11 yrs of Modi Govt: Part-4: ‘India First’ from Position of Strength
(This part of the article is in continuation of “11 yrs of Modi Govt: Part-1: The Honesty” available at https://thecounterviews.in/articles/11-yrs-of-modi-govt-part-1-the-honesty/ and “Part-2: Monetary Policies” available at https://thecounterviews.in/articles/11-yrs-of-modi-govt-part-2-monetary-policies/); and “Part-3: Modi-Model of Development” available at https://thecounterviews.in/articles/11-yrs-of-modi-govt-part-3-modi-model-of-development/).
An apology: With Exec Editor admitted to the Hosp, we seek apologies from our esteemed readers if some unintended errors might have cropped in.
Introduction
For a nation to come to a position of strength, it is essential that its borders must be secured, the enemies and adversaries should not be able to harm its interests and its internal security must not be challenged. Having all these are pre-requisite to projection of its national strength. This is what Modi Govt has been trying to acquire for his ‘India First’ policies. India acquiring the strength has the basis of its economic might that enables a nation to acquire all other powers. With strong economy, military might could be acquired which in turn, will enable the nation to prevail on the internal and external enemies and adversaries posing challenges of national security and terrorism related threats. Hereafter, the govt of the day can acclaim ‘Nation First’ policies and that is precisely what Modi Govt has been doing for the last 11 yrs. Position of strength could be subdivided into the components mentioned below:-
- Modernisation of Defence Forces at unprecedented pace on Atmnirbhar plans.
- Controlling internal insurgency of Maoism in infested areas.
- Islamic Terrorism threats both internal & external, checked to large extent.
- ‘India First’ policies and positioning it on global stage by the Govt.
Modernisation of Defence Forces. Long ailing Armed Forces of India must have thanked the stars when its citizens elected Modi Govt at the centre in 2014 General Election. The first decision that govt took was the long awaited One Rank One Pay (OROP) for the veterans and thereafter, a sustained effort towards modernisation of all three services started. Corruptions and Scams of UPA govt had hardly left anything in the coffers to pay for buying either IAF-shortlisted Rafale jet from France or the refurbished and modified, Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov. Before Modi Govt came in May 2014, all three services combat potentials were deeply challenged. There were an urgent need for the combat vehicles whether aircraft, Submarines/warships/aircraft careers or Tanks and artilleries. Actually UPA govt was indifferent towards facilitating effective modernisation of combat equipment thru’ state-of-the-art imported or indigenous development.
In UPA-II periods, Tejas indigenous combat jet was rejected, T-90 Arjun tank was declared substandard and high tech armaments were difficult to come by. After Modi Govt came in power in 2014, consultations were held with the service chiefs to formulate a concept to make India a world military power through Indigenous Hi-Tech Equipment development through “Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self reliant India)” plan. Thanks to the many initiatives taken by Modi govt that Design & Development agencies of Tejas Combat Jet and Arjun Tank were facilitated to upgrad them to meet the user requirements and accepted them too, in both its existing design specifications as well as in upgraded forms. Indian Navy gained the most in the shortest possible time on all fronts whether aircraft carriers, Submarines or Warships/Corvettes (read “Strength and Woes of Indian Navy: Past, Present and Future”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/strength-and-woes-of-indian-navy-past-present-and-future/). Presently 75% of Navy Capital acquisition is from the indigenous suppliers and defence exports have increased 34 folds in these 11 yrs.
In the absence of nearly 2 decades of modernisation, IAF had to acquire Rafale combat jets on emergency basis along with combat helicopters (Apache) and heavy-lift transport aircrafts. Similarly, Army was provided urgent weapons and some indigenous equipment projects earlier shelved, were upgraded, user-tried and put into production. It was unfortunate that Army still had Insas and SLR rifles when Galwan happened. Thanks to the good rapport of PM Modi with US Presidents that many hi-Tech weapons were purchased off-the-shelf in weeks and provided to the forces at the tense LAC frontier. It is now a much better equipped Army ready for any type of operations (read “Army Day 2024: How is our Army Shaping up?”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/army-day-2024-how-is-our-army-shaping-up/). Presently, state-of-the-art assault Rifles, Combat Tanks like Arjun Mk-I, Zorawar Tank, Light Weight Howitzers like ULH 777, ATAGS etc are all indigenous.
Ordnance factories which were largely defunct & outdated, were reorganised in to 7 Defence PSUs to meet most of the needs of the armed forces. DRDO worked wonders after Galwan in shortest of times to make India almost self-reliant for various types of Missiles (read “Indian Missile Programs to Self Reliance”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/indian-missile-programs-to-self-reliance/). Some long overdue actions of the Armed Forces such as proposals to have Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), acquiring Mountain Strike Force (MSF) and Theatrisation of the Combat Commands have been implemented among many other pending decisions.
Unprecedented Pace of Atmnirbhar plan. India in the last 11 yrs of Modi Govt has seen an unprecedented growth in Atmanirbhar (Self-reliance) plans that pertains to almost all sectors but especially to the Defence Sector. It is due mostly to the Atmnirbhar plans that the govt could invest so much in the modernisation of the Armed Forces. A largely defunct, outdated and loss making Ordnance Factories has been given a new lease of life thru’ its upgradation, corporatisation and tasked to manufacture all Hi-Tech Arms and Ammunitions that the three services need. They have already started manufacturing it. Six of seven of those units have already reversed to profit making.
Thanks to the numerous many ‘Start-up’ companies made by highly skilled people that state-of-the-art Aircraft Carrier, Nuclear Submarines, Warships, Upgraded Tanks etc were manufactured by Indian companies in record time. Gradually, Atmnirbhar plan is gathering pace and the Govt of the day must be complimented for it to make the congenial environment to provide funds for those firms, facilitating procurement of the raw materials as well as helping them to sell products in the world markets.
Controlling internal insurgency. Right from the 1960s, internal insurgencies have been crippling India. The Naxalite and Maoist insurgencies duly supported by enemies and adversaries of India were gradually gaining ground. Their foot soldiers had overground political support among many ‘Urban Naxal’ as well as allegedly by some communist leaders too (read “Revisiting Red Terror in India”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/revisiting-red-terror-in-india/). When Modi govt came to the power in 2014, there were 126 districts in 10 states classified as Naxal affected. In early 2025, this count was down to 12, the majority being in Baster. Actually, very few of the past govts had keenness to fight insurgency. Modi govt too had its ups in down in controlling them BUT now a resolve taken by Home minister Amit Shah through “Op Kagar” on 01 Jan 2024 to end it by March 2026, has made numerous many of them to surrender or be eliminated. He seems to be on track (read “How Modi’s war on Naxals is Succeeding while UPA failed”, https://swarajyamag.com/commentary/from-compromise-to-crackdown-how-modis-war-on-naxals-is-succeeding-where-upa-failed). This is a big achievement of Modi Govt. Actually, with Modi Govt working for the welfare of the weaker section of people, there is no justification in carrying out the Naxal movement.
External & Internal Terror threats. Ever since Pakistan was split into two in 1971 war, their leaders had taken a resolve to bleed India with thousands cuts thru’ their Jihadi network and they continue to follow it. Islamic extremism and limited terrorism had gained grounds in India mostly through Pakistani terrorists but partly due to IUML activities in Kerala and SIMI activities in some of the Indian Universities/institutions having substantial Muslims. They often indulged in extremism at the incitement from Pak & Bangladesh based Jamaat and Mujahidin groups. India has been under Islamic Terror for a very long, for last about 40 yrs even before the 1990 Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits (read “Looking back at Ralive, Tsalive ya Galive: 1990 Genocide of Kashmiri Pandits”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/ralive-tsalive-ya-galive-january-1990-genocide-kashmiri-pandits/). Although over a dozen of Islamic groups listed below are banned in India as enumerated in the text box below, ‘Muslim vote bank’ appeasement continues even today. Modi Govt is the first which has shown zero-tolerance against terrorism and is acting against the numerous terror groups both external and internal. However, actions are more of symbolic than concrete.
Greed of ‘Muslim vote bank’ has traditionally blinded many political parties who show leniency towards Islamic radicalism, extremism & terrorism, and refrain from taking any action that might make them unhappy. This is what is fanning Islamic terrorism in India. In recent times, Islamic terrorism is taking place all over the world except China that has adopted a model which is example for the world to contain it (read “World must adopt the Chinese model of Islam”, https://thecounterviews.in/articles/world-must-adopt-chinese-model-of-islam/).
‘Nation First’ and positioning on global stage. Modi govt has assumed office in 2014 with an objective of ‘Nation First’ and then party politics and allied aspects. That nation first has been apparent in his functioning. He first strengthened the national security by zero tolerance against terrorism. Even though Islamic terrorism had been bleeding India for decades, whether through series of bomb blasts at various places, serial blasts in Mumbai sub-urban trains, 26/11 Mumbai attacks and so on, first concrete action by the govt against Pak-based terror groups were taken in surgical strike on their hideout across LoC following Uri attack. That was closely followed by striking Balakot following Pulwama attack in 2019. In the interest of the nation, Modi govt made a clear policy that terror and talks cannot go together and started isolating Pakistan on the global stage as a sponsor of terror. A third wave of attack against Pak based terror groups were mounted under Op Sindoor after Pahelgam terror attack. Even harsh diplomatic steps have been initiated by suspending ‘Indus Water Treaty’ and trade links besides some other measures.
Modi had a firm belief that after nation becomes economically strong (eg Japan), world will take note of it and a strong economic reform were started. Thanks to some senseless military actions by China that the Indian Armed Forces was modernised at rapid rate with a moto of “Atmnirbhar” plan of self-reliance as described above. It is the result of all those that India has positioned itself as 4th largest economy and a power to recon with owing to which its voice is heard at all platforms across the world. While natives are enjoying the fruits of development, even Indian diaspora abroad are given the feel of belonging. When in trouble, they were evacuated on priority from war torn territories of Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and now from Iran. During Covid pandemic, India supplied drugs and vaccines to over 100 nations under “Vaccine Maitri” scheme. All these are the acts that every Indian are proud of the govt. India is slowly but surely making its presence felt at the global stage.
The Bottom-Lines
Modi Govt has tried to modernise the Indian Armed Forces a force to recon with largely through his “Atmnirbhar Bharat” planks of self-reliant India. It is not only the Armed forces but even paramilitary and police have been augmented to extent possible (because law & order is the subject of the State Govt). Most of the State Govts have been pushed to act firmly against the terror elements and it has started showing positive effects too. Maoists and Naxals are being controlled and Pak-sponsored Jihadi terrorists too are on the run. Govt’s India first policy seems to be well on its intended course.