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Agneepath: Transforming Defense Recruitment.

The defense ministry of the Government of India, on 14th June 2022 announced the change in the Indian military recruitment model and hence announced the ‘Agneepath Scheme’ for stations below the rank of commissioned officers in all three wings of the military. This will be the only recruitment route for the military and all recruits will be hired for a fixed period of four years under a new military rank named ‘Agniveer’.

Central to the scheme, Indian youth is set to play a crucial role in realizing the dream of building an AatmaNirbhar, Sashakt Bharat. And Agnipath scheme will take them a step closer as claimed by the Indian government.

Many countries practice compulsory military conscription methodology to fuel the need of youth in their military resource pool. South Korea, for instance, establishes in its constitution the mandatory conscription of the male population between the ages of 18-35 for a period of 18 months of military service from where they may apply for permanent commission. The Agnipath Scheme although not identical but is similar to such conscription methodology, allows for both male and female aspirants of age group 17.5 to 23 years of age to apply for the military services for a fixed duration and have a prospect of permanent commission after the tenure granted that not more than 25 percent of the total strength of the retiring batch will be selected for the permanent cadre.

Amidst all the skepticism raised regarding the after-effects of this change, Major General Ashok Kumar was of the view that every change raises apprehensions in the beginning. “This scheme is transformational and will benefit both the armed forces and the country in an asymmetrical manner. It will bring down the current age profile of the frontline units from 32 years at present to 26 years in four-six years’ time.  Since the retention will be only 25 percent of the intake there will be a qualitative upgrade of the unit’s profile,” he said.

Army Veteran, Lieutenant General Raj Shukla was also supportive of the Agnipath scheme believing that this scheme was a part of a major National Security makeover. Numerous measures are being taken in procurement, innovation, OFB reforms, DRDO. The Agnipath scheme is a comprehensive reform that has 3 modules – Recruitment, Training, and re-enrollment. This is not just about the armed forces but it is a comprehensive scheme. The present recruitment system has gone obsolete as it is 70 years old where the emphasis is only on physical and medical. It is a modified and greatly improved system. The Agnipath scheme is linked further to ITIs and Skill India so that we get better recruits. And when we get better recruits, and as per the retention policy, we will retain the best of the best. All the candidates will go through focused and Scientific training modules in accordance with the global standards.

Further, Internationally Russia has followed a hybrid model of conscription and contract to recruit soldiers into their Armed Forces. Conscripts have a term of one year and are then put into reserve. As of 2021, all male citizens aged 18–27 are subject to conscription for one year of active duty military service in the Armed Forces. New conscripts undergo up to eight months of training before being sent to designated units. Conscription seasons run twice a year in Russia – from 1 April until 15 July (spring) and between 1 October and 31 December (autumn). During these periods, men aged between 18 and 27, with no health issues or outstanding convictions could be called on to serve. The youth of France join the Armed Forces, called the Forces armées françaises, on a voluntary and contractual basis. The volunteer can sign a one-year contract, which can be extended to five years. Soldiers are given training for three months and those who serve for over 19 years are eligible for the state pension.

Conclusion

There are various contractual conscription processes for military services in many countries around the world but most of these countries have mandatory conscription of the young by law. The Agneepath scheme ensures the voluntary enlistment nature of the Indian military but at the same time provides the benefit of retaining the polished recruits among the many who enter the Agniveer program. Thus, ensuring the quality of the cadets entering the main forces.

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Energy Storage System: Military Operation

Electrical energy is a basic need for almost all activities in mundane life, and this is especially true for military operations. The dependency on energy is crucial for a nation’s security, keeping   military functioning in mind. Most of this energy need is satiated by primitive structures, at both transmission and distribution divisions, and at many times not protected in an arm’s conflict, prominently in remote regions of the country like glaciers and rugged border terrains with strenuous reach.

These infrastructures can be targeted physically or digitally by cyber-attacks. Thus, disrupting the energy supply to strategic regions and hence creating a huge disadvantage for one side. Many countries have been developing projects using microgrids that utilize utility-scale energy storage technology. This new system has independent, controllable and unique energy generation, including renewable generation, electric vehicles, energy storage, and control devices. Essentially for deploying renewable energy, it is important to have an energy storage system.

Renewables can be used in a centralized or decentralized format. The concept yields both efficiency and flexibility in the use of natural resources. A generic microgrid design includes a PV energy generation system, electric boilers, gas-fired, wind turbines, biogas digesters, and to store the power generated; Utility-scale energy storage.

The U.S Army has a goal-specific installation of five “net-zero” units by 2020, following an additional 25 by 2030. It means that the military compounds produce sufficient energy as needed. European countries are also applying such initiatives in the Military Green program. This program recognizes principles and responsibilities to meet environmental requirements during European military operations. Generating electricity on-site and storing it would ensure military bases could operate in all sorts of areas and situations, improving energy assurance and resiliency through the integration of electric energy storage systems. This concept has been introduced in multiple ways of integrating large-scale energy storage into military microgrids installations.

These energy storage systems can be applied to all sorts of combinations to improve the energy supply in a remote area, working along with diesel generators, photovoltaic panels, and wind generators. They also can operate in modules and with specific objectives such as demand response, peak shaving, ancillary services, and energy quality.

Places with conflicts can present a severe lack of infrastructure, and challenging geographical guerilla warfare tactics, reflecting on the cost to transport fuel and other supplies. This cost can have extreme values, reaching as far as U$ 400 per gallon in operations in Afghanistan to supply vehicles, airplanes, and diesel generators. There are also the human lives involved in it. One study shows that oil transportation protection can result in 10-15% of the soldiers’ casualties on the battlefield. Operations in Iraq ended with 18,700 soldier casualties in a span of 9 years, just from water and fuel transport.

As a way out of the fuel supply chain, EVs are receiving more attention in the military market, offering numerous benefits for combat vehicles, such as required acceleration and maneuverability with optimal torque, traction, power, and speed in all types of terrain, rough or smooth. The U.S military has made significant investments into EVs with these applications. One of the major advantages garnered by EVs is their battery storage which can be used for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications, supporting energy generation and enabling energy to be used in the microgrid. With V2G technology, a car battery can be charged and discharged based on different sources, such as solar and wind, allowing the energy system to balance the renewable output.

US Military Microgrid Arsenal

In 2017 Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island updated its electrical system with a new microgrid. The 10 MW microgrid, which incorporates a 6.7 MW solar array, an 8 MWh lithium-ion energy storage system, 3.5 MW backup diesel generator, and a 3.5 MW natural gas combined heat and power (CHP) plant allows the base to fully disconnect from the grid and operate in island mode during grid disturbances. This project cut the base’s utility demand by 79% and save $6.9 million annually in utility and operational costs along with eliminating 37,165 metric tons of CO2 production.

At the Otis Air National Guard Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 2018 a similar project went online. It incorporates a 1.5 MW wind turbine, a 1.6 MW diesel backup generator, and an intelligent 1.6-MW/1.2-MWh lead-acid battery energy storage, and management system. It was the first military microgrid to use a battery energy storage system to form a completely islandable base-wide that can operate independently from the main utility grid.

The Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB) shows the cost-effective potential of V2G, helping to reduce the base’s massive electric bill through frequency regulation. Cummins has developed the Tactical Energy Storage Unit (TESU), hence enhancing Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) generators. This battery storage system is designed for mobile outdoor applications with 60 kW and can be paralleled with up to 5 generators, absorbing the excess load up to a certain value. It can be used as a standalone power source with the ability to switch to silent mode during critical military operations.

Conclusion

On 25 February, Russian troops blew up a gas pipeline near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Russia claims to have control over Chernobyl nuclear power plant, only 100km away from Kyiv. On 2 March, Russia claimed to have taken control of the area surrounding the 5.7GW nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest. Ukraine faced a major cyberattack on 23 December 2015, which left roughly 230,000 households without electricity for up to six hours. The attack was attributed to a Kremlin-sponsored hacker group, and it was said to be the first publicly acknowledged successful cyberattack on a power grid.

This has created major power outages in Ukraine, where winter is running strong and falling below zero. Many supply lines for conventional electricity have been uprooted, further deepening the crisis where the remaining energy generation is coping to maintain its pre-war level energy production.

The war on Ukraine is also exposing the need to preserve and support critical energy infrastructure, from power plants and power grids to oil and gas pipelines, as the ‘toolbox’ of hybrid warfare tactics grows. Technologies like microgrids using energy storage technologies can be used in such cases, to support energy distribution.

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The USA Intends To Lessen India’s Dependency On Russia.

The United States and Russia have long been at odds, and this has had a direct impact on countries that have links with both of them. India has always been a friend of Russia and has been working hard to strengthen its ties with the United States. The world was shocked recently by Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine in the shape of a conflict. The long-running disputes between the United States and Russia were aggravated. Following multiple sanctions on Russia, the international community rallied around Ukraine. 

What happened when Russia invaded Ukraine?

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union had increased sanctions against the country in an effort to isolate it. These were the most recent policies, which are among the most draconian in contemporary history.

Joe Biden, the US president, imposed sanctions on four Russian banks, including V.E.B., as well as corrupt billionaires linked to Putin, in a speech on February 22. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared that all major Russian banks’ assets were frozen and were barred from the UK financial system, as well as it followed by a suspension of several export licences to Russia. It also froze the assets of over 100 other persons and businesses and imposed a deposit restriction for Russian residents in UK bank accounts. Major Russian banks are now excluded from SWIFT, but there will still be restricted access to ensure the ability to pay for gas supplies. Furthermore, the West declared that sanctions to be imposed on the Russian Central Bank, which owns $630 billion in foreign reserves, to prevent it from selling assets in order to mitigate the impact of sanctions. 

The United States implemented export controls, a unique sanction which aimed at limiting Russian access to high-tech components, including hardware and software, manufactured with any parts or intellectual property from the United States. Any individual or firm wishing to export technology, semiconductors, encryption software, lasers, or sensors to Russia had to apply for a licence, which was automatically refused. Sanctions against the individual or firm were employed as part of the enforcement mechanism, with the shipbuilding, aircraft, and defence industries being targeted.

India’s Support for Russia in the UN assembly:

The Russian-Indian relationship has traditionally been cordial. The leaders have terrific chemistry, and residents are friendly to one another. Ordinary Russians consider India as a trustworthy ally with whom their nation enjoys a peaceful relationship. 

The Soviet Union had used its veto multiple times to defend India against Western resolutions on Kashmir, India’s invasion of Goa, and the 1971 war with Pakistan that resulted in Bangladesh’s formation. India, on the other hand, voted no on resolutions denouncing the Soviet invasions of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Afghanistan a decade later. It voted against denouncing Russian operations in Chechnya and Abkhazia in the twenty-first century. Behind this is India’s long-standing opposition to Western imperialism – albeit, granted, it should also oppose Russian imperialism to be consistent. India’s decision not to speak at the UN further highlights the fact that Western involvement with India reflects a shift in Western perceptions of India rather than any fundamental transformation within India. During the Cold War, India was widely seen as a nation of spiritualism, yoga, poverty, and curry by Western eyes. Because of its non-alignment, it became reliant on the Soviet Union for armament acquisitions, which continues to this day. 

In recent years, India’s foreign policy has proved that, for the most part, you can have your cake and eat it too by keeping excellent ties with countries that are antagonistic to each other. It has been given a pass when it has interacted with countries with whom the West disagrees, such as Iran. While India’s continuing acquisition of a Russian missile defence system has prompted US sanctions. 

The USA claims to provide aid for India to lessen the country’s dependency on the trade with Russia, more promptly its reliance on weaponry and defence deals with Russia. The two countries, USA and India have been in process of strengthening their relations for the past decade. As part of the Framework on Defence Technology, India and the US have finalised an agreement to create an air-launched unmanned aerial vehicle. India and the United States have committed to increasing defence technology collaboration by pursuing thorough planning and making demonstrable progress on a variety of programmes, in keeping with their fast increasing strategic partnerships. MH-60Rs, P-8s, C-130Js, C-17s, AH[1]64s, CH-47s, and M777 howitzers were among the MH-60Rs, P-8s, C-130Js, C-17s, AH[1]64s, CH-47s, and M777 howitzers that India purchased from the US throughout the years. India may buy further US systems in the future, such as F-21s (former F-16s), F/A-18s, additional P-8s, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (UAVs).

India’s primary concern is internal development. Before India to play the sort of global role that many in the West envision, it will need years of steady economic growth. While its economy is improving, the epidemic had a toll. Based on its own thoughts and reasons, it has built a framework for the country’s future prosperity and foreign policy. With the help of the US, India may be able to get acknowledgement and support for its “great power identity.” There is little question that diplomacy with the United States has always been a priority for India’s foreign policy, and the two nations’ defense ties provide a firm basis for their relationship. According to India, the United States is more than simply the superpower with the most global reach, the most formidable military, and the most advanced economy and technology. It could also help India in areas such as investment, economics and trade, science and technology, military, and diplomacy.

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The Power Struggle: Parallels of an Arm Race

The raging war impetus has got people at the edge of their seats looking at the world giving into the glory of violence. Frequent tension amongst countries over disputes that doesn’t weigh into the collateral damage. Witnessing nations build narratives on who saves who, whilst they speciously try conning one another.

The India-China standoff, the Afghanistan crisis and now the Russian-Ukraine War, have had countries building their military strengths. A high capital expenditure and revenue expenditure being incurred by countries into strong-arming one another, displaying their military strength, deftly gatekeeping their enemies. Studies suggest there is a constant rise in the defence equipment expenditure since the 2000s – the United States, China, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom were the top five spenders in 2020, accounting for approximately 60 per cent of global military spending.  There is a seething increase in defence sourcing. The Indian government recently released its budget, which allocated almost 70% of the defence capital procurement budget to the domestic industry for the years 2022-2023. In addition, private players would be encouraged to develop and improve military platforms to help the Aatmanirbharta campaign and lessen the country’s reliance on imports. 

The rising demand for defence equipment has led to an influx of demand for equipment such as riot control equipment, and body armours. The urgency to protect oneself against the advancing technology and defence sourcing has stirred up the geopolitical front. Countries strategically forming alliances, to cut down the cost of procurement and production has helped them make an evident stand, which has further accelerated the pace of this arms race. India recently signed a $375 million contract with the Philippines for the BrahMos shore-based anti-ship missile system, marking the country`s first big defence system export transaction. The supersonic missile with a range of 290 kilometres was developed in collaboration with Russia and is manufactured in India. While Japan and the United States appear to have strengthened their defence relations with two significant defence treaties. The agreement will pave the way for the two countries to collaborate on advanced defence research and development, including a defence system against destructive supersonic missiles. The agreement establishes a new mechanism for the two countries to share the costs of the US military deployment in Japan.

Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The Taliban has amassed a considerable amount of weapons that were abandoned on their soil by US forces. The Taliban was rumoured to be providing Pakistan with a large amount of American weaponry taken from the Afghan Army. These hush-hush deals have closely impacted the growth of defence equipment in the South Asian continent. Surrounding countries fear a rise in terrorism. The Indian home ministry suspects a high chance of these weapons being used for violence in Pakistan and neighbouring states suggesting an unjust turmoil against the deeply ingrained communal clashes in the territory. Apart from the unsought threats, India has found itself in a showcase of gallantry against China. India seems to have been building and strengthening their military while China setting up bases in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Chinese debt-trap strategy has played a vital role in giving way to these military advancements in the debt-ridden countries. Concerns have been raised about China’s loans to Sri Lanka, with fears that the government would be unable to repay them, and that it will use them to undermine India and the United States supremacy in the Indo-Pacific region.   

The Russians invading Ukraine makes people wonder if the world will experience another world war. If I were to give my opinion, the war was inevitable, and so is the arms race that follows. The USA has officially sanctioned $350 Million for Ukraine’s aid for weaponry. Following a wave of the US and other western sanctions against Russian banks and billionaires, intended at punishing Putin and his inner circle for the invasion of Ukraine and hurting the Russian economy, the new help comes as a welcome relief. 

Deviating from the terms of a treaty is an act of war, bringing the treaty to stand null and void. It raises questions, manoeuvring the greys of the circumstances – is humanity collateral damage? Is powering through ranks in terms of strength important to have caused a stir in peace that a treaty held secured? Humanity often gets side-lined in chaos stirred by the wrath that war brings along. 

While on the sidelines, another contest is brewing. China has long claimed Taiwan as its own, intimidates it with its armed forces, and maintains the right to attack it. The recent decision by the US President to send a delegation to Taiwan has given additional validity to fears that China may take action against Taiwan. China’s military, known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), is undergoing enormous reforms, and the government is spending more money on defence than it has in the past, bolstering China’s influence in international issues such as the South China Sea. A domino effect has been set in motion for us to see, who’ll come on top. 

Never did we know power has such a hold over our consciousness. Not being content with what one possesses has led to this psychological concept of being on top. The power players lay out strategic plans, to aggravate conditions just to benefit and not think of how the preceding consequences will haunt what is left of humanity. Will the arms race come to an end, or we shall remain unthought for as collateral damage?

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India deepening its ties with Israel.

Introduction:

In 1992, India and Israel established full diplomatic ties, and the two nations’ bilateral relationship has since bloomed on economic, military, agricultural, and political levels. Both nations perceive themselves as isolated democracies endangered by neighbors that train, finance, and promote terrorism, hence their cooperative relationship is viewed as a strategic requirement by both. The relations were not always cordial. Despite the fact that both countries gained independence from the United Kingdom within months of each other, they have been heading in opposite directions for nearly four decades – India as a leader in the Non-Aligned Movement with close ties to the Arab world and the Soviet Union, and Israel with close ties to the United States and Western Europe.    

Both countries have reaped enormous benefits since establishing diplomatic ties. India has become one of Israel’s most important commercial partners, and many of the world’s best high-tech businesses are forming joint ventures in Israel and India that are effectively competing in the global market. Security-related transactions and help in sectors like agriculture and water desalination are now the mainstays of trade and collaboration between the two countries. The key to developing India-Israel ties, though, is security and defense cooperation. The Indian army announced its desire to execute a modernization program in the early 2000s, allocating tens of billions of dollars to the project. Since then, defense sales with Israel have increased at an exponential rate, and India is now Israel’s top export destination.

To give you an idea of how much commerce between Israel and India has grown, overall trade between the two countries was $200 million in 1992 and $4.13 billion in 2016. Without diamonds, Israel shipped $1.15 billion worth of commodities to India in 2016, accounting for 2.5 per cent of the country’s overall exports.

During Modi’s visit to the US in 2017, the two nations inked a number of collaboration agreements. The Israel Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organization have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote collaboration in the development of electric propulsion systems for tiny satellites and the development of equipment to precisely monitor the severe conditions of space. Officials from Israel and India have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the India-Israel Innovation Initiative Fund (I4F). Over a five-year period, each of the two countries has pledged $4 million to I4F. Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries are among the Indian companies that inked eight trade agreements with Israeli enterprises. During Modi’s trip to Israel, the Asher Space Research Institute at the Technion and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology inked a collaboration agreement. The goal of this agreement is to set up cooperative study and research initiatives.

The defence front:

In July 2020, both nations inked a cyber security pact in the age of fast digitalisation and increased exposure to the risks of the virtual world. As a first step, India and Israel are working together to establish secure systems and services to defend their civilian and strategic assets from ever-increasing cyber-attacks. It’s a key sign of the Indian government’s faith in Tel Aviv to collaborate on defensive technologies as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative. 

The Indian Air Force recently introduced a medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) system capable of destroying aerial threats such as enemy fighter planes, missiles, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The MRSAM, or Barak 8 air defence system, was developed jointly by India and Israel and comprises modern radar, command and control systems, and mobile launchers. For maximum manoeuvrability in the terminal phase, the missile is propelled by a locally built rocket motor and control system.

Israel Aerospace Industries and the Defense Research and Development Organization collaborated to create the system (DRDO). Rafael, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and Larsen & Toubro are among the other companies collaborating on the project.

Over the previous four years, India and Israel have signed separate deals totalling roughly $3 billion for upgraded surface-to-air missile systems for the three services. Last year, India was compelled to speed up the procurement of military gear from various nations, including Israel, due to the continuous border confrontation with China in Ladakh, authorities claimed. As a result of a 2017 order worth $2 billion for advanced systems to take down hostile aircraft and missiles, India is sourcing Firefly loitering ammunition, Spike anti-tank guided missiles, Spice guidance kits that can be mounted on standard bombs to convert them into smart weapons, and an operational surface-to-air missile system from Israel.

Conclusion:

Even while the three-decade-old India–Israel defence alliance is expected to deepen and solidify in the coming years, India’s quest for defence self-reliance will have an influence on the relationship’s size. India has significant modernization demands, as well as the need to adequately address rising security concerns on both the internal and foreign fronts. For India’s security strategists, the all-encompassing Pakistan–China defence cooperation, which provides Islamabad with advanced weaponry and platforms, is just too significant to ignore. India’s defence partnership with Israel is also being looked at as a way to boost the country’s defence exports. BEL, for example, has indicated interest in forming a partnership with the IAI in order to increase the DPSU’s export profile. HAL partnered with IAI to market the Advanced Light Helicopter back in 2003. (ALH). It’ll be interesting to watch how BEL and the IAI go forward with this. The IAI has a well-established worldwide profile and marketing skills, which may be studied and learned from by Indian DPSUs and private sector enterprises.

A greater range of non-traditional fields, such as information and cybersecurity, water conservation, education, health, and research, are supporting ‘India-Israel 2.0.’ The strategic partnership’s elevation of connections aims to strengthen this nascent collaboration in new areas. PM Modi’s tricennial commemoration address echoed this attitude, with equal emphasis on developing geopolitics and mutual prospects. The fresh strategy will help individuals on both ends while also increasing and bolstering government trust.

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Evolution of Defense- Advancing Artificial Intelligence

What do we understand from Artificial Intelligence? Artificial intelligence, in its most basic form, is a subject that combines computer science with large datasets to solve problems. It also includes the sub-fields of machine learning and deep learning, both of which are usually referenced when discussing artificial intelligence. AI algorithms are used in these industries to develop expert systems that make predictions or classifications based on input data. Governments have been making progress in adopting AI as an important element of their defence systems in order to gain a military advantage over their competitors and to satisfy the proverbial unquenchable need for power. 

The strength of a country’s army is one of the factors that defines its power. In some of the most developed countries, investment in this area is the highest when compared to other sectors. A large chunk of this money will go into rigorous research and development in contemporary technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) in military applications. Large volumes of data can be efficiently handled by AI-enabled tactical equipment. Furthermore, such technologies have increased self-regulation, self-control, and self-actuation as a result of their greater computing and decision-making abilities. Advances in artificial intelligence have opened up new possibilities in defence technology. In addition to increasing the effectiveness of armed personnel, the potential for conducting a war may be boosted by incorporating Artificial Intelligence into military operations. Several countries throughout the world are using AI to improve the performance of their defence forces. 

Applications:

  • Surveillance:

AI is used with geospatial analysis to help extract relevant data from connected devices like as radars and automated tactical systems. The information might be used to investigate and uncover any illegal or questionable activity. Military drones have become increasingly popular in recent years. Drone technology has come a long way since its origins. These remote-controlled vehicles can be used for a range of purposes, such as terrain mapping and unmanned aerial vehicle flight.                                                               

  • Cyber-Security:

With so many military sites becoming digitised, it’s more important than ever to keep the information contained on these web portals safe. A maliciously hacked network might put the entire region’s security at jeopardy. Defence organisations are employing machine learning to predict and guard against illegal breaches. Intrusion detection is often achieved by classifying the network as either normal or intrusive. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches can improve the accuracy of such categorisation and provide protection alternatives in response to malware, phishing, and brute force assaults on data centres and government websites.

  • Logistics:

One of the most important factors in determining whether or not a military operation succeeds is logistics. Military logistic systems are combined with machine learning and geospatial analysis to save labour, costs, and inaccuracy.

  • Weaponry:

AI in defence is being used to build targeted missiles, sophisticated armaments, and high-performance fighter jets. Advanced missiles, for example, can estimate and assess target levels for kill zones without the involvement of humans. These applications, which need extensive study, have the potential to change the face of defence in the not-too-distant future.

In addition to its various applications and benefits, the employment of AI in defence poses an ethical quandary as well. Unintentionally, experts and organisations all around the globe have elevated such technologies, creating tensions between countries. One concern is that if an AI system fails to function as intended, it might have disastrous consequences. Several human and civil rights organisations have called for an outright prohibition on autonomous devices in defence, particularly armament.

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Countries increasing their defense expenditure, stalwarting their dominance in the geopolitical scenario.

All revenue and capital expenditure on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces of defence ministries and other government agencies engaged in defence projects, and paramilitary forces when judged to be trained, equipped, and ready for military operations, is referred to as defence expenditure. It typically reflects a country’s perception of the possibility of threats against it, as well as the level of aggressiveness it desires to use. It also provides an estimate of how much funding should be allocated for the future year. A budget’s size also reflects an organization’s capacity to support military actions. The size of that entity’s economy, other financial pressures on that entity, and the government’s or people’s willingness to pay such military activities are among the factors.

  • Capital expenditure refers to the money spent by the government on the development of machinery, equipment, buildings, health facilities, education, and other similar projects. It also includes the price of acquiring long-term assets like land and defence equipment, as well as government investments that will generate future revenues or dividends. These expenses result in the creation of assets, which allow the economy to produce income by expanding and improving production facilities and improving operational efficiency. It also improves labour participation, examines the economy, and boosts the economy’s future ability to create more.
  • Revenue expenditure refers to the portion of government spending that does not result in the creation of assets; such expenditures are spent to fulfil the government’s running needs. Salaries, salaries, pensions, subsidies, and interest are all examples of revenue expenditures. 

According to new figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, total worldwide military expenditure grew to $1981 billion in 2020, up 2.6 per cent in real terms from 2019. (SIPRI). The United States, China, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom were the top five spenders in 2020, accounting for 62 per cent of worldwide military spending. 

India’s budget allocation has continually increased over time. Between 2011-12 and 2020-21, defense spending climbed by 127 per cent. The distribution of this allocation between revenue and capital spending, on the other hand, is skewed, with revenue expenditure expanding faster than capital expenditure. The key driver of greater revenue expenditure growth is increased spending on defense pensions. To achieve India’s new set aim, ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ the country’s drive toward an enduring indigenous defense manufacturing industry, as well as to build a strong upholding for the new system, more revenue spending will be required. India is also one of the world’s largest importers of military equipment. The nation has aimed to bolster the expenditure by increasing private sector involvement in defense production and research and development. Manufacturing still is moving slowly, but research and development is gaining traction. India’s total defense budget has increased at a rate of 9% per year over the last 10 years. 

Between 2011-12 and 2018-19, defence revenue spending increased by 140 per cent, while capital expenditure increased by 101 per cent. During the same time period, the percentage of the total defence budget spent on pensions increased from 18 per cent to 26 per cent.

Furthermore, China’s, regional expenditure growth slowed in 2020 as countries like Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia lowered their defence budgets in order to finance emergency relief efforts in the aftermath of the outbreak. The majority of the time, expected growth was slashed rather than actual cutbacks to the previous year’s budget. Asia’s defence expenditure growth slowed to 4.3 per cent in 2020, down from 4.6 per cent in 2019, as a result of the slowdown in China and the rest of the region. Despite this, the region’s share of global defence spending is expected to rise to 25.0 per cent in 2020, from 17.8 per cent in 2010 and 23.2 per cent in 2015. Despite increased investment in Europe, this is expected to remain relatively flat in 2021. 

While in real terms, total European defence spending had increased by 2.0 per cent in 2020. This was a relatively smaller increase than the 4.1 per cent increase witnessed in 2019, and Europe’s proportion of global defence spending declined somewhat in 2020, from 17.8% to 17.5 per cent. However, over the previous years, average spending across European NATO members has gradually climbed as a percentage of GDP, rising from 1.25 per cent in 2014 to 1.52 per cent in 2019 and rising further to 1.64 per cent in 2020. This is still well below the NATO recommendation that its members aim to spend 2% of GDP on defence, despite the significant 7.0% average economic contraction expected in 2020. When it comes to spending on defence equipment, NATO’s European members maintained the higher investment share of defence spending that they achieved in 2019, allocating 23% on average in 2020, beyond the NATO-recommended level of 20%.

The defence expenditures in the Middle East and North Africa have declined, falling to US$150 billion (excluding security expenditure), while the percentage of global defence spending fell to 8.9%, down from 10.5 per cent in 2017. Despite dedicating by far the highest share of economic production to defence, at 5.2 per cent of GDP, compared to the world average of 2.08 per cent, the area continues to struggle. Other oil-dependent economies began to feel the pinch as well. Following a significant 3.8 per cent real rise in the core ‘national defence’ budget in 2020, Russia was only able to execute a minuscule 1.4 per cent increase in 2021, resulting in a 3.6 per cent real reduction. Total Russian military spending (which includes pensions, military housing, and health and social assistance) is expected to drop from over 4.1 per cent of GDP in 2020 to under 3.8 percent in 2023.

Conclusion:

Peace is important to maintain fruitful trade relations in a given region. However, this peace can only be achieved if military spending is done. Military spending builds military might. This power acts as a deterrent for aggressors. In the absence of military spending, opponents may view the nation as a soft target. Hence, even though local defense spending may be more expensive, it creates more value in the form of more robust national security and fewer disruptions to trade and commerce. If the defense system of a country is fully integrated, there are economic benefits to it. Defense expenditure is, without a doubt, an unambiguous demonstration of power, as current patterns of growing defense spending shows.

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