INDIA’S STRATEGIC DEFENSE TRANSFORMATION: EXPANDING GLOBAL RELATIONSHIPS

India’s defense establishment is undergoing an
unprecedented transformation as it modernizes its
military, seeks “strategic partnerships” with the United
States and other nations, and expands its influence in
the Indian Ocean and beyond. This transformation
includes a shift from an emphasis on the former Soviet
Union as the primary supplier of defense articles to a
western base of supply and an increasing emphasis on
bilateral exercises and training with many of the global
powers.
This Letort Paper by Lieutenant Colonel Brian
Hedrick explores the nature of this transformation,
offers insights into the history of Indian defense
relations, and suggests implications to U.S. foreign
and defense policy. Much has been written on India’s
relations with its neighbors, especially Pakistan and
China. In contrast, this Paper adds a new perspective
by taking a global view of India’s rise as a regional
and future global military power through its bilateral
defense relations and the potential conflict this creates
with India’s legacy as a leader of the Non-Aligned
Movement