Weapons of technology

From the early 1920s to the 1930s, Japan replicated Western-made cars, equipment, and various products, manufacturing them in large quantities and selling them at much lower prices than in Western markets. Although Japanese goods were essentially copied or duplicated items marketed under different brand names, they were popular because they were widely available and inexpensive. The phrase “Made in Japan” became associated with cheap and short-lived products. A similar perception seems to prevail as most items today are ‘Made in China’. In a world where speed and cost-effectiveness are increasingly demanded, China stands out. The country produces not only cars, mobile phones, computers, and numerous gadgets at low prices but religious books and worship items like idols. China is also advancing its technology continuously each year. In areas such as computer technology and machinery, China is rapidly progressing and may soon surpass Western nations. Amid the ongoing Operation Sindoor, launched by India against Pakistan in response to terrorist attacks targeting unarmed civilians, Chinese-made Chengdu fighter jets have reportedly attracted attention of western military observers. Despite conflicting claims between the two countries about the number of aircraft shot down during the operation, which took place from May 7 to May 10, the focus remains on the Chengdu planes. These weapons have delivered surprising performance, challenging the capabilities of the heavily promoted Dassault Rafale jets purchased by India. The Chinese arms supplied to Pakistan are proving to be effective and may be as good as, or even better than, their American counterparts. Today, warfare faces no technological boundaries. With rapid advances in technology, nations could soon find themselves compelled to resort to nuclear weapons either to halt or to prevent technology from dominating future conflicts. The ongoing clash between India and Pakistan could well provide the much-needed opportunity for China to test its weapons against equipment made in the West. Pakistan used to be the main benefactor of US weapons largesse. However, as the US has come closer to India, Pakistan has to rely on its traditional ally, China.According to western media, the Chinese jet’s performance in a brief but high-stakes aerial engagement during the recent operation Sindoor, sent shockwaves through global defense markets, propelling the company’s stock price upward by more than 40% in just days. At the heart of the J-10C’s appeal is its advanced avionics suite, anchored by an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. This system allows the jet to detect and track multiple targets at long ranges, even in contested environments with heavy electronic jamming. China’s role as a primary arms supplier to Pakistan further complicates the regional strategic balance, challenging India’s military and technological preparedness. India is a rising super power and can compete with China technologically. In the light of Chinese weaponry playing a direct role in the Indo-Pak conflict, the government of India needs to focus more on technological superiority and promote a truly genuine Make in India to counter the Chinese. India is not unaware of the Chinese technological capability and how the communist giant’s economy has effectively challenged America in all spheres. Thus for India, though it out-mans and out-guns Pakistan in terms of manpower and equipment; it cannot allow Pakistan to have technological edge. India can afford to buy the best and also even produce world-class weapons and so this has to be addressed.