Happymon Jacob speaks with Abhijnan Rej (Defense Analyst & Political Risk Consultant)<br />about India’s Defense budget. Mr. Rej compares defense budgets of the UPA and NDA governments and<br />looks at how much has been allocated to capital and revenue aspects of defense. Additionally he talks about<br />defense misspends, reasons why defense modernisation in budgets of successive governments bear the burnt<br />when it comes to budget cuts; relationship between opposition to small sizing the Indian army and electoral<br />implications due to shift in recruitment patterns from martial to non-martial states & other holy cows<br />concerning defense spending. The conversation also touches upon the concepts of two & two and half front<br />wars, India’s nuclear doctrine and indigenous defense production.<br />In conclusion Mr Rej argues that intent without capabilities is bluffing, but if this bluff is exposed either by<br />China or Pakistan, the outcomes for India will not be good. Hence any future government must focus on<br />capabilities by reducing defense misspend.Click here to support The Wire: https://thewire.in/support
