tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post5002069245332803726..comments2024-03-28T05:22:10.255-07:00Comments on Broadsword by Ajai Shukla - Strategy. Economics. Defence.: Defence R&D loaded with IPR issuesBroadswordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13076780076240598482noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-53215562603934771972007-05-19T21:49:00.000-07:002007-05-19T21:49:00.000-07:00Hi again Mr. Ajai Shukla. Thank you for your reply...Hi again Mr. Ajai Shukla. Thank you for your reply to my comment. (In that, I inadvertently mentioned one statement twice in 2 places that Video'n has patents in ACs etc; it was an overlook while editing).<BR/><BR/>I doubt whether small private companies who have just begun to manufacture components for Israel will be able to take a lead in developing 3rd generation NVDs. So, BEL's guidance (though glacially slow and beureaucratic), might have to be taken as they have the trump-card of experience and vast technical data.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of ToT other than NVDs, in my view, the ToT for AESA radars will also not be provided to India by <B>any</B> contender of the 126 MRCA contract, because I remember reading an interview of either the head or some other very high ranking individual of Boeing, who mentioned that the technology of AESA radars will not be released to India along with the MRCA contract. I will try to search for that interview and post it.<BR/><BR/>Thank you.Abhimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725190272782358248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-44440676582817674842007-05-07T22:16:00.000-07:002007-05-07T22:16:00.000-07:00Dear Abhiman,Thanks for that very revealing case s...Dear Abhiman,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for that very revealing case study. I agree with the basic argument that you make.<BR/><BR/>That is also the reason why the MoD believes it can buy SuperGen or HyperGen technology for the indigenous manufacture of II tubes for NVDs. The technology is growing old, the vendors are close to developing Gen-3 technology, so they believe they can make a packet by selling it to India. Where your logic doesn't hold good is... that India is nowhere near developing SuperGen technology because BELOP just sat on the Gen-2 technology that it received from Delft and did nothing to absorb it and take it further.<BR/><BR/>Your logic also explains why the companies who hold Gen-3 technology --- like ITT of the USA for example --- are completely unwilling to sell it to India.<BR/><BR/>But the broader point that I make is the really important one. That private companies are more likely to make efforts to absorb technology and take it forward, than the defence PSUs like BEL.<BR/><BR/>best,<BR/><BR/>ajaiBroadswordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13076780076240598482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8726844009873922462.post-40072488455967488082007-05-06T02:01:00.000-07:002007-05-06T02:01:00.000-07:00Note :- The mention of the names of private compan...Note :- The mention of the names of private companies in my post is not intended to endorse or commercially promote the companies or their products. It has been done only as a case-study to understand the dynamics of Transfer of Technology. <BR/><BR/>Hi Mr. Shukla. Sir, I think that the votaries of importing technology must know that NO Nation ever sells technology.<BR/>It only does so, when it percieves or anticipates that the reciever nation would develop the same technology on its own anyway, and hence it tries to "eke out" a further use of its technology by profiting from its sale to the reciever. <BR/>Also, as India is a low-cost manufacturing destination, no nation would endanger its own market-space by selling India its ToT---it would obviously like to keep its trade-secret in its own possession.<BR/><BR/>Hence due to the above reasons, ToT is never sold as a commodity; for if it were, then even third world nations like Bangladesh and Nigeria would have launched their own satelites.<BR/><BR/>This may infact be the fundamental principle of ToT. <BR/>It was witnessed when the technology of the F-35 JSF was refused to UK by the USA, despite UK being its closest ally.<BR/><BR/>Sir, the HBL facilities only manufacture some non-critical peripheral components only; it is similar to the outsourcing of auto ancillaries to India by Western auto majors like Mercedes and Ford. It is likely that HBL's machinery/equipment has also been installed by Israel, and that before selling their produce to any third-party other than Israel, Israel's permission would have to be sought.<BR/><BR/><BR/><B>Case study : </B>In the 1980s, Japanese corporations Suzuki and Toshiba set-up in a JV with Indian companies Maruti and Videocon, to manufacture cars and Television sets respectively. This was NOT a ToT, but in "blunt" terms it was only Japanese manufacturing equipment on Indian soil, and partly funded by Indian corporates.<BR/><BR/>It was only after technology advanced that their acquisitions became dated, and whose underlying tech. was finally absorbed into Maruti and Videocon. After that, they started to build further on them; Videcon has its own patents in ACs, and plasma TVs. This is similar to how India was tutored to make sounding-rockets in the 1960s and went on to make PSLV and GSLV vehicles besides Agni-3, using the sounding-rockets as a base. Today, Videocon holds uniquely developed patents in AC and microwave.<BR/>Now as a postlude to the fundamental "law" of ToT, Videocon has acquired the entire global CRT manufacturing lines of Thomson of France, along with over 2000 patents for the same. This makes it the largest manufacturer of CRT televisions in the world.<BR/><BR/>But, the reson why Thomson sold its patents and CRT facilities to it was because they predict that the market of CRTs shall cease whereas that for LCD and plasma TVs shall increase. Thus, it sold what it percieved as obsolete.<BR/><BR/>This is exactly the reason why the technology for 2nd generation NVDs was sold to BEL by Delft :- It was increasingly getting obsolete <B>AND</B> besides it was likely that BEL would have developed the same indigenously anyway.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Sir, I completely agree with your view that BEL should have dwelt on understanding the 2G NVD technology as a springboard to further it and develop 3rd generation NVDs. That they did not do so or could not do so is a matter of debate. <BR/>But I think that if 3rd generation NVDs have not yet become obsolete, <B>and</B> if BEL has not got the requisite base to develop the same on its own indigenously, then no foreign company shall sell the technology of 3rd generation NVDs to BEL at all.<BR/><BR/>In my view, the same reason will never permit India to acquire the ToT for such sensitive equipment like AESA radars (India has unfortunately yet to make a basic pulse-doppler fighter radar indigenously), and avionics, even though it may engender the forfeit of the estimated $9 bn contract to one of the other 5 rival contenders.<BR/><BR/>Thank you.<BR/><BR/>References.<BR/><BR/>http://www.magindia.com/manarch/news/man12383.html<BR/>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Infotech/Hardware/Videocon_buys_40_LCD_patents_from_IBM/articleshow/1143706.cmsAbhimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725190272782358248noreply@blogger.com