicians, and academics engaged in Indian
balkanization of military organization and doctrine,
security.”—K. SUBRAHMANyAM, Indian defense expert
remains limited by narrow prospective planning,
Cover art: detail from “Lifting an Elephant Single-Handed,”
and is driven by the pursuit of technology free
from the Hamzanama
(c. 1557-72). Photograph © MAK/Georg Mayer. from military-strategic objectives. The character of
Ownership: MAK-Austrian Museum of Applied Arts/
military change in India, especially the dysfunction
Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria BROOKINGS INSTITUTION PRESS S t e p h e n p. C o h e n a n d S u n i l d a S g u p ta
in the political-military establishment with regard to
Washington D.C.
S t e p h e n p. C o h e n S u n i l d a S g u p ta
Jacket design by Peggy Archambault www.brookings.edu S t e p h e n p. C o h e n aanndd S u n i l d a S g u p ta procurement, is ultimately the result of a historical
Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 7/31/10 7:53 PM
Brookings_India_CohenDJ_Revised.indd 1 Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 8/4/10 6:21 PM 8/5/10 6:24 PM
Final_Brookings_India_Cohen.indd 1 7/31/10 7:53 PM
arming
without
aiming
00-0402-7 fm.indd 1 7/12/10 4:55 PM
00-0402-7 fm.indd 2 7/12/10 4:55 PM
arming
without
aiming

india s military modernization
’
stephen p. cohen
and
sunil dasgupta
brookings institution press
Washington, D.C.
00-0402-7 fm.indd 3 7/12/10 4:55 PM
Copyright © 2010
the brookings institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036
www.brookings.edu
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing
from the Brookings Institution Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data
Cohen, Stephen P., 1936–
Arming without aiming : India’s military modernization / Stephen P. Cohen and
Sunil Dasgupta.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Summary: “India, a leading importer of advanced conventional weaponry, has
not planned strategically for its military needs, although the haphazard approach,
due to competing elements within the military and a restraint policy in place since
the Nehru era, may be the right one in seeking accommodation with others in the
region”—Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-8157-0402-7 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. India—Armed Forces—Weapons systems. 2. India—Armed Forces—
Operational readiness. 3. India—Defenses. 4. India—Military policy.
I. Dasgupta, Sunil. II. Title.
UA840.C628 2010
355.80954—dc22 2010024055
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed on acid-free paper
Typeset in Minion
Composition by Cynthia Stock
Silver Spring, Maryland
Printed by R. R. Donnelley
Harrisonburg, Virginia
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To Pabitra Kumar Dasgupta
who has walked long and far from his childhood
in the mica mining outpost of Koderma
in pre-independence Bihar
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Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xv
1 Restraint and Affluence 1
2 Struggling with Reform 29
3 Army Modernization 53
4 Air and Naval Modernization 71
5 The Reluctant Nuclear Power 97
6 Police Modernization 123
7 Fighting Change 143
8 America and Indian Rearmament 164
Notes 187
Index 213
vii
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