The defence services have been clamouring for long-term commitment of funds for many years. But planning remains an annual exercise guided by the previous year’s allocation. Five year plans are made by each service headquarters, but since never formally ratified they lack the desired sanctity. It would be revealing to study the last three to four ‘five year plans’ of the three services with a view to establishing the gap between projections and allocations.

Few countries in the world face the kind of security challenges that we do. Yet the irony is that despite a number of wars, including one in which we suffered a humiliating defeat and also lost considerable territory, we do not seem to have learnt many lessons. How else can anyone explain the scant attention to defence?

The writer is former director general, artillery vinayshry@gmail.com