Increasing Indian military spending

PATRON Lt Gen (Retd) SARDAR F.S. LODI examines the increased Indian military budget.

The Indian Finance Minister Mr. Yashwant Sinha while presenting the national budget in parliament on February 29, 2000, announced an unprecedented 28.2 per cent increase in defence allocation, taking it to $ 13.5 billion for the new financial year starting from April 1. This is the highest ever raise in India’s military spending.

Mr. Sinha said defence allocation would be raised by Rs. 130 billion ($ 3 billion) to Rs. 586 billion ($ 13.5 billion) an increase of Rs. 130 billion ($ 3 billion). The Finance Minister went on to say, with a sense of pride and achievement. “This represents the largest ever increase in the defence budget in any single year” and “more will be provided whenever needed”, he assured parliament.

Mr. Sinha said that there “cannot be any compromise on defence”. He went on to add with some bravado that the Indian troops had demonstrated they were “second to none in the world” during last year’s military conflict in the Kargil sector. “We shall not shrink from making any sacrifice to guard and protect every inch of our beloved motherland” he said with some expectation of public applause.

The Finance Minister, however, did not explain to parliament or the public whether there was in fact any threat to the security of the “motherland” from her small neighbours. Where those neighbours likely to attack and overrun the “motherland” in the near future. Did they have the potential or the capability of doing so?

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said “security reasons” had necessitated the dramatic increase in military spending. Which has stagnated at 2.3 per cent of gross domestic product for more than a decade. “I am confident that the people of the country will try and understand the security requirements”, Vajpayee told reporters after the budget was announced. He also, did not explain what the “security requirements” were, that prompted such a large increase, or the source and direction of any imminent danger to India’s security, which could not be catered for by her large standing army and second line forces consisting of well over two million men.

India will be increasing her armed forces at a time when there is already enough tension and mistrust in the region, which will certainly be aggravated. It has sent alarm bells ringing in the Capitals of the countries of South Asia and beyond, right up to Australia. It baffles the defence experts in and outside the region, who fail to understand the urgent compulsions that propel India towards greater armaments. Particularly when India already has by far the largest military forces in the area and there is no external threat whatsoever to her security. In fact, it is India which remains a source of concern and a perpetual threat in the region as she has used force against all her neighbours including China, for the past 52 years since she gained independence in 1947.

The 1.4 million strong Indian army got an increase of $ 543 million, taking its share to $ 6.7 billion, for the financial year 2000-2001. This was followed by the Air Force, which was given a hike of $ 403 million, making a total allocation of $ 1.83 billion for the new financial year. Navy’s annual spending was increased by $ 163 million to a total of $ 939 million. The total increase to the three services came to $ 1.1 billion.

The rest of $ 1.9 billion increase has been given for the latest military acquisitions from home and overseas sources. These include 300 latest T-90 tanks from Russia in Phase I. In the second Phase another 300 will be inducted. An additional 400, 155 mm Bofor guns (used in Kargil) from Sweden. The new 14 Army Corps has already been raised for the defence of Kargil and Leh area and inducted into Indian-held Kashmir. More troops are in the process of being raised. The Air Force is already inducting the latest long-range SU-30 fighter aircraft from Russia. After their experience in Kargil some additional Mirage-2000 will be purchased from France and laser bombs from Israel. The Navy is adding submarines and bidding for a Russia aircraft carrier.

A substantial amount has also been allocated for the manufacture of nuclear weapons and missiles. This is being given priority by the present BJP government in spite of their assurances to the contrary given to the US President during his recent trip to India. This large increase in Indian nuclear capability has been noted across the border in Pakistan where appropriate steps will no doubt be taken. Which will add to the already tense nuclear stand-off in the region.

Why is India arming herself so feverishly when she already has the third largest army in the world, supported by a strong airforce and navy. Her present forces are also well beyond her legitimate defence and security needs. Her future plans and intentions in South Asia are not too honourable. This is evident by the further increase of 28.2 per cent in her military spending, which has just been announced. The Pakistan foreign office has aptly voiced the concerns of India’s small neighbours including Pakistan, when it said that the huge increase in the Indian military budget was another proof of Indian hegemonic designs in the region and beyond. It went on to say that the countries in the neighbourhood of India cannot but feel seriously concerned over New Delhi’s designs of military dominance in the region.

Pakistan foreign office statement analysing the situation further, stated that New Delhi has already amassed a huge arsenal of nuclear and conventional weapons far beyond its legitimate defence needs. The latest increase in its military budget will result in the induction of more arms in an environment where India faces no threat from any direction. The statement went on to say that India had already vitiated the security climate in the region by stonewalling the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

The statement concluded by saying that India was pursuing a vicious vilification campaign against Pakistan, and its forces were continuously launching attacks on the Line Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

The government of India has been increasing their defence spending for many years now, at an alarming pace. In the budget of 1994 India had increased its defence allocation by 20 per cent. The Prime Minister of Pakistan refused to react, and had remarked at the time that “even in view of India’s 20 per cent increase in its defence budget, we cannot match it, because if we did, then we would not be able to meet the 5.4 per cent budget deficit target agreed with the IMF by the Moeen Qureshi government”.

In the 1997 budget India raised its defence spending by 24.4 per cent from Rs. 364.9 billion in 1996 to Rs. 454.2 billion. The Indian army getting the biggest increase of Rs. 195 billion or 45.9 per cent over its allocation of the previous year. After the BJP’s election victory during the earlier election the new Defence Minister Mr George Fernandes had announced that spending on the country’s defence is likely to go even higher.

In between the major increases in India’s defence spending of 20 per cent in 1994, 24.4 per cent in 1997 and 28.2 per cent in 2000, there have been increases of between 11 to 15 per cent. Therefore, a constant pattern can be seen in India of a rise in defence expenditure, which ever government is in power at New Delhi. One can, therefore, come to the conclusion that this is done under a master plan even though there is no danger to India’s security from her small neighbours.

The present BJP government in India is in particular dedicated to building a strong military machine under a political agenda which is forbidding for the region. During last year’s Indian elections the caretaker Indian Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee’s Hindu nationalist-led alliance pledged in New Delhi on August 16, 1999 to increase defence spending if returned to power in the following months general elections. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) said it would “correct the imbalance and budgetary neglect of defence needs” by previous governments. Increase in defence spending was mentioned as a major item in the NDA election manifesto which went on to say. “In today’s unipolar world it is of paramount importance that India constantly maintains and strengthens the state of preparedness, morale and combat effectiveness of the Armed Forces, the manifesto said. Ambiguous words to justify unwarranted increases in military spending.

India’s actual defence expenditure is in fact higher than what is officially announced. As the defence figures do not include pensions of defence personnel, military research and development, border defence roads organisation and some defence constructions and procurements from abroad. These are shown against other ministries for security reasons and to bypass export regulations of other countries from where banned items are being freely imported.

This constant rise in India’s defence budget has raised her overall budget deficit to 5.6 per cent which has alarmed some economic experts in India who question the requirement of this sharp and dramatic increase. Particularly when India is the largest nation in South Asia and the most powerful one, and also enjoys the financial and military support and backing of the leading Western nations including Russia.

Pakistan on the other hand has been limiting her defence spending and avoiding an arms race in the region. Pakistan did not react to the large Indian increases in military spending in 1994, 1997 and now in 2000 when the Chief Executive said categorically that we will not indulge in an arms race. In fact, it has been the other way round in Pakistan where the present military government has reduced the army’s current budget by Rs. 7 billion. This should surely have been reciprocated by India and would have led to reduction of forces, lowering of tension and a greater incentive towards a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan.

People in India and Pakistan desire peace and an end to the conflict and strife prevalent in South Asia for the past fifty years. This was evident when the BBC Urdu service interviewed members of the Indian public for their views after the budget was announced. The public felt that the increase in India’s defence expenditure would cause further tension in the region. Some lamented that India had taken the initiative to increase defence spending  and, therefore, tension in the area. Most were of the opinion that the increase will raise tension externally and, therefore, raise consumer prices at home. Some made the point in an angry tone, that they had nothing to eat, therefore instead of raising the defence budget the government should have reduced tension in the area.

But the BJP-led Hindu fundamentalist government in India have different and from their perception compelling political motives for building a large military machine, which is certainly well beyond India’s legitimate defence and security requirements. These are apparent in India’s aggressive national aims and objectives which have been highlighted prominently by the BJP government. India’s military power at present has two major aims. The first being to subjugate the region to her will, and when that aim has been achieved to launch the second one which is to project her power and influence beyond the region. In the attainment of the first objective only Pakistan remains to be cowed down. Without completing the first objective there is no hope of launching the second. Therefore, India’s permanent and constant effort has been to weaken Pakistan militarily and dictate terms to her.

It must be appreciated that the time of military adventures are long past, particularly in a nuclear armed South Asia. India should reduce her military spending and help to ease the tensions prevailing at present in the region, and settle all disputes by pacific means without recourse to arms. That is the only solution for obtaining lasting peace in South Asia.