General Anil Chauhan's Stark Critique of Indian Defence Corporates
General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff, has strongly criticized Indian defence companies for their misleading claims and profit-driven endeavours, urging them to show more nationalism and patriotism.
NationalismPatriotismDefence IndustryReal EstateCrony CapitalismReal EstateNov 19, 2025
And, rather assertively, the CDS observed that the armed forces expected 'a bit of nationalism and patriotism' from these entrepreneurs. Harsh words, indeed, but necessary and correct.
General Chauhan is no dissident general. In our Naya Bharat, no disgruntled or disloyal soul gets tapped on the shoulder, regardless of the job's importance. He has not displayed the contrived flamboyance of a General Bipin Rawat. If anything, many purists have been disappointed that he has often departed from the protocol of professional aloofness and equanimity expected of a soldier. Nor is he a flaming radical with an ideological grudge against private industry.
Yet, it is difficult to recall when another serving officer felt so compelled to call a spade a spade as General Chauhan did. It's useful to remember that one of the major grievances Indian corporate entities had with the Manmohan Singh regime was that the UPA government did not allow desi entrepreneurs a free run of the extremely lucrative defence industry. The doors got unlocked after 2014, as the Modi government deepened its ties with crony capitalism. The Make in India policy regime became the profiteers' dream come true.
Arguably, wars and armed conflicts have always been times for profit-making, but capability and efficiency were still required. Why should the general be surprised at this gimcrackery? Has not cheating and short-changing been elevated to a working proposition for the entire ruling class?
Cheating, false claims, and deliberate dishonesty have been deeply embedded in almost all walks of life. Old-fashioned honesty and integrity are now seen as signs of weakness. Exaggeration and wilful misrepresentation are celebrated as signs of strong leadership. Over-selling and under-performing are serenaded as 'chankaya niti.'
Even places of worship are not immune to this national malady. Take, for instance, the so-called laddoo scandal atop the Tirupati hills, one of the holiest sites in India. The trail of adulterated ghee, procured for making the prasadam, stretches from Tirupati to Uttarakhand. The gods are not spared the profiteer’s greed.
Even more soul-scalding is the organised way real-estate tycoons are working overtime to make money in the newly consecrated land of Ayodhya. The nation was told that the consecration of the Ram temple was the beginning of our collective moral and spiritual renewal. Instead, it has been reduced to a profit-making enterprise by real estate moguls, with politicians and priests as junior partners.
It can be safely asserted that there is no area of national endeavour that has remained untouched by institutionalised falseness. The partisan politician protects crooks in his corner, and the rival defends thieves in his party. We have lost the capacity to distinguish right from wrong. We are content to reject any international standard; the few Indian achievements in the global arena are invariably stories of personal dreams, ambitions, and perseverance. A sort of inward-lookingness has corroded whatever little quest we had for global excellence.
The Indian businessman has prospered under benign protectionism. The allure of a vast Indian market keeps him away from competing in the global arena. The old neta-businessman nexus of the licence raj days has been revived with a vengeance. We read about the kind of trouble industrialist Anil Ambani is having with the Enforcement Directorate. It is the same business involved in the deal of the century—the purchase of Rafale aircraft from France.
So, the crucial question is, why is the good general protesting? The good general could not be unaware that, over the years, particularly after 2014, the virtuous ‘nationalism’ has been over-invoked—blatantly and cynically—by a host of voices, from shabby politicians to cement manufacturers, to sell their shoddy wares.
The nobility of 'nationalism' or patriotism has been vastly devalued. The partisan policeman flings the anti-national charge at anyone and everyone who dares to displease the Sultan and his Pashas. On the other hand, so many unappetising politicians and other public figures have wrapped themselves in the colours of patriotism that it has ceased to be a virtue—or its lack a failing. Demagogues and their henchmen have reduced nationalism to a mere legal 'offence', to be deployed not to preserve the nation but to be exploited for base electoral calculations.
It also needs to be noted that the CDS spoke with the authority of a general basking in the glow of public acclaim, aided and abetted expediently by a calculating political crowd in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with all its exaggerations. There was an edge to the general’s indignation. In this age of war-making and war-mongering, it is difficult to challenge a soldier’s formulations. Patriotism has its obligations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did General Anil Chauhan criticize Indian defence companies?
General Anil Chauhan criticized Indian defence companies for making misleading claims about their indigenous capabilities and engaging in profit-driven endeavours, urging them to show more nationalism and patriotism.
What changes occurred in the Indian defence industry after 2014?
After 2014, the Modi government deepened its ties with crony capitalism, and the Make in India policy regime became the profiteers' dream come true, allowing desi entrepreneurs a free run of the lucrative defence industry.
What is the 'laddoo scandal' mentioned in the article?
The 'laddoo scandal' refers to the procurement of adulterated ghee for making prasadam at the Tirupati temple, stretching from Tirupati to Uttarakhand, highlighting the pervasive nature of corruption even in religious institutions.
How has the concept of nationalism been affected in recent years?
The concept of nationalism has been over-invoked and devalued, often used by politicians and public figures to sell shoddy wares and exploited for base electoral calculations, reducing it to a mere legal 'offence.'
What is the significance of the Ayodhya land development mentioned in the article?
The development of the Ayodhya land has been reduced to a profit-making enterprise by real estate moguls, with politicians and priests as junior partners, despite the initial promise of moral and spiritual renewal.
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