Opinion: Defence Of The Realm

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

During its first two years in office, the NDA government gave a free hand to the army to act pro-actively on the LoC with Pakistan. It worked assiduously with the leadership of the armed forces and the bureaucracy to give a fillip to the stalled process of military modernisation. However, the state of defence preparedness continues to merit the government's urgent attention.

In the remaining years in power, the Modi government must address the 'critical hollowness' plaguing defence preparedness - a term used by General V K Singh, former Army Chief, in the letter he wrote to the then Prime Minister in May 2012. Also, major operational voids in the war establishment of the three Services must be addressed early in order to enhance combat readiness.