NEW DELHI -- India has a long history of deferring critical choices for its armed forces, with defense buildups occurring always after military emergencies, rather than in anticipation of potential ones. The same is true today, when severe deficiencies in equipment and inventories have put archaic Indian acquisition norms in the spotlight, particularly in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks last year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged problems with India's defense acquisitions in a recent speech to the Combined Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, saying, "I am aware that procedures for defense acquisitions and procurements are a matter of concern to the armed forces. We must ensure a balance between the needs of timely modernization and the necessity of conforming to the highest standards of transparency, probity and public accountability."
But the hard reality is that apprehension about issues like transparency and accountability tend to relegate concerns about operational outcomes to the background.