Events

Dr. Rajeesh Kumar, Research Fellow, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), spoke on “16^th BRICS Summit: Paving the Way for a Multipolar World Order?” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 04 November 2024. The session was chaired by Dr. Prashant K. Singh, Research Fellow, MP-IDSA. The scholars of the Institute attended the meeting.

Executive Summary

The session provided a comprehensive analysis of the role of BRICS, a non-western economic group and of the BRICS Summit held in Kazan on 22-23 October 2024. This BRICS Summit was   the first summit after its expansion which marked its relevance in the current multipolar world. BRICS as an institution is attractive to many nations due to its financial alternative mechanisms that reduce dependency on the dollar. Despite its limited capacity and capabilities, it promotes economic cooperation, trade and investments among its members and provides a platform to interact with countries like Russia and China.

Detailed Report

In his opening remarks, Dr. Prashant K. Singh discussed the 16th BRICS summit, its significance, and the Kazan Declaration. The declaration acknowledged the BRICS members and partners' efforts to create alternative financial mechanisms. It also emphasised the unacceptable use of unilateral Western sanctions for geopolitical objectives. The declaration called for comprehensive reform of the United Nations and its organs, particularly the Security Council. The summit also successfully issued a consensus declaration on the security situation in Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine.  Dr. Singh enquired about alternative financial mechanisms and how far BRICS has evolved as a counterbalance to systems that are dominated by the West.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Rajeesh Kumar contrasted the headlines of prominent newspapers over the years with those of today. To understand the relevance of BRICS currently, he noted a change in the discourse around the group and thereby the possibility of it offering an alternative to the current world order. He then analysed the symbolic and the actual significance of the summit. Symbolically it was the first meeting after the expansion and Putin successfully hosted the summit despite sanctions against Russia. However, the actual significance of the summit was more nuanced as it issued thirty-one documents including the Kazan Declaration. Dr. Kumar made a comparison of the themes and subthemes of the 2024 summit and the 2023 summit. Compared to the 2023 summit, according to the Kazan Declaration, international financial architectures, including the International Monetary Fund need to be reformed. By preserving the current structures, they hope to democratise them and make them more inclusive of the demands of the countries of the Global South. Other aspects mentioned in the declaration include the BRICS Grain Exchange, BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism, BRICS (Re)Insurance Company, BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for preventing mass infectious diseases risks, and BRICS Partner Country category.

Dr. Kumar discussed India's participation in the Kazan Summit and Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. PM Modi emphasised the need for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and emphasised the importance of diplomacy in mitigating the crises in West Asia. He advocated for collaborative efforts to tackle climate change and emphasised the need for comprehensive international regulations related to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. He also welcomed the proposal for a new BRICS investment platform to provide financial resources for countries in the Global South. The Modi-Xi meeting agreed to use dialogues among Foreign Ministers and officials to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations. Both leaders emphasised enhancing strategic communication and exploring cooperation for shared development goals.

Dr. Kumar discussed the concept of BRICS and the multipolar world order, focusing on the BRICS+ as a political alternative. He argued that BRICS+ aims to reform global systems, advocating for a multipolar world with a stronger Global South perspective. He also highlighted BRICS as an economic alternative, driving global economic growth and demonstrating superiority over G7 economies in certain aspects. Further, he highlighted the importance of economic independence, building a resilient financial ecosystem, and de-dollarization.

Dr. Kumar addressed common questions about BRICS, including its potential solutions to global problems, anti-Western attitudes, potential use by China against India, economic integration, dispute resolution, and its potential to be an analogue to the G7. He also discussed BRICS's potential to promote economic cooperation, trade, and investments among its member states.

Despite concerns, Dr. Kumar concluded that BRICS remains an attractive idea, and India's relevance to BRICS lies in its strategic autonomy, geopolitical balancing, reformed multilateralism, and leadership in terrorism and climate change policies. Despite perceived disparities, BRICS needs to be seen as an avenue for cooperation.

Comments and Questions

Following the presentation, the scholars inquired about the significance of the partner members and what makes BRICS attractive to other countries, such as in Southeast Asia. They also enquired about the alternative financial mechanisms in BRICS and the avenues for the BRICS currency. The discussion also touched upon India’s role and importance in BRICS and the concept of a non-Western approach as opposed to an anti-Western approach when discussing the narratives regarding BRICS.

Dr. Rajeesh Kumar responded to the comments and the questions raised by MP-IDSA scholars.

The report was prepared by Ms. Alvina A. Almeida, Intern, East Asia Centre, MP-IDSA.

Ms. Saman Ayesha Kidwai, Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) spoke on “ISIS: An Enduring Threat” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 28 October 2024. The session was chaired by Dr. Jason Wahlang, Research Analyst, MP-IDSA. MP-IDSA scholars participated in the discussion.

Executive Summary

ISIS has remained an enduring security threat due to its adaptability, exploitation of regional and global instability, and media propaganda.

Detailed Report

The session commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Jason Wahlang, who provided an insightful overview of the persistent threat the Islamic State (IS) posed despite its waning influence in recent years. The Islamic State, alongside its various vilayets, continues to leverage instability in regions worldwide, exploiting global security shifts for resurgence.

 Dr. Wahlang highlighted the worrying escalation of IS activities in previously unaffected areas, including the attack in Azerbaijan’s Qusar district in September 2024 and the assault on a Shia Mosque in Oman. He stressed that the current complex geopolitical climate and the focus of major powers on their security imperatives, especially with the Russia-Ukraine War and the broader West Asian instability, has carved out space for a potential ISIS revival.

Ms. Kidwai explained that since its physical defeat in March 2019, ISIS has effectively preserved its global threat profile through the evolution of operational tactics, sustained ideological appeal, and the exploitation of geopolitical conflicts. This adaptability, combined with sophisticated media-driven propaganda, has allowed ISIS to mobilise a diverse array of fighters, including lone wolves, enabled individuals, and trained operatives, all contributing to the perpetuation of the group's agenda.

Ms. Kidwai also highlighted how high-profile international sporting events, such as the Paris Olympics and Euro Games, remain vulnerable to exploitation by ISIS, as these “soft targets” provide terrorist groups visibility and an opportunity to inflict substantial impact. Moreover, recent incidents, including the Solingen knife assault and threats against the U.S. Capitol, underscore the ongoing resilience of ISIS and its capacity to execute attacks on a global scale. These trends highlight the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated counterterrorism strategy to effectively address this enduring threat.

Furthermore, Ms. Kidwai noted that the 2024 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) reaffirms ISIS's status as the world's deadliest terrorist organisation, attributing 470 attacks and 1,636 deaths to the group in the preceding year. Ongoing regional and international conflicts, exacerbated by socio-political disparities, provide fertile ground for ISIS's recruitment and radicalisation efforts. The group’s sustained strategy to inspire violence through multilingual propaganda has ensured that its influence extends beyond physical borders, reinforcing its long-term goals as both an ideological force and a security challenge across nations.

Ms. Kidwai explained that ISIS has leveraged various networks across Africa, such as the Maktab Al-Karrar’s global financing network, which oversees regions including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, and Somalia. This network has played a crucial role in coordinating terror financing and attacks on a global scale, notably funding the 2021 Kabul airport attack perpetrated by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP).

Furthermore, the terrorist group employs both conventional and unconventional financing methods, including hawala networks, cryptocurrency, and extortion schemes through social media platforms like Tinder, specifically targeting South African citizens. These activities have intensified in South Africa, where established economic structures, combined with corruption and complacency, have facilitated ISIS’s financing and logistical operations.

According to Ms. Kidwai, globally, ISIS has proven its capacity to strike in unexpected locations, as demonstrated by the first ISIS-claimed assault in Oman on 15 July 2024, where an attack on a Shia Mosque resulted in numerous casualties. In Russia, a resurgence of ISIS activity has been observed, with deadly attacks in Moscow and Dagestan, along with coordinated prison break attempts. In Syria and Iraq, where the group initially established its caliphate, ISIS has exploited the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and governmental unrest, enabling it to regroup and renew its attacks.

Ms. Kidwai underscored that ISIS continues to exploit destabilised and poorly regulated regions, particularly near the Iraq-Syria border and within the Kurdish autonomous region, to smuggle weapons, move fighters, and establish sleeper cells. This threat endures despite repeated joint raids by Iraqi and American forces.

In Syria, detention camps like al-Hol have become breeding grounds for new extremism, exacerbated by inadequate oversight, where indoctrination continues unabated.

Simultaneously, ISIS's global reach and propaganda mechanisms have evolved, becoming increasingly sophisticated. ISKP has utilised major propaganda outlets like Al-Azaim Foundation to disseminate its extremist ideology and target regimes in Central Asia. ISKP’s media strategies, which include AI-generated content and dissemination of propaganda through platforms such as TikTok and Telegram, have significantly broadened its audience, allowing for the creation of visually compelling propaganda.

ISIS has also employed outlets like Al-Naba to denounce other groups, notably branding Hamas as an apostate organisation and accusing Iran of betraying Hamas leaders. Recent developments, such as the arrest of Islamic State in Hind Province’s leader Haris Farooqi and his aide Rehan in India, further illustrate ISIS's attempts to extend its influence in South Asia. However, its reach within India has been limited.

During her concluding remarks, Ms. Kidwai added that global conflicts and polarisation have hindered a unified counter-terrorism response to deal with the ISIS threat. Looking forward, ISIS is expected to exploit emerging socio-political grievances and leverage sophisticated propaganda techniques to sustain its presence within global extremist networks. Finally, these developments call for a robust, multifaceted counter-terrorism approach, addressing both the immediate and evolving threats posed by ISIS and its affiliates to ensure a comprehensive global response.

Q&A Session

The presentation was followed by a Q&A Session. Several key dynamics were addressed, revealing the multifaceted nature of contemporary terrorism, the speculation surrounding external influences in ISIS's formation, its digital transition post-territorial loss and its decentralised structure.

Ms. Kidwai provided insightful responses to the comments and questions raised.

This report was prepared by Ms. Dalvi Sethi, Intern, Europe & Eurasia Centre, MP-IDSA, New Delhi.

Ms. Shruti Pandalai, Associate Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, made a presentation on “The Evolving Development and Security Agenda in the QUAD” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 07 Oct 2024. Dr.. Temjenmeren Ao, Associate Fellow at MP-IDSA, moderated the session. The Director General and scholars of MP-IDSA attended the meeting.

Executive Summary

Dr. Temjenmeren Ao started with opening remarks and some historical briefs about the Quad. He stated that the revival of Quad in recent years has been associated with a change in its objectives. Quad which brought together four nations in response to the humanitarian crisis in 2004, today is a platform for partnership in diverse areas which is key towards the promotion of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. He also emphasised the successive summits and the key initiatives in new areas from climate change to vaccines under its health partnership, AI and emerging technologies, infrastructure, that reinforce Quad as a global force for good to other countries in the region which is capable of stepping up towards delivering public goods. He emphasised how Quad in advancing deeper bilateral and multilateral cooperation such as AUKUS, SQUAD, IPEF, etc. is shaping the security cooperation network in the Indo-Pacific region. He also emphasised that Quad is not a monolithic group by any means, and there is divergence amongst the Quad members about how they perceive security challenges. However, their shared values, and concerns via-vis China are anchoring the partnership. After that, he requested Ms. Pandalai to make her presentation.

Detailed Report

Dr. Shruti Pandalai started with an introduction of the Quad and explained why it is valuable in the plethora of key US led initiatives. She expanded on how the Quad which is an assemblage of like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, was anchoring cooperation in the important geography, and how it would be worthwhile to analyse the evolution of the Quad, its developments and rebirth, key agendas, prospects, challenges, and the relevance of the Quad.  

Next, she explained the importance of Quad in maintaining regional stability, deterring economic and maritime coercion, and balancing major power relations amidst the rise of an assertive China.

Ms. Pandalai delved into the shaping of the strategic vision of the Quad when it was revived in 2017 and up until 2019 and talked about the expansion and operationalisation of the public goods agenda between 2020 and 2022. One of her key arguments included that while the development and security agenda of the Quad go hand in hand, it would be incorrect to dismiss the security cooperation within the Quad as insignificant. Increasingly the security agenda includes the Indo Pacific Maritime Domain awareness (IPDM), intelligence sharing, joint exercises like Malabar aimed at enhancing interoperability among the Quad nations, countering regional threats through strategic and operational coordination, and strengthening of Quad.

She also mentioned the impacts of election cycles on the revival of the Quad, and the developments in the Quad in 2023 and 2024. The Quad’s working groups spanning vaccines to climate change, infrastructure, security initiatives, cybersecurity partnerships, and health security initiatives have become the key markers for the Quad’s socialisation.

Ms. Pandalai further discussed recent developments within the Quad, such as joint training, capacity building, 2+2 foreign and security dialogues, collective maritime capacity and capability building, cybersecurity, cooperation on undersea cable connectivity and resilience etc. While talking about the importance of Quad for India, she discussed how it had become the major platform for channelling India’s vision for the Indo-Pacific and outreach on key sectors and initiatives. She argued that it also reflected the transformation of India’s ties with each of the participating nations within the Quad. For India, the agendas overlap in bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral forums with these partner countries and helps building relationships within bureaucracies, military, industries, and technological ecosystems.

Ms Pandalai then addressed the criticism of Quad, especially on hard security. She argued that the motivation of the four countries will remain to balance the security and development agenda of the Quad and provide viable alternatives to regional requirements focussed on cutting-edge tech collaboration.

Concluding her presentation, she mentioned there is no current interest among the members for the expansion of the Quad, cooperation with other partners will continue on issue based agendas and approaches.

Questions and Comments

The Director General, Amb. Chinoy made insightful comments on the Quad. The scholars at MP-IDSA posed a diverse range of questions, including on the expansion of Quad membership and Quad security cooperation. Ms. Shruti Pandalai appreciated the insights from the attendees and answered the questions posed to her.  

The MP-IDSA Fellow’s Seminar presentation by Gp. Capt. (Dr.) R.K. Narang (Retd.), Senior Fellow, MP-IDSA, on “The Necessity of Military - Civil Fusion (MCF) for Making India a Global Drone Hub@2030” was held on 27 August 2024. It was chaired by Dr. V.K. Saraswat, former Secretary, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), currently Member NITI Aayog. The External Discussants for the paper were Professor Hari Babu Srivastava, former DG DRDO, currently Professor of Practice at IIT Delhi, and Cmde. Jaideep Maolankar (Retd.) from Newspace Research & Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The Director General, MP-IDSA, Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, the Deputy Director General, Gp.Capt. (Dr.) Ajey Lele (Retd.) and scholars of the Institute participated in the Seminar.

Executive Summary

The session deliberated on making India an atmanirbhar (self-reliance) drone hub @2030, emphasising military-civil drone technology development initiatives, challenges and the way forward. Key challenges include reliance on imports, lack of civil drone R&D ecosystem, gaps in defence UAV development programs and reducing import dependence of critical systems. Recommendations by the speaker included military-civil technology fusion (MCTF), designating an existing ministry as a nodal ministry for drone technology, launching civil drone R&D initiatives, fostering design capabilities, building testing infrastructure, creating indigenous content certification mechanism and formulating Indian standards among others, on which further discussion took place.

Detailed Report

Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, MP-IDSA opened the session by introducing Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog, as the Chairperson. He highlighted India’s progress towards greater self-reliance, emphasising that this does not equate to self-sufficiency. Self-reliance, he explained, allows ample room for international collaboration. India has actively engaged with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and others. It is negotiating with global partners on the development of aero engines and other technologies.

Dr. V.K. Saraswat noted thatIndian industry’s efforts toward aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been limited, particularly in the development of those with strategic value. However, he acknowledged significant progress in civilian drone technology, with applications ranging from entertainment and agriculture to logistics. The core technology behind drones remains consistent, with variations primarily in payloads and command and control systems. In the civilian sector, however, the understanding of drone technology in India is limited, with only a few companies excelling in this area.

Furthermore, Dr. Saraswat underlined that due to lack of focus, the civilian sector has largely depended on import of critical components. There are also distinct differences in the requirements for civilian versus military applications. As future warfare is likely to involve large-scale deployment of unmanned systems, achieving self-reliance in UAV technology requires a mission-driven approach to develop all critical components.

Gp. Capt. (Dr.) R.K. Narang (Retd.) began his presentation by highlighting the critical role of the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh in hand-holding of the drone startups, aimed at exploring the feasibility of developing chips to enhance security. He noted that his presentation addresses four key areas: military-civil drone policies, technology development, ecosystems and military-civil technology fusion (MCTF). He emphasised the need for significant reforms in the civilian drone sector, as well as some improvements in the defence sector.

According to Gp. Capt. Narang, while India has set the ambitious goal of becoming a global drone hub, the definition of what this entails remains unclear. He defines it as a “technology and innovation-driven, high-tech, high-value civil-military drone industry, where India is self-reliant in critical technologies, while also being a global leader in certain niche technologies.”

The growth of the Indian drone industry, he explained, will depend on proactive R&D, innovation and the creation of drone technologies. Additionally, the formulation of Indian standards, standardisation and trial-based certifications of emerging and enabling drone technologies will play a crucial role in achieving this vision. With standards for drones still evolving, India must adopt a proactive approach to formulate Indian standards to remain competitive in this sector.

Gp. Capt. Narang further elaborated on the contribution of civil drone policy initiatives, beginning with the Drone Rules 2021, which significantly transformed India’s drone sector by addressing operations, certification, training, and Production-Linked Incentives (PLI).  He also highlighted certain gaps and limitations in the drone policies. He observed India does not have a policy on certification by a drone technician. The PLI scheme supported drone manufacturing by domestic industry while simultaneously easing the import of drone components, which, in turn, made the industry reliant on imports. Although India has an airworthiness certification mechanism, there is no indication of whether products or components are indigenous. He also called for reforms in certification of drone batteries by citing an example where an Indian company developed innovative batteries, but the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) found it difficult to deviate from predefined standards to give them certification.

Gp. Capt. Narang pointed out that policy initiatives were focused on facilitating drone operation and not on development or the validation of indigenous drone technologies. Notably, the Ministry of Civil Aviation lacks policies, structures and mechanisms for atmanirbharta in civil drone technologies. Discussing development challenges, he emphasised the lack of focus of innovation hubs on addressing the technology gaps. Furthermore, civil drone development initiatives by the Department of Science and Technology, MeitY and others are not focused on developing specific drone technologies. Globally, civil aviation entities are leading development of enabling technologies and integration of drones into their national airspace; however, similar initiatives by Ministry of Civil Aviation/Directorate General of Civil Aviation are lacking.

Gp. Capt. Narang explained that a major limitation in India is the absence of an R&D vertical within the Ministry of Civil Aviation. In the private sector, investment in R&D is alarmingly low—that generally varies between 1 to 5 percent in most companies as compared to 10-20 % by global leaders—indicating a lack of focus on technological innovation. He stressed the need for greater demands on industry bodies and the private sector to drive meaningful technological progress.

Gp. Capt. Narang explained that India must also prioritise building an ecosystem for civilian drone test sites, as some Indian companies are currently forced to test their drones abroad. Accreditation remains a challenge for the Indian drone industry, and there is a pressing need to archive civil drone test data to facilitate the validation of technologies. Currently, drone education in India is limited, with only a few courses like the M.Tech program at IIT Kanpur and a handful of other universities offering specialised education. Strengthening higher education in the drone sector is essential to foster deep research in critical drone technologies within the country.

Focusing on the defence UAV sector, Gp. Capt. Narang mentioned that significant policy measures have been implemented, such as the MAKE-1, MAKE-2, and Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured (IDDM) categories in the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP). Initiatives like iDEX and the Mehar Baba Competition have also played a key role in advancing technological development in the drone sector. Additionally, he recommended induction of test pilots and test engineers by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and industry to help them in bridging the gap between drone designs and user expectations in UAV programs and the broader development of aviation technologies.

On the issue of indigenous content (IC), Gp. Capt. Narang emphasised the need for an expert body dedicated to IC certification, which is currently lacking. India does not have a mechanism to identify indigenous content, and he stressed the importance of creating one. He drew attention towards the need for archiving indigenous designs and content within Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the DRDO. He recommended reforming the Development Cum Production Partner (DcPP) model to a Development Production and User (DPU) model, where the user becomes a partner in the process rather than merely a reviewer of technology.

Gp. Capt. Narang also suggested that platforms like GeM should include verticals for iDEX, Mehar Baba, or IDDM to promote indigenous technologies. Also, there is a need to standardise trial methodologies that are universally accepted, which would help reduce challenges faced by startups in the drone industry.

Gp. Capt. Narang further highlighted the long-standing lack of interest in developing drone engines, emphasising the urgent need to address this gap. According to him, internal combustion (IC) engines, in particular, remain a weak area for India, with challenges in commercialisation, as well as competing with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in terms of quality and efficiency. Another issue is the increasing acquisition of promising Indian startups and talent by foreign companies and VCs, which calls for concerted efforts to prevent the loss of domestic talent and innovation.

Gp. Capt. Narang proposed the development of a mechanism to test the indigenous content (IC) of materials and software components for greater transparency and clarity. Moreover, he advocated for the creation of a National MCTF initiative, alongside a policy for aatmanirbharta in civil drone technology. He also called for designation of an existing ministry as a nodal ministry for civil UAV technology, a National UAV Technology Mission, and a National UAV Technology Fund to focus efforts in this critical domain. Additionally, there is a need for a Positive Indigenisation List across all ministries and the creation of civil drone testing corridors and sites.

Lastly, he proposed introducing an “IC 1” rating, in addition to L1 and T1 criteria, to recognise the highest levels of Indigenous Content in drone technology.

Prof. Hari Babu Shrivastava made several observations and recommendations, raising key questions such as what defines a “hub” and how the MCTF initiative would benefit society, industry, and the economy as a whole. He referenced a report by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, expressing concern that India’s indigenisation process may not keep pace with the country’s projected capabilities by 2030. He also noted that countries like Turkey and Iran have made significant advances in drone exports, emphasising the need for India to accelerate its efforts in this sector to remain competitive on the global stage.

Cmde. Jaideep Maolankar (Retd.) expressed concern that specific recommendations may not be effective if the mechanisms and processes for implementation remain unchanged. He also raised concerns on the draft of the Military Airworthiness Bill, pointing out that many issues stem from deep-rooted cultural challenges, such as a risk-averse mindset and siloed working practices. He noted that many countries are already ahead of India in drone technology, and instead of following the same path, India should think ahead and adopt a different approach.

For instance, he suggested that India should focus on collaborative robotics rather than UAVs. He emphasised the importance of understanding business models and advised companies to prioritise customer needs over their own preferences, highlighting the necessity of focusing on requirements engineering to align with real market demands.

Questions and Comments

Ambassador Chinoy, in his remarks, posed the question of how drone technologies can be developed to meet the specific needs of infantry, particularly in terms of supply delivery and stock management. He also said that regarding engine testing, the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) already has robust facilities, such as those used for the Kaveri engine. If India’s private sector develops its own engines, these testing facilities can be made available to support the testing and validation of their designs, encouraging collaboration between public and private sectors.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Saraswat said that in India, the technological lag often leads organisations to import new technologies for commercial use, rather than focusing on developing their own innovations. This approach creates challenges in increasing indigenous content, especially in critical technologies. Indigenous content should be measured in terms of critical technology development, not merely by the percentage of cost of local components in a product.

Another issue is India’s reliance on foreign designs, which are re-engineered and manufactured locally, highlighting the need to strengthen domestic design capabilities. Additionally, India should aim to leapfrog technological advancements rather than merely trying to catch up with advanced technologies.

Report prepared by Mr. Rohit Kumar Sharma, Research Analyst, North America & Strategic Technologies Centre.