Developments in the Indian Military - 2024 
- by Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda (@LtGenHooda)

Read:2024 marked a breakthrough in the four-and-a-half-year-long standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. In October, the two nations reached a consensus on patrolling arrangements at Depsang and Demchok, leading to complete disengagement. This development paved the way for the first bilateral meeting in five years between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, held on October 23 during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

The breakthrough at the LAC is unlikely to result in immediate changes in the military posture at the LAC. Infrastructure development will continue, as India seeks to build a strengthened deterrent capability against future Chinese military coercion.

The February 2021 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) has largely held, though it has failed to induce the Pakistan Army to curb infiltration into Indian territory. 2024 saw an increase in violence in the Jammu region, attributed primarily to terrorists who had crossed over from Pakistan. 

Pakistan, meanwhile, is facing serious economic, political, and internal security challenges. After candidates backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured the maximum number of seats in the February general elections, the political environment has remained tense. At the same time, terrorist violence has escalated, with fatalities touching nearly 2200, up 43% over 2023. 

To India’s east, the civil war in Myanmar has resulted in a significant influx of refugees into Mizoram and Manipur, further complicating the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur. The Indian government has approved the construction of border fencing along the India-Myanmar border, but the decision is facing opposition from the Mizoram and Nagaland state governments.

During the course of the past year, reports suggested that the three services had finalised the blueprint for establishing three Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs). However, 2024 passed without a clear decision or implementation, and it is now hoped that 2025 will finally see a rollout of the ITCs.

The Indian Army’s artillery modernisation received a boost in 2024, with contracts being finalised for procurement of advanced self-propelled and towed gun systems. The Indian Navy commissioned three ships and the second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. The government has also approved the construction of two nuclear powered attack submarines. However, delays persist in the Navy’s Project 75 (India) to build six AIP stealth submarines.

The dwindling strength of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has become a matter of concern. The IAF is down to 31 fighter squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42, with two more squadrons of MIG-21s to be phased out in 2025. The delivery of Tejas Mk1A fighter jets has also been delayed, as GE Aerospace has been unable to supply the engines for the aircraft. 

2024 saw a continued focus on indigenisation, with the highest-ever growth in indigenous defence production. Defence exports also saw an increase of 32.5% over the last year.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Indian military faces persistent challenges at the LAC and the LoC, as well as India’s eastern borders. To sustain capability building and modernisation, significantly greater investment is needed in the defence budget and defence research and development funding.

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