Indigenization builds political support for the fleet

Indigenization is a matter of political economy as well as technical independence. Building combat systems and ships at home turns naval spending into Indian jobs and domestic industrial capacity, making the fleet easier to justify than one based mainly on imported equipment. This can resemble pork-barrel politics, yet sustaining national employment and naval capability can still be a rational procurement choice. British ports and communities lost substantial employment when Royal Navy infrastructure and supporting industries contracted. Former ports and facilities employing hundreds or thousands of people became flats, providing accommodation without necessarily replacing the same level of employment. That comparison helps explain the Indian approach of linking a domestic industrial capability to public support for naval spending.