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Defence spending is not a waste, it is insurance against war: Former Army chief
Pune: Former Army Chief General M M Naravane on Monday underlined the critical importance of sustained defence spending and dismissed perceptions that money allocated for national security is a "wasteful expenditure".
"Defence preparedness does not come cheap. It comes at a cost. Many times, people wonder — can't we do without it? After all, at the cost of one Rafale aircraft, you can build 20 schools and run them for a year. But the defence of a country cannot be outsourced. It is the govt's primary responsibility," Gen Naravane said while addressing a gathering during the launch of his book 'Cantonment Conspiracy' at the Ramchandran International Institute of Management in Baner.
Drawing a parallel with personal insurance, the former chief of Army staff said defence spending should be seen as a premium to ensure safety. "Unlike insurance, which comes into play after an incident, defence preparedness prevents an incident — prevents a war — from happening. If you look weak or seem weak, your adversaries will exploit it," he said.
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Naravane cited Ukraine as a cautionary tale, stressing that neglect of military preparedness can prove disastrous.
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"Ukraine neglected its defence. As they were seen as weak, Russia thought it could take advantage. Within a year of the 2022 invasion, a World Bank report estimated reconstruction costs at $400bn. If they had spent even a fraction of that on defence earlier, they may not have faced this situation."
While govts must balance priorities like education, healthcare and infrastructure, adequate defence allocation is indispensable, he added.
"You can outsource the security of a campus, not the security of a country. The more threats, the more you will have to spend. It is not a waste; it is a worthwhile investment to prevent conflict. Therefore, defence expenditure should not be seen as preparing for war, but as ensuring that a war is never forced upon the nation.
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The former COAS said inimical powers will try to divide us on grounds of religion and caste, and we have nothing in common with each other.
"National security is not just about the armed forces. National security has many facets, including food security, energy security, water security, and health security," he said.
India needs to be prepared with a policy and strategy on US tariffs to deal with any situation that may arise due to the global geopolitical situation, said the former COAS.
US President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariff on Indian exports — higher than rivals — and proposed to slap secondary sanctions, resulting in 50% tariff, citing India's purchase of arms and oil from Russia.
Uncertainty persists over the fate of additional tariff on Indian exports to the US after Trump's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The meeting has very mixed outcomes. European countries are not happy with what they think may have transpired behind closed doors. We do not know what has happened," he said. European leaders, such as the prime ministers of the UK and Italy, are concerned that there should not be a backdoor, under-the-carpet deal between US and Russia, he added.
India has always said disputes should be resolved through dialogue and discussions, not through force, Gen Naravane added. "This is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been saying this is not an era of war. It is preferable to resolve disputes through discussions, and war should be the last resort." he said.
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