When the aids were stopped or suspended, naturally we had to think as to what should be our attitude in this matter. I must say that some of the hon. Members did make a mention that if the aid had stopped and war had continued we would have had to stop fighting within a few weeks possibly. Possibly they are misinformed about the strength of our country. I do not say that we would have been able to fight indefinitely in all the sectors, but the policy that we have adopted in this country in defence production and the building up of industry in our own country has certainly given us some basic strength which would have helped this country to carry on this struggle, if called upon to do so.
But one lesson we have learnt, and I think that will be a permanent lesson for this country. As far as defence production is concerned, as far as production of weapons and necessary equipments is concerned, ultimately we will have to depend on ourselves and nobody else. Therefore, the strategy of production, which is part of the general defence strategy in our country, which was laid down before, has been vindicated by our experience. I know that it is very easily said than done that we must be self-reliant.
Self-reliance has been accepted. But, at the same time, we ought to think about modernisaton of the weapon system, standardisation of the weapon system. Some of these catch words are very easily and very frequently used in this debate. Some hon. Members say that we are still having a khichri of different types of aeroplanes. I must admit it; yes it is true. But I do not see any other alternative to this. Really speaking, the principle of standardisation can he practised and implemented only if you are self-reliant in the field of production, you can produce what you want, you can produce what you need and what you require. If you want to standardise a particular weapon system in a certain manner, then you must he in a position to produce all those elements in your own country. Therefore, modernisation and standardisation ultimately depend upon the diversification of the industrial and further modernisation of the industrial base on this country. The aeronautics industry, in our country is still in its infancy. We have to develop it.
May I say why we have got different types of planes ? This vast country has got to he defended in different sectors. The terrain is different, the climate is different and the problems of defence are different. When you take into account these different problems, the roles differ and when the roles differ the plans have to be different. A variety of planes have to he introduced. Even in the case of transport aeroplanes I do not go into fighter planes; the type of aircraft that you would need for transport purposes in Ladakh will necessarily be the type of transport aircraft that you would require in Rajasthan, for example, or possible it may not he the same type of aeroplane that will be used in the hilly terrain of NEFA for example. Indeed, the roles differ and, therefore, the types of planes will have to he different.
