India's Military Modernization: Lessons from the US-Iran Conflict

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The US-Iran Conflict: A Wake-Up Call for India's Military Modernization

The recent US-Iran conflict has sent shockwaves across the globe, with far-reaching implications for India's military modernization. The scale of missile expenditure during the conflict has highlighted the importance of having large and continuously replenished missile stocks. This is a crucial lesson for India, which must prioritize the procurement of indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured missiles to reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers and enhance its high-intensity operations capacity.

The Need for Large Missile Stocks

The US has reportedly fired over 2,200 surface-to-surface missiles and 2,400 surface-to-air missiles during the conflict. While these figures must be verified using official data from the US military, the general trend is clear: modern warfare demands not only advanced weapons but also large and continuously replenished missile stocks. Surface-to-surface weapons are employed for attacking airbases, command centers, missile sites, radar installations, logistics hubs, and other strategic targets. At the same time, surface-to-air missiles are needed to protect deployed troops, naval assets, airbases, and important infrastructure from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

India's Missile Industrial Base

India has made significant strides in developing its missile industrial base, with a steadily expanding collection of domestically developed missiles, such as the BrahMos, Pralay, Akash, Astra, Rudram, QRSAM, and VL-SRSAM families. However, the problem does not consist solely in the development of advanced systems; the armed forces also have to keep adequate stocks of missiles, seekers, rocket motors, warheads, propulsion components, and electronic subsystems. The missile industrial base in India will have to concentrate on both high-end and low-cost weapons.

A Multi-Layered Air Defence System

India will need a multi-layered system that includes guns, electronic warfare, directed-energy systems, short-range missiles, and longer-range interceptors. The conflict of 2026 also shows that Atmanirbhar Bharat should not limit itself to designing indigenous weapons; India has to acquire the ability to manufacture them in large quantities, to store its critical components, and to replenish its stocks without having to wait for foreign approvals.

Conclusion

The US-Iran conflict has served as a wake-up call for India's military modernization. The country must prioritize the procurement of indigenously designed missiles, boost its missile industrial base, and develop a multi-layered air defence system. By doing so, India can reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers, enhance its high-intensity operations capacity, and ensure its national security in an increasingly complex and dynamic global environment.