Re: “India can outspend GB on military with the bigger national GDP, and have bigger military personnel in uniform by orders of magnitude.”
In 2015, the UK Defense budget ($55.5 billion) was almost 10% larger than India’s Defense budget ($51.3 billion).
The only reason India spends even that much on Defense is because it has two historically hostile neighbors - Pakistan and China.
About 50% of Asian Indians live below, or close to, the poverty level. And in India - unlike the UK - poverty means REAL poverty.
If India dramatically increased its defense budget, millions of Indian citizens would be pushed to the brink of starvation.
By the way - India just revoked the two largest bills in its paper currency.
The reason?
About 90% of businesses and employees deal only in cash to avoid paying taxes.
The only thing India can do to increase its military power is to reduce its spending on conventional military options and spend that money on nuclear weapons and ICBMs.
Correct you are. India has NEVER invaded or bombed another country in it’s 5000 year history. Which simply means it is not an aggressive power. Now with its 7+% annual growth rate of GDP, it does have the capability to defend itself without needed umbrella defense pacts such as NATO.