Pravin Sawhney

The defence allocations for 2018-19 of Rs 295,511.41 crore — the lowest since 1962 — should get a thumbs-up. Contrary to popular wisdom, modernisation will not be affected. Moreover, the allocations are helping the government’s political objectives, a first in independent India.

Modernisation of the armed forces and war-preparedness are not similar. The latter comprises achievable military objectives, military reforms to meet the defined objectives, modernisation to acquire essential capabilities and capacities, and abandoning of domain-specific challenges for integrated joint-training by the defence services. The end-result of war-preparedness is deterrence — whereby the enemy desists from machinations lest matters escalate. India’s credible deterrence would compel Pakistan to stop the proxy war, much as China would restrict, if not completely end, its border transgressions.

Since India’s stated military objective is to fight the unachievable and suicidal two-front war with Pakistan and China, three things become evident. One, the political leadership has decided that, whatever the provocation, it will not initiate war with the two adversaries who are in cahoots with on