India’s Strategic Partnership Policy is Counter-Productive in its Current Form

Defence Procurement Procedure – 2016 (DPP-2016) introduced many significant policy changes pertaining to India’s defence acquisition. But the most significant reform measure of DPP-2016 lies in its chapter on strategic partnership, the importance of which can be gauged by the fact that it’s the only chapter with a preamble to itself. The preamble acknowledges the absence of a level playing field between India’s private sector defence companies and the state owned defence public sector enterprises. It also acknowledges the need to create an environment conducive for the private sector to make long-term investments in developing manufacturing infrastructure, an eco-system of suppliers, skilled manpower, and research & development capabilities. The Draft DPP-2020 has retained the chapter on strategic partnership as it is. Read More…