Nukes--India Pakistan, China, and Global Warming

[Bengalzona]

(03-04-2019, 07:27 PM)Dill Wrote: That dogfight has raised questions about the readiness of India's military--not just the air force.

After India Loses Dogfight to Pakistan, Questions Arise About Its ‘Vintage’ Military
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/03/world/asia/india-military-united-states-china.html

India’s armed forces are in alarming shape.

If intense warfare broke out tomorrow, India could supply its troops with only 10 days of ammunition, according to government estimates. And 68 percent of the army’s equipment is so old, it is officially considered “vintage.”

“Our troops lack modern equipment, but they have to conduct 21st-century military operations,” said Gaurav Gogoi, a lawmaker and member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense.

American officials tasked with strengthening the alliance talk about their mission with frustration: a swollen bureaucracy makes arms sales and joint training exercises cumbersome; Indian forces are vastly underfunded; and the country’s navy, army and air force tend to compete rather than work together.

Also some interesting points here on the US strategic perspective.

Whatever the problems, the United States is determined to make the country a key ally in the coming years to hedge against China’s growing regional ambition.

Last year, when Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that the Pentagon was renaming its Pacific Command — to Indo-Pacific — he emphasized India’s importance in a shifting world order.

“It is our primary combatant command,” said Mr. Mattis, who left the Pentagon at the end of the year. “It’s standing watch and intimately engaged with over half of the earth’s surface and its diverse populations, from Hollywood to Bollywood.”

MIG-21's in 2019 definitely qualify as "vintage". They are almost as old as B-52's. Not good for an interceptor.

F-16's are no spring chickens anymore either, but they are still useful.