India relied historically on foreign countries for military equipment. In recent decades, the government has increased its purchase of military equipments. This is because the process of procuring these weapons takes a very long time. It involves importing parts from foreign OEMs. It also requires the use a National Stock Number. NSNs are assigned to military equipments or military supplies. These include aircraft, self-propelled weapons, spare parts, repair parts and ships.
France is India's second largest supplier. Russia has been India’s biggest supplier of major arms in recent years. Between 2012 and 2016, Russia's Indian exports have dropped by 47 percent. India remains the second largest export market for Russian military equipment. In the time period 2012-2016, Russia exported the most important arms to India: the AH64 Apache, F-15C Strike Eagle and UH-60 Blackhawk tanks.
India has been the largest importer of military equipments in the world. India has been increasing its focus on indigenous weapon manufacturing in recent years. The Indian Armed Forces has seen significant changes due to the "Make in India" policy. The defence budget is 70% dedicated to the domestic arms sector. This is because the country needs weapons that can meet its defense requirements.
India has never had the technology to produce its own weapons. However, since 2012, India has been importing major weapons from Russia, which accounted for about 70 percent of the total major arms imports from the country. However, the government started encouraging the production of indigenous weapons for the Indian Army as well as the Indian Air Force. The 'Make in India' policy prioritizes the manufacture of indigenous weapon parts and equipments. The Indian Air Force also emphasizes the importance of producing indigenous weapons.
France, on one hand, has been a significant supplier of military equipment to India for decades. France's major weapon programs have always been successful. The French army invented the Leclerc main battle tank in the early 1980s. This was to help them fight in high intensity conflicts in Europe. The program was launched after two decades' of research.
France launched a main battle tank and two missile programs. These programs were launched to keep France ahead against the Soviet armored divisions and to stop them from advancing into Western territory. Both programs were successful. However, the depletion of smaller-scale programs has threatened the French military's ability to meet its strategic objectives.
Grands Programmes logic is still a core element of French military planning. It has faced significant criticism. Although the logic behind the Grands Programmes is controversial, its implementation is crucial in order to ensure that the French military remains cutting-edge.