When even a simple rocket takes gazillion years to develop and induct it makes sense to go for imports.
View: https://x.com/KSingh_1469/status/1931570088966070381?t=Ja2PvcimYYSf_Y60p63vtQ&s=19
Until an unless we completely overhaul our R&D, trials & procurement setup we will remain dependent on imports.
Lol People are crying over emergency purchases (~5 billions $) that was already known to all nd was inevitable after operation sindoor.
Peeps are almost forgetting that most of these EP (emergency purchases) will go to domestic pvt nd DPSUs cos (screwdrivergiri ofcourse for some capabilities).
Oki let's break it down to what are we actually buying in EP for 40000 crore (4.8 billion dollars) that is meant for all three armed forces (where army will get 9000 crores nd rest will go to IAF nd Navy).
We are buying long range loitering munitions (adani made Harop, Newspace sheshnaag?), kamikaze drones (various domestic options exist), anti done systems (various domestic exist), artillery shells (adani, aweil etc.), cruise missiles nd ALBMs.. now this will be meant specially for IAF.. as per several news reports IAF will certainly buy more rampage (direct import as no domestic options exist yet), Ice breaker CM (BDL has LM contract for it), Air lora (maybe? BEL has signed MOU with IAI to manufacture it domestically), Crystal Maze 2 (BEL has LM contact for it).
Now these are the only known weapons nd systems which are currently known there will be many more deals nd weapon purchases to augment the current capabilities in the wake of contingencies as operation sindoor is still in a pause.
Now coming to peeps getting emotional over imports in EP needs to realise that we are still not "YET" fully indipendent when it comes to low cost nd affordable cruise missiles nd ALBMs.. that's the reason we are seeing DPSUs gaints like BEL nd BDL who are literally signing license manufacturing contract for every possibly available low cost CM nd ALBM that isreal has eg. Air lora, Crystal maze 2, Ice breaker CM.
DRDO chief had claimed few year back that india will independent in missile technology by year 2024 but still we are not yet import free even in missile tech nd lack isreal level capabilities in terms of Low cost ALBMs nd CM. Currently all our domestic ALBMs variants like Rudram 2, 3, 4 are still in development stage (not even user trials hv yet begun) nd it will take atleast 3-4 years till the time it enters services in sufficient nos.
Also we currently lack any domestic alternative for SCALP missiles (Cats hunter is still in R&D phase) nd low cost 5th gen ICE BREAKER missiles which according to some sources cost even below 1 million dollars per unit nd one can can comprehend the importance of low cost ice breaker like CM where even General Atomics is producing it's own variant with name of Bullseye with Rafael advanced defense systems.
So coming to the moot point.. we are still 3-4 years away till our own desi ALBMs variants like Rudram 2, 3 nd 4 nd low cost alternative of SCALP nd ice breaker is available for us to induct in good nos. Till that time direct import or licence manufacturing (screwdrivergiri) is crucial for capability building also there is a pressing need for DRDO to pull up it's socks nd expedite the development cycle of it's various missiles nd deliver it to armed forces as quickly as possible.