The slowdown in economic growth not only seems to have cast its shadow on the allocation of the defence budget for 2020-21 but has also compounded the challenges for the country’s first CDS.

There is a need to evolve a protocol for contract administration and post-contract management of all capital and revenue contracts awarded by various departments of the defence ministry and the armed forces.

The government’s decision to allow the private sector to undertake the development of complex defence equipment is a step in the right direction. It will help forge a larger innovation system to meet the diverse requirements of national security. However, caution may be required to avoid duplication of efforts and prevent indirect import.

The agile acquisition or C2D2 model currently under adoption by the US for its F-35 aircraft is likely to become a necessity for acquisitions in future, as disruptive defence technologies will continue to affect military systems across the world.

While the purpose of the Fall Clause, a price safety mechanism in rate contracts, is indubitable, some issues concerning its applicability and implications, both for the buyer and the seller, merit a review.

Shortage of funds even to service the committed liabilities raises questions about the financial affordability of the defence modernisation programme and viability of the push for ‘Make-in-India’ in defence.