Editorial 1 : Atmanirbhar at sea
Context: Recent commissioning of 3 Naval Ships by the Prime Minister.
India’s Maritime Heritage and Aspirations
- Historical Legacy
- Prime Minister referenced India’s maritime heritage, drawing parallels with the Chola dynasty and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's naval prowess.
- The symbolism reflects India's historical commitment to maritime strength and sovereignty.
- Vision for Maritime Growth: PM emphasized India’s emergence as a global maritime power and reiterated its commitment to a free, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific under the SAGAR framework (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
Triple Commissioning
- INS Surat: A 7400-ton destroyer, part of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, with 75% indigenous content.
- It was built in a record 31 months.
- INS Nilgiri: A stealth frigate designed for modern warfare.
- INS Vagsheer: A submarine that enhances India’s underwater capabilities.
Challenges in India's Naval Capabilities
- Global Comparison
- Despite progress, India ranks seventh in True Value Rating (TrV) for naval power with a score of 100.5.
- In comparison, the US leads with a TrV of 323.9, followed by China at 319.8.
- Resource Allocation
- India’s defence budget for 2023 was $84 billion, significantly lower than the US ($916 billion) and China ($330 billion).
- A relatively smaller share (17-18%) of India’s defence budget is allocated to the navy, limiting its growth potential.
- Shipbuilding Efficiency: INS Surat's construction time of 31 months, though a domestic achievement it contrasts with China’s rapid shipbuilding pace, such as completing a Type 54A frigate in just 4.5 months.
Indigenization
- Indigenous content claims in new ships signify a shift towards self-reliance in shipbuilding.
- BrahMos missile stands out as a significant indigenous achievement.
- Gaps
- The claimed 75% indigenization for INS Surat does not extend to critical components like ordnance packages, which are imported.
- Indigenous R&D and design capabilities in military technology remain underdeveloped.
Strategic Context and Regional Dynamics
- Competition with China
- China is the dominant naval power in the Indo-Pacific, posing challenges to India’s aspirations.
- China’s growing naval footprint necessitates India’s focus on operational readiness and modernization.
- India’s Geopolitical Role: As a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India aims to enhance its influence and counterbalance China’s assertiveness.
Way Forward: Recommendations for Maritime Advancement
- Investment in Shipbuilding and Technology
- Improve shipbuilding efficiency and adopt advanced manufacturing technologies.
- Scale up indigenous R&D in critical areas like ordnance, propulsion systems, and sensors.
- Increase Naval Budget: Allocate a higher percentage of the defence budget to the navy to sustain modernization efforts.
- Strengthen Indigenization
- Develop a robust ecosystem for indigenous production of critical components.
- Foster public-private partnerships to enhance design and manufacturing capabilities.
- Long-Term Vision for SAGAR
- Expand the SAGAR framework to include greater collaboration with regional partners.
- Focus on maritime diplomacy to enhance India’s standing in the Indo-Pacific.
Conclusion
Indigenous R&D and acquiring design proficiency in core areas of military capability remain a sluggish work in progress. Government must enable substantive output in defence research and output in a sustainable manner for meaningful ‘atmanirbharta’.
Editorial 2 : These Laws Passed in Silence
Context: How laws are passed in silence, without consultation
Introduction: The release of the draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) for public consultation, more than 16 months after the Act was passed, has restarted discussions on the importance of public participation in lawmaking, particularly for pieces of legislation that significantly impact individual rights.
Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy (PLCP)
- In 2014, PLCP was formulated by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
- The policy is supposed to be followed by all departments and ministries before any legislative proposal is submitted for consideration.
- It has been a decade since the PLCP has come into effect.
- Ministry of Law and Justice does not maintain any record relating to compliance with respect to the PLCP.
Limitation: Non-obligatory Nature of PLCP
- Paragraph 11 of the PLCP allows ministries and departments significant discretion to bypass the policy’s requirements if they deem public consultation to be not feasible or undesirable.
- This broad exemption creates a major loophole that undermines the very purpose of the policy.
- By granting government bodies the power to unilaterally decide when public input can be avoided, the provision weakens the commitment to transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy.
- Such flexibility can be easily misused, leading to important legislation being passed without considering the views of those who may be affected.
Poor Scrutiny and Quality of Legislation
- The widespread public protests and strong opposition to controversial legislation, such as the CAA-NRC Bills and the Farm Bills, are examples of hurriedly legislating without meaningful consultations with key stakeholders.
- Such instances reflect a broader trend of flippant legislative procedure without adequate public input.
- Even when consultations do take place under the PLCP, there is no mechanism to ensure that they are conducted in all relevant languages and are well publicised, limiting accessibility for many citizens.
Best Practices
- South Africa
- In South Africa, the constitution requires that all proposed legislation undergo a process of public engagement before being enacted.
- This mandatory public involvement ensures transparency and accountability in lawmaking, with any law that does not follow the prescribed consultation process being deemed unconstitutional and struck down by the courts.
- The emphasis is on inclusivity, allowing citizens to actively participate in shaping the laws that govern them.
- South Korea
- South Korea has institutionalised public participation in the legislative process by mandating that draft bills be published in advance.
- The draft legislation is made available for a minimum of 20 days before being introduced in the legislature, providing ample time for citizens to review and voice their opinions.
- The practices being followed by South Africa and South Korea are good examples of embedding public participation into the lawmaking process. This not only makes governance more transparent but also lends greater legitimacy to the laws by ensuring they are shaped by citizens.
Way Forward and Conclusion
- Given the limitations of the current Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy, there is an urgent need for meaningful reform to make public consultations a mandatory and legally enforced part of the legislative process.
- Without such changes, there is a serious risk that lawmaking will drift further away from the concerns and aspirations of ordinary citizens.
- Embracing a stronger consultation framework would give India an opportunity to breathe new life into its democratic practices and rebuild public trust.