The (Ex) Washington Realist

An interesting comment circulating from Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar, the former Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, on comparing the Indian and Chinese defense budgets. On paper, it looks like India is spending more and increasing capabilities. But paper is not translating into procurement, he says.

"For the last nine years running, the Indian defence establishment has been returning money from the overall defence budget to the national exchequer – and while this may be a good sign for the fiscal health of the nation – it has very adverse consequences for the Indian military."

He concludes: "The contrast with China is striking. This year's allocation marks the 20th successive year when Beijing has increased its annual defence outlay by double digit percentages closer to 20 and has translated fiscal outlay into distinctive military outcome. The focus is on trans-border military capability relating to ordnance delivery (missiles, long range fighter aircraft and ships) and surveillance (satellites) . China is relating its military capability in relation to the USA, Japan and Russia and this is a logical policy initiative for a nation that has a clear strategic vision of the next 50 years. India does not exude the same degree of determination and consequently the existential military advantage will inevitably grow in China's favor. This asymmetry will have abiding politico-diplomatic implications for the South Asian strategic grid and New Delhi should read the tea leaves of this week more astutely."
(For those interested, a copy of the column can be found here).


Raviprasad Narayanan of the ISDA echoes some of the same concerns Drew Thompson and I have been making about the Kosovo/Taiwan connection--for those who are interested..