Last twelve months of India’s military activities were marked by the disengagement of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, ending a military stand-off. During the year, the Defence Ministry pushed for achieving self-reliance, inducting new technologies and widening strategic partnerships, reported Ajay Banerjee of  "The Tribune".

On sourcing weapons and military equipment, India continued to face a dichotomy — of being the biggest importer globally while having the ability to make complex platforms such as an aircraft carrier or nuclear-powered submarines. The latest N-sub, the INS Arighaat was commissioned in August.

India’s domestic defence production during 2023-24 was a record ₹1.27 lakh crore, while its exports stood at ₹21,083 crore. The private sector and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) contributed about 60% and 40%, respectively, to this number.

The annual report of the Sweden-based think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks arms sales globally, said India was the world’s top arms importer. The SIPRI said, “India imported 9.8 per cent of all global arms trade between 2019-2023.”

Strategically, India expanded the scope and complexity and military exercises and engagement with US, Russia, China, France, the UK and the European Union. The apex decision making body of the ministry, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) this year okayed long-term capital acquisition proposals of ₹4,22,129 crore. Of these, 94.19 % are from indigenous sources.

Key technological landmarks included the signing of the contract to get 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, the Tata-Airbus C-295 plane manufacturing facility inaugurated in Gujarat and a new specialised Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG) set up for enhancing military communication focusing on researching and evaluating emerging communication technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, 6G, machine learning and quantum computing.

On self-reliance, the new long-range version of the BrahMos has been ordered for Naval ships, new radars were approved for air defence while a contract was signed for more artillery guns. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was tasked to produce additional engines for the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and the MiG 29 jets of the Indian Air Force.

India was also focused on missiles. The new generation Akash missiles was tested, while the Agni-5 missile with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology saw its first successful test. MIRV allows a single missile to fire multiple arsenal at targets.

The Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system was successfully flight-tested to enhance the Navy's anti-submarine warfare. The RudraM-II air-to-surface missile was first launched from an Sukhoi Su-30MKI jet. The Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) entered into an agreement to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for missiles.

In August, India and US signed a major agreement on Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA). This was triggered after a delay in supplies of engines by a US firm held back the production of domestic fighter jets, the TEJAS.

During the year, the three armed forces chiefs retired paving the way for new incumbents.

The Tribune