Fareed Rafiq Zakaria, a veteran journalist and geopolitical expert, said in an exclusive interview with India Today’s news director Rahul Kanwal that India urgently needs cutting-edge weapons and to be at the forefront of military technology but that it is currently using ‘second-rate Russian equipment.’ He said it in response to a query on whether India can trust the US as a source of arms.
In the wake of the defence ministry’s decision to purchase Predator drones from the US before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first state visit to Washington, Zakaria made the remark. Additionally, there is a chance that India and the US would reach an agreement to make it easier for India to produce GE-414 fighter aircraft engines. Currently, General Electric (GE), an American company, produces the engines.
According to Zakaria, it is unlikely that the US will use the weapons it will give to India as leverage if New Delhi ever decides to take a stand against the US independently. He cited the US’s relationships with Germany, South Korea, and Japan as examples of how the US has treated its other allies.
The seasoned reporter contrasted Russian and American-made weapons, declaring that the former ‘was no match’ even during the first Gulf War. ‘When you put American equipment next to Russian equipment, it is not even the second tier, it is the fourth tier,’ he continued.
Zakaria criticised the use of Russian technology, saying, ‘All you have to do is look at what is happening in Ukraine to see how the Russian technology is faring.’ The quality of equipment is anticipated to decline as a result of Russia not having access to the technology needed to make it as a result of the sanctions put in place, he continued.
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