Arms Purchase and Security Concerns of India (1986-1999)

This is a period-specific study extending from 1986
to 1999. The year 1986 was selected because that year
India conducted two military exercises Operation
Brasstacks on the western border and Operation
Chequerboard on the Himalayan heights. Pakistan
misread the first operation and both countries were
on the verge of another war. On the eastern front
India had to face China s military power projection
when Chinese forces intruded into the Sumdurong Chu
valley, compelling India to deploy her mountain
division on the Sikkim heights. However, the
situations were contained, without needless
sabre-rattling. Thus, the emanating threat
perceptions made it imperative for India to enhance
its defence expenditure and capital investment.
Reality was contrary to prevailing perceptions. The
Book establishes that aggravation of military threats
to the security of a nation does not necessarily
result in increased expenditure on arms purchase by
that country; to reverse the same proposition, a
decline in expenditure on arms purchase by a country
does not necessarily mean an attenuation of the
existing military threats perceived by that country.

Autorentext

Alok Kumar Gupta is an Associate Professor at National LawUniversity, Jodhpur. He got his Doctorate from Jawaharlal NehruUniversity. He has been publishing in newspapers, national andinternational journals, magazines, websites andonline journals on issues pertaining to defence, security,internal conflicts and socio-political problems.

Klappentext

This is a period-specific study extending from 1986to 1999. The year 1986 was selected because that yearIndia conducted two military exercises-"OperationBrasstacks" on the western border and "OperationChequerboard" on the Himalayan heights. Pakistanmisread the first operation and both countries wereon the verge of another war. On the eastern frontIndia had to face China's military power projectionwhen Chinese forces intruded into the Sumdurong Chuvalley, compelling India to deploy her mountaindivision on the Sikkim heights. However, thesituations were contained, without needlesssabre-rattling. Thus, the emanating threatperceptions made it imperative for India to enhanceits defence expenditure and capital investment.Reality was contrary to prevailing perceptions. TheBook establishes that aggravation of military threatsto the security of a nation does not necessarilyresult in increased expenditure on arms purchase bythat country; to reverse the same proposition, adecline in expenditure on arms purchase by a countrydoes not necessarily mean an attenuation of theexisting military threats perceived by that country.