THE Indian Army has given the nation a major symbolism in the Republic Day Parade by showcasing only ‘Made In India’ weapons or systems as a mark of pride in Indian things. This very idea will fill every Indian’s heart with legitimate sense of achievement. It will also tell the world what kind of strides the country is making in its effort to ramp up defence-preparedness and ensure higher security awareness. From such multiple angles, this is welcome.

Of course, India has taken long years to arrive at this stage. Thanks to the overall thrust given by the Government in the past 7-8 years to indigenisation of defence production, India’s Defence Forces are able to use ‘Made In India’ products in bigger numbers -- not just in the Army but also in the Air Force and the Navy besides other services. Indigenously made radar and tracking systems, signalling systems and explosives and missiles also now form a major part of India’s weapons and systems.

Of course, India still has to go a very long way to achieve complete indigenisation -- which may not happen because of genuine reasons. Most countries have to keep connecting with other countries for their defence requirements in this or that manner. None the less, India has made rapid strides in this area and has become a major exporters of defence production to several countries. The quality of Indian products is being acclaimed by the world and the demand is increasing.

But the picture was hopeless at the dawn of Independence 72 years ago. The World War II had ended just a few years earlier. During that war, Indian defence manufacturing was at its best and enjoyed a peak demand. Subsequently, however, after Independence, the Government started ignoring the country’s well-earned status as a major defence manufacturer. The leaders of the Government were influenced by a clumsily-defined concept of Ahimsa (non-violence) espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, as a result of which the defence industry was ignored -- for a huge price that the country paid later. Each chief of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force kept asking for better weapons through import to fulfill immediate need. But the Government ignored those requests.

Subsequently, when the clamour from the Defence Forces increased for better weapons and systems, the political leadership started offering strange excuses for not fulfilling defence requirements through imports. It started saying that the country plans to have its own elaborate defence manufacturing industry and the Forces would have to wait until that industry came of age.

This was all hollow talk that meant nothing on the ground. Forces chiefs kept asking for more and better weapons and systems, and got nothing but rebuff in exchange. Meanwhile, India fought as many as five major wars with Pakistan and China with less-than-optimal preparedness and won most of the conflicts except in 1962. Those victories gave the political leadership of the country a wrong notion that the Forces were putting up rather fake demands for weapons and systems. The problem, thus was of confused perceptions of the reality of defence-readiness.

India did have its own ordnance industry, mostly run by the Government, with only a handful of enterprises in private sector engaged in defence production. Over the time, once-famous ordnance factories also started showing lesser efficiency in general, thanks to the lack of leadership and management expertise. Production from the Government’s ordnance factories was of a compromised quality and more expensive than similar materials available in open market the world over.

The Government ended that kind of inefficient system by recasting the ordnance factories in a different and more efficient model. Its thrust on increased private sector participation in the ‘Make In India’ (Atmanirbhar Bharat) activity also changed the scenario positively in a big way. All these development have funnelled into the point when the Indian Army is in a position to showcase only ‘Made In India’ weapons and systems in the Republic Day Parade. This is a matter of genuine great pride for the Indian nation as it celebrates 73rd anniversary of making of its Constitution.

Beyond all doubts, this is celebration is very special.