An L&T-Russian partnership

The selection of a Russian partner would conform to India's 30-year submarine plan

Embattled by the controversy over the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters from France, the defence ministry is initiating a slew of defence acquisitions, worth almost Rs 4 trillion. These would take years to fructify but would allow the Bharatiya Janata Party to claim while campaigning for elections that it was safeguarding India’s defence. These include the procurement of 110 fighter aircraft worth about Rs 1.25 trillion, 57 naval fighters worth Rs 750 billion, S-400 air defence systems worth Rs 400 billion, artillery guns worth Rs 150 billion, rifles worth Rs 100 billion, warships worth Rs 350 billion and two naval