Lip Service Being Offered In The Name Of Make In India Programme: IAF Chief Of India

Prime Minister Modi is a determined man. He is, beyond the contours of criticism and discussion, here to make a change. He strives to do so. By his own admission, he has committed himself to the cause of the nation- toward reforming India, toward helping the country in becoming the best version of itself.

Whether he is merely doing what most say but not do and what most promise but can’t deliver isn’t really the subject of the discussion and would, actually be an exercise in futility.

Importantly, as for any Prime Minister or leader, he also has his fair share of critics. He can actually mean and as a matter of fact, means different things to different people. But what cannot be discounted from his term as the country’s Prime Minister, are some key initiatives he initiated and brought into existence, among them being- the Clean India Campaign or movement and the Make in India program.

But the latter, it appears has come into a bite of criticism from the perspective of the current Air Chief of the country, IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria.

So that leaves us with the question- what is the Make in India program according to the IAF chief Bhadauria? Moreover, what exactly was said in the context recently on the Make in India program by the IAF Chief Bhadauria that catapulted into being a major news item and has, perhaps given many a lot to talk and reflect about?

Truth be told, nothing can be more hard-hitting than to understand the nerve of the matter made on the Make in India program according to IAF chief Bhadauria.

So here’s directly the sound byte:

Everyone has to work in this direction (of indigenous development). We have given our support. DRDO has to design a timeline… PSUs should be encouraged for private sector participation.”

“Right now, in this ‘Make in India’ and indigenization (programme), a lot of lip service is being done. Our intentions are very good but practically, the work is going on extremely slowly. If everyone works in this direction, we will be successful!”

So where were these comments made public and came to everyone’s attention?

One of the initial thoughts that strike the mind is quite simple actually. It appears that the Make in India program according to IAF Chief Bhadauria isn’t exactly working the way it should or how the respected IAF chief would want it to.

This is both critical as a point of observation because the key change that the massively-talked-about program of the Modi government wishes to bring about is a change in the country. The key issue the Make in India program wants to generate is to make job creation and skill enhancement in no fewer than 25 sectors of the economy. It wishes to bring about a massive change in the fortune of the country by attempting to make India a global and manufacturing hub.

Yet, at the same time, what isn’t too hard to note is the fact that much of the economy, from the perspective of the defense sector, can be seen as a force reliant on foreign imports.

The very fact that not an awful lot of defense production happens in the country indigenously, therefore, resulting in India importing high-tech weapons and gadgets whether for immediate purposes or from the standpoint of defence preparedness has long earned the wrath of those who wish for the dominant picture to change; for India to make arms and ammunition within, resting on its own talent pool and skill!

News 18, quoted more impressions of the Make in India program according to the IAF Chief Bhadauria and shared:

The IAF chief said that he cannot point to a single drawback that is hindering the indigenous development programmes, adding that “everyone should work in this direction whether it is DRDO, PSUs, private sector, etc”.

But all of that said, what will change for the better, one hopes is that upon the Rafale fighter jets joining the ranks of the Indian Air force, the perception about India’s capabilities would change and give its enemies a lot to think about, a sentiment reflected by the current IAF chief. Now that’s a positive- right?

So, let’s hope that in the times to come, the Make in India program does go on to change a sizable impression in the better part of the country.