How often have you heard inane arguments, which seek to demilitarise India? “Oh, but spending so much on defence is insane!”; “Rs 5 lakh crore? Imagine how society could have benefited if this money was being used for the people instead of the armed forces!”; “Maintaining India’s armed forces is warmongering!”.
Liberals and those who do not have the best interests of India at heart can often be heard making such statements. To them, the Indian armed forces serve no purpose, and the military as we know it should be dismantled. They argue that the money which will be saved as a result should be used for societal upliftment. However, the Indian army chief, General M M Naravane has shut these people for good.
Spending on Military is an Investment
On Wednesday, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane said that the expenditure on the armed forces helps a country survive the shocks of multiple crises. He noted, “For a country to prosper, you need a stable and peaceful environment. That will happen only if you have strong armed forces that will secure your borders. Therefore, whenever we talk of our armed forces and the expenditure made on our armed forces, we should see it as an investment. It is an investment from which you can get good returns and it should not be seen as a burden on the economy.”
General Naravane added, “You should see how the economy suffers the moment there is a crisis. The moment there is a war anywhere or instability in the region, the impact can be seen on the stock markets. You can survive that kind of shock only if the armed forces of the country are strong.”
Defence Spending Helps Economy
A big misconception in the minds of many is that defence spending is equal to dumping cash in a well where it is used by the military alone. That is not the case, at least not anymore. You see, the Modi government is making a big push for indigenisation. The goal is to create an indigenous defence industry that is self-sufficient and can provide for all of India’s military needs.
That’s like the creation of a whole new sector within the Indian economy. On Thursday, for example, the Defence Ministry announced that India would ramp up its production of military equipment, including helicopters, tank engines, missiles and airborne early warning systems. The ministry’s website said military orders worth 2.1 trillion rupees ($27.8 billion) are likely to be placed with domestic state-run and private defence manufacturers in the next five years.
When India’s domestic defence industry begins flourishing, it would contribute a very significant share to the Indian economy as well. Moreover, the stability of any country, more so of India, is contingent on our military being well-replenished. The armed forces must be in a comfortable position financially. If India was to spend an insignificant amount of money on them, China and Pakistan would be having consecutive field days against our country.
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How do you think the Indian economy as a whole would fare in that scenario? The fact remains that the ability of the Indian economy to cushion itself against global crises arises from the strength of our armed forces. Moreover, the Indian economy is growing at a fast pace only because we are secure as a nation. Maintaining that security are India’s armed forces.
Therefore, General Naravane’s message is clear: big bills on barrels cannot be a burden. Just like India spends huge money on oil barrel imports to maintain its energy security, similarly, it must continue spending significantly on its armed forces to preserve national security and stability.