New Delhi: As a debate rages on modernisation of Indian Defence forces, experts say that in the emerging world dictated by US, it is imperative for India to create for itself a niche in critical Defence technologies so that other countries do not deny it the technology to keep the Armed Forces ready to fight the wars of the future.

Dilating on Self Reliance (SR), Dr Amitav Mallik, member of National Security Advisory Board, in the latest volume of India's National Security Review, says, "India must aim to achieve self reliance which mans that the country would not have to import Defence systems and equipment for want of indigenous technology capability."

Dr Mallik says that the SR plan must have special emphasis to make the nation less vulnerable to technology denial regimes or the single vendor situations, wherein in case of conflict, indigenous capabilities could be checked through politically motivated limits on supply and even sanctions.

"Defence forces need to learn to avoid the perpetual traps of buying yesterday's products at tomorrow's prices, never getting the technology know-how in the hitherto practice of license production," says Dr Mallik.

Dr Mallik also stresses how Armed forces should be weaned away from looking at glossy product catalogues to identify modernisation requirements and identifies the road map for self-reliance in critical technologies.