It's high time India ramped up arsenal

Even as Armenia and Azerbaijan keep waging a war over the control of Nagorno-Karabakh region in an ethnic and territorial conflict (Nagorno-Karabakh is inhabited by the Armenians and the seven surrounding districts by Azerbaijanis, an area known as Republic of Artsakh, but internationally recognised as de jure part of Azerbaijan), the world armies are looking at the methods of war closely. The present conflict has assumed international significance for its use of the latest warfare which is more dependent on artificial intelligence.

This is significant because the technology being used here could well be the future course of action by all others in such situations. Our Army veterans too are keeping an eye on it and are questioning India's failure in updating itself on this count. Close combat, a traditional war method, may become redundant sooner. Military technologies are fast changing throughout along with their counter technologies. China is a leading manufacturer and seller of modern weapons nowadays. It is said that in 2015, Pakistan, Iraq and Nigeria conducted strikes using armed drones supplied by China.

These drones are both unarmed and armed. Hence it is presumed that the country also has a large number of loiter munitions as well. As we have seen during the last National Day Parade of China, the PLA (People's Liberation Army) put in public view UAVs - DR-8 supersonic spy drone, the GJ-11 stealth combat drone and the CJ-2 reconnaissance and strike drone. The country also displayed other drones which were tested repeatedly in Tibetan plateau. China has sold the same to at least 10 countries. Pakistan bought 48 GJ-2 drones and also reportedly some loiter munitions.

The latter could as well have landed in the lap of the non-State actors of Pakistan who are trained by the ISI and its Army. This could mean greater danger to India. (We have already seen how Pakistan is dumping weapons and ammunition including AKs into Kashmir for the benefit of its trained militant cadres in India). In fact, the loiter munitions which come as man packs could easily be used by individuals. The UAVs could give real time intelligence of the battlefield to direct the fire of various weapon systems. In the present world, armies carry Precision Guided Munitions (PGM) and missiles.

We have seen effective deployment of the same in Afghanistan against Al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership. Surprisingly, even Israel, the UK, Pakistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia and the United Arab Emirates used them. Why did not India develop the same baffles our Army veterans. What prevented the governments from developing the technologies, particularly when we could have easily developed the same is puzzling. We cannot say that we were blind to it or our army leadership did not notice it. It is impossible. It is also not the case that we do not have the technologies or innovators to manufacture the same. With Pakistan and China as our neighbours, it is time we woke up from our deep slumber. Our Armed Forces have been long neglected by our successive governments. Now is the right time to equip ourselves with every possible weapon, even if it is meant for defence. This is what common intelligence tells us!