India's once and future defense industry

India's defense industry is beset with a number of structural, institutional, and cultural problems that impede the timely development of state-of-the-art weaponry.

So long as India continues to shield and coddle its defense sector in the name of self-reliance and strategic imperative, it will never be forced to reform and remake itself into an industry capable of supplying the armed forces with the equipment it requires.

It used to be said of Brazil that it was "the country of the future and it always will be." Sadly, the same may be said of India's arms industry. Few nations have invested more effort and capital in their defense industries and have gotten so little back in return.

And while the rest of India appears to be racing into the 21st century, its defense sector is still mired in the country's Nehruvian socialist and protectionist past.

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