The Indian military-industrial complex: autonomy, dependence, and the geopolitical imperative

autonomia, dependência e o imperativo geopolítico

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze the development of the Indian military-industrial complex, its advances and problems. We assume that the advance in the capacity to develop armaments domestically is a strategic asset achieved by few states. The Indian case is of special relevance, since, despite the fact that the country has managed to develop sophisticated defense products, it is still heavily dependent on foreign equipment imports, compromising the autonomy sought by New Delhi. In this way, in order to better analyze the issue, we have divided the work as follows: "historical production of armaments in India", "the Indian military-industrial complex: between autonomy and dependence", "the Indian military-industrial complex: structure, companies and strategic projects", and "the Indian private sector".