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South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
India on path to weapons self-sufficiency but still lags behind China: experts
As India embarks on its path to self-sufficiency in modern weapons production to shore up its defence clout, its military inventory may have already surpassed arch rival Pakistan's, but still lags behind China. The drive is marked by New Delhi's latest bid to acquire the Rs 30,000 crore (US$3.6 billion) Indigenous Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) system, after it fended off Turkish-origin drones and Chinese-made missiles launched by Pakistan last month at the height of clashes. The proposal for three QRSAM regiments is expected to be reviewed by the Ministry of Defence in a coming meeting of the defence acquisition council set for later this month, according to Indian news agency ANI. Foreign-affairs specialist Robinder Sachdev, founder and president of Delhi-based think tank Imagindia Institute, says the QRSAM system is a critical addition to India's layered air defence network, developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. 'Following the waves of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones and Chinese-origin Wing Loong-II UCAVs deployed by Pakistan, India is investing in capabilities that offer rapid mobility, autonomous response, and indigenous sustainability,' Sachdev said. India's defence procurement now centred on indigenisation, Sachdev said, adding it was estimated that in the financial year 2024–25, more than 65 per cent of defence capital procurement contracts were awarded to domestic vendors.
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
In India, boycott calls against Turkey, Azerbaijan reflect growing ‘consumer-led diplomacy'
Calls to boycott Turkish and Azerbaijani products and travel have intensified across India, with experts describing the push as an emerging form of consumer-led diplomacy in response to the two countries' support for Pakistan during recent cross-border hostilities. While analysts said the economic fallout for either side might be limited, they suggested the backlash reflected deeper shifts in Indian public opinion – and the country's evolving use of economic tools to signal foreign policy displeasure. 'Backlash against Turkey and Azerbaijan is not merely a display of nationalism – it reflects a growing wave of consumer-driven diplomacy,' said Robinder Sachdev, founder president of the Imagindia Institute, a New Delhi-based independent think tank. 'This civic assertiveness is evident in actions by Indian online travel platforms and trade bodies, transforming public emotion into a form of soft economic leverage.' The diplomatic rift follows India's launch of 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7, a military campaign that targeted nine alleged militant camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to an attack that killed 26 civilians in the Jammu and Kashmir town of Pahalgam. Islamabad denied supporting the groups involved and later retaliated, leading to escalating tensions along the border. India also accused Pakistan of deploying Turkish-made drones during the conflict, prompting further public anger.
