Indigenous Defence: An Overview

Indias armed forces, the third largest in the world, have the eighth largest defence budget. Indigenously developed weapons have contributed to the country's arsenal.

- Anwesha Chowdhury

India focused on defence innovations after it achieved independence. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is the flagship organisation responsible for defence innovations was formed in 1958. Before that, the Defence Science Organisation aimed to provide scientific and technological support to the Indian Armed Force. DRDO currently operates through a network of around 47 laboratories and establishments located nationwide and are manned by over 34,000 personnel, including 16,000 scientific technical persons.

In the context of developing new indigenous technologies, India is working on its research and development (R&D) and getting a robust technology transfer system. The ‘Make in India’ initiative must boost indigenous initiatives. A brief account of various defence innovations in India is given below.

1947-1960

The military hardware of the erstwhile British controlled Indian armed forces was divided between the newly created states of India and Pakistan. After independence, the Indian government adopted a five-year planning approach that also focused on promotion of indigenous technologies. During this period, the Indian armed forces were involved in a number of significant military operations, notably, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and the Operation Polo. From the 1950s, numerous contracts with foreign firms enabled the production and development of vehicles and guns, battle tanks, infantry combat vehicles, fighter and trainer aircrafts, and frigates and submarines. Such development was carried out by the state-run agencies that collaborated with foreign firms and carried out the bulk of this production in the Indian ordinance factories and defence public sector undertakings.

1961-1980

Arjun Tank Project