Defence Primer

Defence Primer: India at 75
chalked out for quick execution of various critical projects. If they materialise
as planned, they should be in place by the time India celebrates 75 years
of independence giving a major fillip to infrastructure which can act as a
springboard for further expansion.
The next 5-10 years will be critical in overcoming the short comings and
creating partnerships across the region to counter China’s “string of pearls” –
a term coined by the US based Think Tank, Booz Allen Hamilton, in 2005. 1
Failure to do so will be an opportunity loss as the space will be quickly filled
by China leaving no room for India. One should bear in mind that both
countries are largely vying for the same set of limited spaces for foothold
in the region. India probably has some leverage in terms of its soft power
and greater acceptance among the Indian Ocean littoral states than China,
which is viewed with some degree of suspicion. But speed is of the essence in
converting the goodwill into strategic footholds.
Within the country
aside the critical
need for border
roads there are
issues to be
addressed like
air fields, army
infrastructure,
upgrading repair
depots and so on.
Infrastructure Within
Within the country aside the critical need for border roads there are issues to
be addressed like air fields, army infrastructure, upgrading repair depots and
so on.
In this segment the biggest concern remains border roads which have been
neglected for decades. The government has sanctioned a new strike corps
comprising of 35,000 men at a cost of over Rs. 60,000 crore to be based in
Panagarh and dedicated for the Eastern sector to halt any Chinese advances.
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh recently said that the process under way
to realise it by 2021. “A target was kept of nine years and we are on target to
raise it by 2021,” he said recently.
The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the raising in September 2013
and the process began in January 2014 by drawing personnel from existing
units. Along with recruiting more, new procurements this will also need
building additional infrastructure to house the corps. As on date the process
seems on course but it raises another questions. While there are more men,
how are they expected to reach the border when the roads are not there or
nearly non-existent?
Border Roads
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) tasked with building and maintaining
border roads has itself traditionally been the biggest stumbling block in
building those roads plagued by inefficiency and lack of accountability and
transparency. This seems to be changing though still not at a desired pace.
In a belated but welcome move Defence Minister ManoharParrikar decided
to bring the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under the direct control of
the defence ministry. Earlier it was under the joint control of defence and
surface transport ministries due to which “they answered to neither”.
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