To a large extent this is because the Modi Govt allowed fast track purchases multiple times before in 2016, 2018, 2019, now 2020 plus the other big-ticket deals like the Rafale and S-400. The services started spending whatever they had, in time and frontloading future budgets.
What this does is it allows existing gaps to be made up to a degree. The existing combat aircraft inventory is imported, ergo emergency purchases will add spares, munitions for them. However, it does not add extra budgetary leeway to change the entire structure overnight.
So if your overall numbers are still "stuck", the next wave of big-ticket deals are not happening. Expect prioritized, pending orders like Tejas to be cleared but expensive MRCA is still far far away. Unless the GOI takes a policy decision to hike defence spending.
Which again brings us back to the original point - the forces need to go desi in a big way, to re-equip rapidly within existing budget. Ammo/artillery/platform/missile orders need to go DRDO/BEL/HAL/private. We simply can't afford $9-10 Bn deals for a mere 36 airframes.
You can follow @Firezstarter1.
Tip: mention @twtextapp on a Twitter thread with the keyword “unroll” to get a link to it.

Latest Threads Unrolled: