Local sourcing key to weapons 'autonomy'

India has remained the world's second-largest arms buyer despite a strong indigenisation drive, finds Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). The top buyer is Ukraine, a country at war. So, effectively, India is the preeminent arms importer and is likely to retain this status for a while. That does not, however, detract from its efforts to make more of its weapons systems at home. India is the fastest-growing major economy and defence expenditure - so goes the general calculus - must keep up. Which translates into higher imports as well as local sourcing. Since indigenisation is starting off from a small base, imports will have to fill in till domestic capacity is achieved.

Import substitution in military hardware has a nuanced relationship with combat-readiness. As a country imports more to be battle-ready, it can keep raising the localisation bar with foreign arms suppliers. This is easier to achieve in a competitive arms market. India's lowering its dependence on Russia as its principal arms supplier. In the bargain, it's shopping around more on its terms as the world's major arms buyer. Its strategic orientation allows it to cast a wide net, which should come in handy for local vendor development. Yet, there remain issues with domestic delivery timelines the military factors into its purchase decisions.

Combat-readiness also has to incorporate the changing nature of warfare. The indigenisation drive evolves in accordance. It may be easier to acquire domestic capability in areas like AI and cyber warfare, where India has a large enough talent pool and easier access to tech. A broad reading of the country's arms imports may not provide sufficient insights into the emerging local capabilities for tomorrow's wars.