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India's Defence: Build Demand First?
10 Nov
Summary
- Defence chief urged industry to create demand for innovative products.
- Companies should develop products the military needs to buy.
- US firm Anduril builds first, then offers products to clients.
Chief of Defence Staff General N S Raja Subramani has urged India's defence industry to take an innovative approach by creating demand for their products. Speaking at a defence manufacturers' event in New Delhi, he stated companies should "come up with an innovative product that we are compelled to buy, or which we need to buy. Create the demand first."
This advice was shared during a fireside chat where Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge, discussed global defence industry trends. Kalyani contrasted the US approach, exemplified by Anduril's 'build first, then offer' strategy, with Europe's focus on capacity building. He noted that India currently sits between these strategies.
Kalyani highlighted that the recent conflict in West Asia underscored the significant need for large quantities of missiles, rockets, and ammunition. He questioned what India needs to do to meet such demands, implying a need for increased domestic production and innovation within the sector.
