Public versus private challenges

The struggle to bridge the gap between defence exports and imports raises questions about the viability of strategic partnerships

Last Monday, at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO’s) 66th Foundation Day celebrations, its chairman, Samir V Kamat, expressed happiness that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had cleared the purchase of DRDO-developed weapons systems worth more than Rs 1.42 trillion. However, excessive jubilation would be premature since no order has yet been placed, nor has any money been allocated. All that has happened is the accord of an acceptance of necessity (AoN), which amounts to a green light from the MoD, marking the start of its long-drawn-out procurement procedure.

This will involve the categorisation process, the issue of a “request