Explore the Future Now: Mind-Blowing Science & Technology Book Picks from The Seen and the Unseen Podcast

"The Seen and the Unseen" is India's premier long-form podcast hosted by Amit Varma. The podcast, which has been running since 2017, features long-form conversations with intellectuals, writers, economists, historians, and thought leaders from India and around the world.  

Amit Varma is a respected journalist and writer, twice winner of the Bastiat Prize for Journalism. The show is known for its rich intellectual content and the diversity of its guests, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in public policy, history, culture, or economics in India today. Here is a categorized arrangement of the provided books into related sections based on their themes related to Science & Technology:

Genetics, Evolution, and Human Nature

1. Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To — David Sinclair
2. Hacking Darwin — Jamie Metzl
3. Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters — Matt Ridley
4. The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge — Matt Ridley
5. The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation — Matt Ridley
6. Who We Are and How We Got Here — David Reich
7. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature — Steven Pinker

Nutrition, Health, and Science Critique

1. The Case Against Sugar — Gary Taubes
2. The Big Fat Surprise — Nina Teicholz

Environmental Science and Nature

1. The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy — Michael McCarthy
2. The Hidden Life of Trees — Peter Wohlleben
3. The Genius of Birds — Jennifer Ackerman
4. H Is for Hawk — Helen Macdonald

Neuroscience, Psychology, and Behavior

1. Behave — Robert M. Sapolsky
2. Everybody Lies — Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
3. The Tell-Tale Brain — V. S. Ramachandran
4. Enlightenment Now — Steven Pinker

History, Philosophy, and Science Studies

1. Leviathan and the Air-Pump — Steven Shapin & Simon Schaffer
2. Birth of a Theorem — Cédric Villani
3. A Terrible Beauty — Peter Watson
4. Merchants of Doubt — Naomi Oreskes & Erik M. Conway

For readers seeking to dive deeper into the themes discussed on the podcast, the book recommendations serve as a comprehensive guide to engaging with the complex ideas Amit Varma and his guests explore.

100 Life-Changing Wisdom Quotes for Youths: Small Shifts, Big Impact​

I have read, lived and gathered experiences in this life. I pen down and offer timeless old school advice on etiquette, leadership, relationships, personal growth, resilience, health, work, finance, travel, kindness, passion, and life perspective. No one cares as much about you as you hence read the lines below atleast once.

Etiquette and Manners

1. Manners maketh the man. Hugs and handshakes, give them like you mean it.​Never shake a man’s hand sitting down. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
2. Respect personal space and listen actively. Listening is a super power.

Build Solid Character

1. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
2. Be confident and humble in your good or bad times.
3. Shame is a sign of an honorable man.
4. Vulnerability is okay and isn't anything to be ashamed about.
5. Don’t take criticism from people you wouldn’t take advice from.
6. If you are too afraid of doing something, then do it scared.
7. Relationships thrive on honest communication, shared growth, patience through tough phases and recognizing that love is built through understanding. 
8. Acceptance of each other’s authentic selves is sign of mature relationship. 
9. Don’t make decisions when you are feeling emotional. Literally, sleep on it!
10. Being able to admit you were wrong or made a mistake is respectable.
11. The ability to resist impulse will be a big predictor of your future success.
12. Recognize that true friendship and loyalty may require sacrifice, but always respect the line between what is legally correct and what is ethically mandated
13. Practice saying no politely and confidently to protect your boundaries, whether facing peer pressure or professional requests. 

Resilience and Toughness

1. Life is tough but it is a lot tougher if you’re stupid.
2. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Endurance is under appreciated quality.
3. Have a tolerance for uncertainty. This is the most valuable human trait.
4. Every man has to go through a phase in life where nothing matters to him.
5. Only in silence, a person can grind and fix himself.
6. Make it a habit to respect people without knowing their qualifications, title or position.​
7. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
8. Life is not fair. Nature itself does not operate with human concepts of justice or fairness, while humans strive for justice. 

Health and Habits

1. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
2. Never turn down a breath mint.
3. Buy fewer clothes, but wear the highest quality.
4. Invest in your health by making good choices about nutrition and fitness. Eat premium food, not junk.
5. Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep. Upgrade your mattress. Sleep changes everything.​
6. Quit porn. The damage it does to your brain is too great of a cost.
7. Invest monetarily by saving money and not living outside your means. 
8. Take 10 minutes a day and clean a different part of your house. Do this every day until it’s a habit. 
9. Don't “brag” about staying up late,  having strange eating habits or being able to consume a large number of drugs. These bad habits will haunt you in 30s.

Personal Growth and Mindset

1. Don’t lie to yourself. This will change yourself.
2. Be ambitious and set goals in life.
3. Talent is over rated. Don't be caught in the trap of potential and talent.
4. Passion may light a fire, but it takes hard work and discipline to keep the flame alive and produce genuine results.
5. Visualization and Manifestation are next steps for success after hard work. .
6. Everything that happens shapes you. Reflect regularly on how.
7. Until it's done, tell none either as information or boasting.
8. The best life skill you can develop is to stop being afraid of failure or rejection.
9. Embarrassment is the cost of entry
10. The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
11. Even small gestures of kindness can have a lasting positive impact. Always be open to help others even strangers. 
12. Time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Unhealthy habits make time your enemy.

Work and Professionalism

1. Eat lunch with the new kid.
2. No matter how mundane the job is, do it properly.
3. Be highly skilled at your job.
4. Treat things as an opportunity not an expectation.
5. To be successful in life, make yourself irreplaceable.
6. After writing an angry email or social media post,  read it carefully. Then delete it.
7. When you show up late, it tells people that you think your time is more important than theirs.
8. If you study to remember, you’ll forget. If you study to understand, you’ll remember.
9. Not everything in your brain needs to come out of your mouth or appear on your social media posts.
10. When fishermen cannot go to sea, they repair nets.  When the sea is too rough to sail, the smart ones don't wait - they get to work. They mend their nets, sharpen their tools, and prepare for the moment the storm breaks. Because even in stillness, there's progress. It's not about sitting idle; it's about building what's next.
11. Avoid cheap dopamine hit of announcing everything to people. Life is easier when no one knows your goals.

Leadership and Responsibility

1. In all things, lead by example. Give credit to the team. Take the blame as a leader.
2. Nobody does anything without help. People open doors for me, just as I open them for you. It doesn’t make you any less of a man to walk through them.​

Finance and Wealth

1. Someone else is happier with less than what you have.
2. Set an automatic amount of money to be saved. Invest that money.
3. Community, health & relationships are true wealth markers.
4. Surround yourself with high-value people.​
5. As a man, take your financial life very seriously. Make a lot of money.
6. The world is very cruel to a poor man.
7. Make Money so that you can walk away from toxic workplaces comfortably.
8. Hire a helper for household chores. Buy back your time.
9. Invest in experiences, not just stuff.
10. Upgrade your financial adviser. The one who got you here won't get you to the next level.
11. Keep your debt in check. It gets easier as you get older but not having a ton of debt is amazing.

Travel and Learning

1. Experience the serenity of traveling alone and living in another culture.
2. If you’re going to another place then take time to research the big differences in any laws you’re used to and learn to say Hello, Goodbye, Please and Thank You.
3. Spend money to go new places like China
4. With books unread, muscles untrained, and thousands of skills untouched - if you're bored, you're not even trying.
5. Read outside your comfort zone, watch diverse cinema and immerse in art and immerse oneself in diverse cultures matter not because they are recreational, but because they are acts of de-centering: they shift you out of the invisible architecture of your own conditioning.
6. Write down your dreams and reflect regularly on how everything that happens shapes you—journaling your experiences turns raw life into wisdom, helping you process emotions, track growth, and uncover patterns for better decisions. This practice builds self-awareness and resilience, essential for personal development.

Kindness and Protection

1. Return a borrowed car and bike with a full tank.
2. Stand up to bullies. Protect those bullied.
3. Don’t be mean to your dog or pet. He’s a few years of your life, but you are all of his.
4. You deserve what you accept.​ Don't be caught in toxic relationship.

Relationships and Family

1. You marry the girl; you marry her family. Respect is the way forward.
2. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will ever have your back like your parents do. Believe it.
3. Your parents did the best they could with what they’ve been taught. Forgive them & move on.
4. Call your parents. Spend time with them. You don’t have as much time with them as you think.
5. Fatherhood differs entirely from motherhood. A father may accept being loved less, but never at the cost of his principles, and deep down, he cannot bear to see his son grow weak.
6. There are two things in life. Things you need, and things you want. You need a roof over your head, food in your stomach, and someone else to go through life with. Everything else is a want. Work for the things you want. But live for the things you need.
7. I know kid, you have a lot of pride and want to accomplish everything by yourself, but whenever you’re in need and everyone around you has let you down. You can always come back home in any crisis. 
8. Most relationships can be maintained & improved by investing the time and having clear communication. If you can’t have difficult conversations with someone you love and trust, you won’t be successful.
9. Take the time to enjoy the little/quiet/everyday moments with your kids. They grow up really fast. It’s easy to remember the big events, milestones and vacations. But those small moments of sharing ice cream on a summer day or sitting outside looking at the stars together…those are magic. Don’t overlook them.
10. Identify who your good friends are and make an effort to stay in contact with them. You don’t need a whole ton of friends, so it is almost always better to have 2 or 3 close friends than a bunch of loose acquaintances.
11. If you marry, marry someone because they are your best friend, you share a common philosophy on life, have common values, and want common goals in your future. Don’t marry someone primarily because you think they’re good looking.
12. Recognizes that friendship and loyalty may require sacrifice of the soul but doesn’t tread lightly across the line separating what’s legally correct and what’s ethically mandated.​
13. Your family heritage defines your foundational identity—lean on it during trials, honor it through actions, but forge chosen bonds (like true friends) that transcends blood ties.

Passion and Life Perspective

1. Play with passion or don’t play at all.
2. Social media has made everyone self centred, insecure and more woke to appear publicly correct. Avoid the mob mentality if you can .
3. Don’t expect your 20s to be great. It’s normal to be unhappy, feel loneliness and make lots of mistakes.
4. Never trust anyone whose flaws you can’t see. It means they’re hidden deep. Keep your distance from manipulators or those who pressure into wrongdoing,
5. If you are not where you want to be in life, it's your own damn fault. Don’t blame others for what you don’t have. Get up and go get it.
6. Don’t worry about what other people are thinking about you, because everyone is only thinking about themselves.
7. Popularity fades, girls aren’t worth it until after college, money is better than video games, you can't stop smoking any time you feel like, life won’t just fall into place and you have to go out and make your life better.
8. Life doesn’t end at 25 or 30. If you haven’t done or seen or enjoyed all the things you think you should have in your 20’s it’s fine. There’s a whole lot more life left to do it.
9. One day, people will remember you for a last time. And then they will forget you forever.

Book Review: Hitch 22: A Memoir by Christopher Hitchens

Hitch-22 - Some Confessions and Contradictions: A Memoir - Christopher Hitchens

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

One of the leading U.S. critics of the 20th century, Lionel Trilling noted long ago - "Intellectuals have tended to embrace an 'adversary culture’: standing against the state, against the market, against the establishment, against anything and everything but themselves. Conciliation and Compromise do not come naturally to them."

Christopher Hitchens exemplifies Lionel Trilling's "adversary culture" to an extreme degree, earning a 10/10 rating who relentlessly critiqued the power structures - British monarchy, U.S. imperialism in Vietnam, Islamic Fatwa on Salman Rushdie, Mother Teresa's piety, Henry Kissinger's realpolitik and post-9/11 "Islamofascism" - often aligning against consensus on both left and right.  Who was Christopher Hitchens? Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011) was a British American author, public intellectual and journalist known for his sharp polemics on politics, religion and culture. 

Hitch-22 stands as an exceptional memoir - topical, incisive, witty, and profoundly revealing - demanding your time and rewarding it richly. His memoir is more than a biography; it's an invitation to dive into the brilliant and controversial mind of Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens reflects upon the intricate tapestry of his life—the friendships forged and alliances fractured, the ideological battles fought and noble causes surrendered, the missteps taken and doubts that shadowed his convictions. The book is eminently readable, with many anecdotal details put in with figures like Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Martin Amis and others, illustrating his life and worldview.

The book opens with his memories of early childhood moving between locations like Malta, Scotland and later Portsmouth in England due to his father's career as a Royal Navy commander.  The book traces his stay at the boarding school in Cambridge, where he encountered strict religious indoctrination that he later associated with authoritarianism and rejected early on. 

Hitchens began his career as a foreign correspondent and journalist. The book covers Christopher Hitchens' travels to various global hotspots like Northern Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Portugal, Bosnia, Cuba, Prague (Czechoslovakia) and Afghanistan. to expose dictatorships and even to Athens (Greece) to claim his mother's body amid anti-junta demonstrations.​ These visits shaped his views on tyranny, exile and resistance.

The memoir clears mark his introduction into politics at Balliol College, Oxford through the radical left in the 1960s and 1970s, but over time he grew distant with much of the organized left. Hitchens chronicles his gradual break from the traditional left, starting with the Soviet crackdown in Czechoslovakia, the Rushdie fatwa in 1989, accelerating over Bosnia and culminating post-9/11 with Iraq support.  

In his memoirs, Christopher Hitchens frames the Satanic Verses fatwa episode as symbolic of a cultural and political conflict where parts of the left offered insufficient support against religious authoritarianism. The left in England was divided about fully championing Rushdie due to the delicate balance between free speech and respect for religious identity. In contrast, Hitchens and like-minded defenders emerged as vocal advocates for literary freedom against the threat of religious fanaticism.

The book details his longstanding support for Kurdish self-determination and autonomy against Saddam Hussein's regime. He recounts visits to Kurdish areas in the 1990s, witnessing atrocities like chemical attacks, which fueled his advocacy and later Iraq War stance.

Hitch-22 was Hitchens' last book, his autobiography, considered the best for those who align with his unapologetic views and his dismissal of faith-based arguments. Shortly after publishing of the book, he left the world due to esophageal cancer in 2011. But his autobiography, Hitch-22 offers a revealing glimpse into a turbulent and inspiring life. The book is testament to his encyclopedic intellect and unorthodox shifts across political spectrums while championing enlightenment value.

In this era, it is profoundly troubling that our society has abandoned the celebration of intellectualism. The right accommodates religious extremism through appeasement, while the left, paradoxically, has capitulated to unwittingly ended up pandering to the most regressive elements. For many citizens, the distinction between genuine intellectual inquiry and demeaning judgements has become impossibly blurred, making honest discourse increasingly difficult.

We seek inspiration from a memoir that boldly reflects the journey of a public intellectual navigating the complex realms of politics, religion, culture and human nature with courage and honesty. It embraces the fearless questioning of beliefs and challenges established norms, guided by principles like Hitchens's razor: "What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence." This wisdom calls for rigor and skepticisms in our pursuit of truth and understanding.

 * Slate magazine hosted Christopher Hitchens as a "Fighting Words" columnist from 2002 until his death in 2011, publishing his provocative essays on politics, religion and culture. 

Part 3: भारत का Engine Revolution - Kaveri से लेकर 5th Gen Fighters तक

Part 1 पढ़ें: भारतीय वायुसेना का संकट - GE Engine Delays और Squadron Strength की समस्या

Part 2 पढ़ें: India का Fighter Jet समाधान - Rafale, Tejas Mk2, AMCA और HAL की नई दिशा

भारत को अपना Engine क्यों चाहिए?

HAL ने इंजन निर्माण में कई विदेशी इंजनों का लाइसेंस प्राप्त किया है जैसे Bristol Siddeley Orpheus, MiG के इंजन, और Sukhoi के इंजन। 1956 में, HAL ने बेंगलुरु में Bristol Orpheus turbojet इंजन का उत्पादन शुरू किया था। इसके बाद से HAL ने कई विदेशी इंजनों का निर्माण किया और महत्वपूर्ण experience हासिल किया। हालांकि, HAL आज तक अपना खुद का एक indigenous fighter jet इंजन डिजाइन करने में सफल नहीं हो पाया है। लगभग 70 वर्षों के बाद भी भारत में HAL के पास अपनी पूरी तरह से डिजाइन किया गया लड़ाकू विमान इंजन नहीं है, जो देश की आत्मनिर्भरता की दिशा में एक बड़ी चुनौती है। 

यहाँ एक बहुत महत्वपूर्ण बात है - दुनिया में सिर्फ 4 देश fighter jet engines बना सकते हैं। USA, France, Russia, और Russia का पुराना सोवियत union। और चीन हाल ही में सीख रहा है। क्यों यह इतना मुश्किल है? Jet Engine बनाना सबसे tough technology है। इसमें materials, heat management, precision engineering - सब कुछ world-class होना चाहिए। एक गलती और पूरा engine बर्बाद।  अगर भारत अपना jet engine बना ले, तो 

• विदेशों पर निर्भरता खत्म
• दूसरों को अपना engine का भी export कर सकता है
• सैन्य strength में स्वायत्तता आएगी
• International politics से भी आजाद रहेगा

Kaveri Engine: भारत की कोशिश

भारत ने 1986 में GTRE (Gas Turbine Research Establishment) के तहत Kaveri program शुरू किया था। लक्ष्य था अपना fighter jet engine बनाना। सितंबर 2008 में, Kaveri को Tejas के लिए ready माना गया, लेकिन वह सब targets पूरे नहीं कर पाया। Weight ज्यादा था, power कम था। तो उसे अलग कर दिया गया।

यह failure खराब है या अच्छा? असल में, इससे बहुत सीख मिली। GTRE को engine technology का practical knowledge मिल गया। अब वह ज्यादा बेहतर तरीके से काम कर सकता है।

Kaveri के नए Avatar (2025 onwards). अब Kaveri को अलग-अलग प्रकारों में बनाया जा रहा है:

1. Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) - UAVs के लिए

यह छोटा engine है, 48-55 kN thrust वाला। इसे India के RSPA (Remote Piloted Strategic Aircraft - एक तरह के बड़े drone) के लिए design किया जा रहा है।

क्या खास है?

• Fuel efficient (कम fuel, ज्यादा उड़ान)
• Stealth के लिए optimized
• High altitude पर भी काम कर सकता है

Timeline क्या है?

• 2026 तक: पहले prototypes की flight tests पूरी
• 2026-2030: Production capacity बढ़ाना

Russia के साथ testing भी होगी (Ilyushin aircraft पर). क्यों महत्वपूर्ण है? यह UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) की शुरुआत है। Drones की ताकत बढ़ानी है भारत को। और अपना engine होने से dependency नहीं रहेगी।

2. Kaveri 2.0 - Tejas Mk1A का Upgrade

Tejas Mk1A अभी GE F404 engine से चलता है। भविष्य में, जब ये विमान 20-25 साल पुराने हो जाएँ (लगभग 2035-2040 में), उन्हें upgrade करना पड़ेगा। क्या है Kaveri 2.0?

• 90-100 kN thrust (F404 जितना ही)
• Advanced alloys और single-crystal technology
• Better cooling systems
• More reliable और efficient

Timeline:

• 2025-2030: Major technology development (Safran के साथ)
• 2030-2035: Ground और flight testing
• 2035-2040: Tejas Mk1A में लगाए जाएँ

Benefits:

• India के engines से plane चले
• Maintenance भारत करेगा
• Long term में बहुत सस्ता पड़ेगा

3. Kaveri 3.0 - 5th Gen Fighters के लिए (सबसे महत्वपूर्ण)

यह सबसे ambitious project है। 110-140 kN thrust वाला engine जो AMCA और future fighters को power देगा।

Safran Partnership: Historical Agreement

November 2025 में Safran के CEO ने घोषणा की कि वे Kaveri 3.0 के लिए 100% technology transfer देंगे। यह भारत के किसी भी fighter jet engine को दिया गया सबसे बड़ा technology transfer है।

Safran, एक French company, भारत को अपनी सभी secrets देना चाहती है - hot section technology, single-crystal blades, advanced materials । क्यों Safran ऐसा कर रहा है?

• Long term partnership: France और भारत का रिश्ता बहुत मजबूत है
• Export potential: अगर engine सफल हो तो India से export हो सकते हैं
• China की competition: China भी अपना engine बना रहा है, तो France भी चाहता है कि India को support दे

Development Phase (2025-2035):

• पहले prototypes बनेंगे
• Bench testing (जमीन पर)
• Flight testing अलग-अलग aircraft पर
• Indian test facilities में certification

Production Phase (2035-2045):

• 120+ kN engines का mass production
• Export के लिए भी तैयारी
• भारतीय और अंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजार दोनों के लिए

Total Investment: लगभग $7 बिलियन इस पूरे प्रोजेक्ट में लगेगा। यह बहुत बड़ी रकम है, पर भारत के लिए necessary है।

AMCA को Kaveri 3.0 से कैसे फायदा? AMCA के दो versions हैं:

Mk1: शुरुआत में GE F414 engine से चलेगा

Mk2: Kaveri 3.0 engine से चलेगा (2037-40 के बाद)

जब Mk2 आ जाएगा, तब भारत पूरी तरह from-design-to-engine-to-production खुद कर सकेगा।

4. Kaveri के लिए Advanced UCAVs

Ghatak UCAV के लिए भी Kaveri का एक variant तैयार किया जा रहा है। यह 75 kN thrust का होगा - मतलब बड़ा और ज्यादा powerful। क्या करेगा?

• 5th generation के stealth UCAVs को power देगा
• High risk missions में जा सकते हैं (piloted fighter की जगह)
• Long endurance वाले operations
• Timeline: 2025-2032

The Big Picture: Engine Independence का रोडमैप

2026-2030 (Near term):

• KDE (UCAV engine) का production शुरू
• Kaveri 2.0 का development पूरा
• Testing facilities upgrade

2030-2035 (Medium term):

• Kaveri 2.0 Tejas में लगने शुरू
• Kaveri 3.0 के prototypes बनेंगे
• IAF को delivery बढ़ेगी

2035-2045 (Long term):

• Kaveri 3.0 production में आएगा
• AMCA पूरी तरह indigenous होगा
• Export करने लगेंगे 

क्या India हासिल करेगा अगले 15 सालों में?

• स्वदेशी Engines: Kaveri 2.0 और 3.0 से independence आएगी
• Fighter Jet का Production: Tejas को 24-40 per year बना सकेंगे
• 5th Generation: AMCA से China-USA के बराबर technology हो जाएगी
• International Export: भारत अपने engines दूसरों को भी दे सकेगा

भारत के पास एक सुनहरा मौका है अगले 15 सालों में खुद को 5th generation fighter jet power बना देने का। क्या करना होगा?

• Fast decisions: देरी न करो, decisions लो
• Increase funding: Defense budget बढ़ाओ
• Support private sector: HAL के साथ दूसरों को भी space दो
• Technology partnerships: Safran, Russia, Japan - सब के साथ काम करो
• Manpower development: Engineers, technicians को train करो

भारत को क्या मिलेगा?

• अपना 5th generation engine
• अपना AMCA fighter
• International level की capability
• Geopolitical strength
• Export market भी

The Bottom Line

भारतीय वायुसेना का संकट वास्तविक है, लेकिन समाधान भी स्पष्ट है। अगर सरकार तेजी से फैसले ले, production को speed दे, और private sector को space दे, तो भारत 2035-40 तक एक complete indigenous fighter jet ecosystem बना सकता है। मेड इन इंडिया डिफेंस लंबी यात्रा है। 

GE engine के delays painful हैं, पर ये सीख भी दे रहे हैं - स्वावलंबन जितना जरूरी है, उतना ही चुनौतीपूर्ण भी। भारत की Tejas, Kaveri, और AMCA की यात्रा सिर्फ एक defense story नहीं है - ये Indian engineering, determination, और vision की कहानी है। अगले दशक में, ये कहानी लिखी जाएगी।

Part 2: India का Fighter Jet समाधान - Rafale, Tejas Mk2, और AMCA का रोडमैप

Part 1: Bilkul वायुसेना का संकट - GE Engine Delays और Squadron Strength की समस्या

पिछले भाग को यहाँ पढ़ें और अब आगे बढ़ते हैं।  इस पोस्ट में हम समझेंगे कि कैसे भारत ने Rafale, Tejas Mk2 और AMCA जैसी आधुनिक फाइटर जेट्स की दिशा में कदम बढ़ाए हैं।

India को capability gap का सामना करना पड़ रहा है क्योंकि fourth-gen Tejas delayed हैं और fifth-gen AMCA 2035 तक आएगा, near-term air superiority की चिंता बढ़ा रहा है। 

1. विदेशी खरीद: तुरंत फैसला करने का समय

भारत को तुरंत कुछ फैसले लेने हैं ताकि next 5-10 सालों में squadron strength बनी रहे। 2030 के बाद Jaguar और दूसरे पुराने विमान retire हो जाएंगे। तब तक नए विमान आ जाने चाहिए, नहीं तो बहुत बड़ी खामी रह जाएगी।

114 Rafale जेट्स: फ्रांस का रास्ता : सितंबर 2025 में IAF ने एक बहुत बड़ा प्रस्ताव दिया - 114 और Rafale जेट्स खरीद सकते हैं। यह सबसे बड़ा defense deal हो सकता है भारत के लिए।  कीमत क्या है? लगभग ₹2 लाख करोड़ (करीब $24 billion) । यह सच में बहुत बड़ी रकम है।

क्या यह "Make in India" होगा? जी हाँ! फ्रांस के Dassault Aviation कंपनी भारतीय कंपनियों के साथ मिलकर ये जेट्स बनाएंगे। 60% से ज्यादा parts भारत में बनेंगे। इसमें Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) जैसी भारतीय कंपनियां शामिल हैं। यह private sector को defense manufacturing में लाने का हिस्सा है। 

कितने जेट्स अभी तक हैं भारत के पास? 36 Rafale पहले से आ चुके हैं | 36 नौसेना (Navy) के लिए आदेशित हैं | अगर ये 114 और आ गए, तो कुल 186 Rafales होंगे |  भारत French Rafale jets को US-made fighter jets से ज्यादा prefer करता है mainly strategic autonomy, technology transfer, और existing fleet के साथ interoperability की वजह से। 

क्यों Rafale चुना गया US से बजाय?

• Technology Transfer: Safran (जो Rafale के इंजन बनाता है) ने कहा है कि वह 100% technology transfer देगा। IAF को Rafale का high indigenization level और commonality with existing assets पसंद है, जबकि US platforms critical technology, source code, या operational aspects fully share नहीं करते, जिससे India independent servicing और upgrades नहीं कर पाता। अमेरिका ऐसा नहीं करता। F-35 या F-16 खरीदने पर भी अमेरिका source code नहीं देता। सब कुछ अपने पास रखता है।

• Maintenance Independence: Rafale से भारत आगे चलकर अपना हाल सँभाल सकेगा। नई Maintenance facility हैदराबाद में बनेगी। यानी भारत दूसरों पर निर्भर नहीं रहेगा।

• ऑपरेशन सिंदूर (May 2025) में Success: पाकिस्तान के साथ conflict में Rafales ने बहुत अच्छा प्रदर्शन किया। इनके Spectra Electronic Warfare सिस्टम ने बहुत कुछ सँभाला। लोगों को भरोसा आ गया Rafale पर।

• Historical Trust: भारत और फ्रांस के relationship अलग ही level के हैं। सब कुछ transparent रहा है। कोई hidden agenda नहीं।

• Ease in Procurement: India Rafale को installments में खरीदता है bulk orders के बजाय costs spread करने और inflation manage करने के लिए, जो budgetary constraints से match करता है लेकिन procurement pace पर questions उठाता है। 

• Indian Navy Requirements: Indian Navy के fighter jets requirements Air Force से different हैं—naval Rafales को ship-based operations के लिए rigorous testing और design changes चाहिए।

Su-57: रूस का विकल्प

भारत Russia के साथ भी बात कर रहा है - Su-57 लड़ाकू विमानों के लिए। ये बहुत advanced 5th generation के विमान हैं। क्या है | Plan? 36-40 Su-57s खरीद सकते हैं शुरुआत में | HAL की नासिक फैक्ट्री में भी production हो सकती है (वहाँ पहले से Su-30MKI बनते हैं) |अगर यह हुआ तो finally 120-140 Su-57s तक की बात है |  क्या यह practical है?  रूस ने कहा है वह technology transfer और joint production दोनों के लिए तैयार है। पर Foreign companies कभी 100% tech या source code transfer नहीं करतीं—even large contracts में। Russia Su-57 के साथ "near-complete" transfer offer कर रहा है 

Su-57 के AL-41F1 engines (1.5m diameter, 14.5-tonne thrust) बहुत bulky हैं और India के lighter jets (Tejas/AMCA) में fit नहीं हो सकते—design redesign की जरूरत पड़ेगी।​ 

"Generation Game" में stealth geometry, radar-absorbent materials, AESA radars, indigenous avionics, और Astra missiles key हैं | Russian fighters' electronics में कम advanced हैं लेकिन India को more reliable लगते हैं greater operational availability और simpler maintenance की वजह से। Su-57 की stealth capability moderate है और low-frequency radars इसे आसानी से detect कर लेते हैं।  यह aircraft super-maneuverability, super cruise और high payload capacity के साथ multi-role operations के लिए बेहतर विकल्प बनता है, जो इसे battlefield में बहुमुखी और ताकतवर बनाता है।

Russia ने Pakistan को JF-17 Thunder fighter jets के लिए RD-93 engines की supply जारी रखी है trilateral Russia-China-Pakistan agreement के तहत, जो 2000s से चल रहा है। यह engines Klimov RD-33 family के variant हैं, जो India के MiG-29 fighters में भी use होते हैं, और PAC Kamra (Pakistan) में China के Chengdu Aircraft Corporation के साथ मिलकर JF-17 assembly होती है। 2025 में rumors चले कि Russia advanced RD-93MA engines JF-17 Block III के लिए directly supply करेगा, जिससे India में चिंता हुई क्योंकि ये PL-15 missiles (Operation Sindhur में used) carry कर सकते हैं |

भारत को carefully देखना होगा क्योंकि पहले भी Russia पर निर्भरता मुश्किल साबित हुई है। क्या US इससे खुश होगा? शायद नहीं। लेकिन भारत को अपनी जरूरतें पहले रखनी हैं। defense के लिए भारत को independent होना चाहिए।

2. Hiring of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for HAL restructuring

July 2025 में Prime Minister के Principal Secretary PK Mishra ने HAL का दौरा किया। यह एक बहुत बड़ा संकेत था - सरकार को HAL की चिंता है। फिर क्या किया? September 2025 में Government ने Boston Consulting Group (BCG) को hire किया - एक विश्वविख्यात management consulting firm। BCG को क्या काम दिया गया? 

• HAL को पूरी तरह restructure करने का अध्ययन
• Report लिखना कि कैसे HAL को modern बनाया जाए
• कैसे turnover बढ़ाया जाए
• कैसे private sector के साथ compete किया जाए

Report कब आएगी? Early 2026 में (शायद Feb-March 2026).  Possible Solutions क्या हो सकते हैं?

• Jet division अलग (Fighter jets के लिए)
• Helicopter division अलग
• Transport aircraft division अलग
• यह "Baby HALs" बनेंगे - जैसे AT&T को कई "Baby Bells" में divide किया था
• Management Academy को एक independent institute बना दो
• Aeronautical engineering पढ़ाए  Managers को train करे
• Land को monetize करना
• AMCA के लिए Tata, L&T को bid करने दो
• Rafale के fuselage के लिए Tata को contract दो

इससे competition होगा, quality improve होगी | अगर BCG की सिफारिशें implement हुईं:

• Faster Delivery: Production speed बढ़ेगी
• Better Quality: Division system से focus बेहतर होगा
• More Revenue: Land monetize करने से funds आएंगे
• Competition: Private sector के साथ competition से innovation आएगी
• Modernization: Old systems बदलेंगे, नए आएंगे
• Export Ready: अगर HAL efficient हो गया तो export भी कर सकता है

3. स्वदेशी समाधान: तेजस और AMCA

Tejas Mk1A: अभी का समाधान

Tejas Mk1A भारत का पहला modern जेट है। इसे अभी production मोड में लाना है। कितने खरीद सकते हैं?  कुल: लगभग 180-220 विमान -

• पहली खरीद: 83 विमान (2021 में approve हुई)
• दूसरी खरीद: 97 विमान (August 2025 में approve हुई)

कितने हर साल बनेंगे? HAL के पास अब 3 production lines हैं। Nashik में नई line का उद्घाटन हुआ October 2025 में। अब 24 विमान सालाना बना सकते हैं। पर IAF को 35-40 चाहिए हर साल। कब मिलेंगे?

• 2025-26: 12 जेट्स
• 2027-2032: धीरे-धीरे बढ़ेंगे
• 2032 तक: सब 180 विमान आ जाएँ

क्या समस्याएं हैं?

• Engine की कमी (GE F404-IN20 की delivery delayed है)
• HAL की production speed अभी भी कम है
• Quality control issues हैं कुछ

नवंबर 2025 में, HAL ने 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines के लिए $1 billion का deal sign किया। इससे delivery फास्ट हो सकती है - लेकिन अभी भी 2027 तक wait करना पड़ेगा।

Tejas Mk2: अगला कदम

Tejas Mk2 एक upgraded और stronger version होगा। यह Jaguar, Mirage 2000, और MiG-29 को replace करेगा।

क्या खास है इसमें?

• बड़ा फ्यूजलेज (लंबा विमान)
• ज्यादा fuel capacity
• ज्यादा powerful engine (GE F414)
• Advanced radar और sensors
• भारतीय missiles को integrate कर सकते हैं
• 82% से भी ज्यादा "भारतीय"

भारत को कब मिलेगा?

• 2026: पहला prototype के लिए
• 2029: पहली उड़ान
• 2030-2035: production शुरू

कितने खरीद सकते हैं?

• शुरुआत में: 120 विमान
• भविष्य में: 300 तक बढ़ सकते हैं

यह सच में बहुत important है क्योंकि ये Jaguar की सीधी replacement है।

AMCA: 5th Generation का सपना

AMCA का मतलब है Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft। यह भारत का अपना 5th generation fighter jet होगा - बिना किसी विदेशी मदद के (या कम से कम designed भारत द्वारा)।

क्या है AMCA? Single seat, twin engine, stealth design. 5th generation fighter जो F-22 Raptor (USA) और J-20 (China) जैसे हो | क्या खास होगा?

• पूरी तरह भारतीय design
• इंजन भी भारतीय (बाद में)
• 55,000 feet height तक उड़ सकेगा
• Internal weapons bay (stealth के लिए जरूरी)
• 5,500 kg तक external weapons ले सकेगा
• Advanced radar और AI systems

Roadmap क्या है?

• May 2025: Government approval मिल गई
• 2028-2029: Prototype rollout
• 2029: पहली उड़ान
• 2032: Certification
• 2034: IAF को delivery शुरू
• 2035 onwards: Mass production

भारत के लिए क्यों इतना महत्वपूर्ण है? जब AMCA सेवा में आ जाएगा, तब भारत अपना खुद का 5th gen fighter बना सकेगा। China का J-20, USA का F-22 - भारत के पास भी अपना होगा। यह आत्मनिर्भरता का सबसे बड़ा प्रतीक होगा।

कितने बनेंगे?

• पहले 5 prototype (testing के लिए)
• फिर 7 squadrons (120-140 विमान)
• भविष्य में और भी 

Conclusion: Production Speed बढ़ाने की जरूरत

यहाँ एक बड़ी समस्या है - भारत सब्र नहीं कर सकता। 2030 के बाद Jaguar retire होंगे। तब तक Tejas Mk2 भी नहीं आ सकता। यह gap dangerous है। क्या करें?

• Rafale (114) जल्दी आ जाएँ
• Tejas Mk1A की delivery तेज हो
• Su-57 पर भी निर्णय लो (अगर जरूरत हो)
• Tejas Mk2 को सबसे ज्यादा priority दो

अगर ये सब ठीक से चले तो 2030 तक गंभीर gap नहीं आएगी। पर अगर delay हुई तो भारत को अंतरराष्ट्रीय level पर कमजोर दिखना पड़ेगा। लेकिन यह बदलाव आसान नहीं होगा। HAL के अंदर resistance होगा, unions होंगे, political issues होंगे। अगले और आखिरी भाग में हम देखेंगे भारत के स्वदेशी इंजन कार्यक्रम के बारे में - Kaveri engine कैसे भारत को आत्मनिर्भर बना सकता है। 

Part 3: भारत का Engine Revolution - Kaveri से लेकर 5th Gen Fighters तक