Having acquired the fifth place in the economies of the world, India is aspiring to achieve the status of a developed nation by 2047. It is not going to be an easy task. For, internal challenges are as worrisome as the external threats.
This book strives to examine major challenges faced by India in its quest for self-sufficiency in defence production and the management of the security environment. Burgeoning Indo-US relations augur well for both the countries and need to be fast-tracked. Although India is not involved directly in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, it has to tread a cautious diplomatic path.
Due to its sheer size and diversity, democracy faces huge challenges in India. Many well-meaning programmes face opposition from professional activists. Political parties resort to playing caste-cards and offering freebies. The Election Commission has failed to curb these detrimental practices. Although an impartial and efficient judiciary is indispensable, it must confine itself to the assigned role and not assume legislative functions. Finally, the book discusses a number of issues that impact the health of the armed forces.
Of Matters Military: Aspirational India and Challenges
Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD was the Task Force Commander at Pokharan and was responsible for designing and sinking shafts for the nuclear tests. For that, he was duly decorated by the President of India. Later, he commanded an Engineer Regiment in the most hostile battlefield in the world, i.e. the Siachen Glacier.
He is considered to be India’s foremost expert on myriad aspects of India’s defence procurement regime, offsets and FDI in defence. He is regularly invited to address various Indian chambers, associations and foreign industrial delegations. He is a prolific writer and has published more than 560 papers in different journals and newspapers; many have been translated into foreign languages.
This is General Suman’s tenth book. His earlier books deal with issues confronting the Indian armed forces; tardy procurement process; controversies afflicting major defence contracts; growing anti-nationalism in India; service in the olive green; digging of shafts for the nuclear tests; and the challenges facing the defence industry in India.
