India's Military Modernization: Strategic Technologies and Weapons Systems

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DEVELOPMENT OF DEFENCE STRATEGIES IN India has been slow and uneven due to the absence of a clear direction from the highest levels of government and the non-inclusion of the military in strategic decision-making. Focusing on the relative strengths of the state and society in this area, this volume provides a comprehensive assessment of the current situation and points to policy-relevant adjustments and changes necessary to future- proof India's defence preparedness. It also maps both continuity and change in India's evolving strategic capabilities.

Belonging to the Oxford International Relations in South Asia series, this volume is the second part of a two-part project on Indian military modernization. While the first part focused mainly on India's conventional military modernization, the second part analyses the country's progress in advanced technologies: cruise missiles, nuclear weapons, anti-satellite weapons, missile defence, and information-based warfare.

Rajesh Basrur is Professor, International Relations, and Coordinator, South Asia Programmme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Bharath Gopalaswamy is Deputy Director, South Asia Center, Atlantic Council, USA.

THE GROWTH AND EXPANSION in India's military capabilities has received considerable attention and discussion. This volume represents the second part of a two-part project on Indian military modernization. While the first part focused mainly on India's conventional military modernization, this second part analyzes India's evolving capabilities in areas relating to advanced technologies in cruise missiles, nuclear weapons, anti-satellite weapons, missile defence, and information- based warfare (Basrur et al. 2014). How have India's strategic capabilities evolved and what direction are they likely to take? This volume revolves around this central question, which was explored in a workshop conducted in Singapore in February 2012 by the South Asia Programme of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). It demonstrates both the limitations and possibilities of India's efforts to modernize its nuclear, missile, and space forces. The project surveys the political, institutional, and organizational challenges confronting India's efforts and highlights the numerous problems that beset its national security architecture. The modernization of its strategic capabilities is viewed through the prism of domestic opportunities as well as external drivers and the interaction between them. The chapters individually and together provide an assessment of the state of India's capabilities and point to policy relevant adjustments and changes for the future.

Kartik Bommakanti's chapter (Chapter 1) sets the tone by linking innovation and strategy both generally and in the Indian context. It offers a historical overview of India's nuclear and missile development.