India, Aug. 10 -- Strategic autonomy ultimately rests not just on acquiring advanced weapons, but on having the industrial capacity and diversified supply chains to keep them operational when a war lasts longer than expected.

History offers a sobering reminder that even the world's most powerful militaries are not immune to depleted arsenals. The United States has repeatedly confronted the consequences of munitions shortages - from the opening months of the Korean War, when inadequate stockpiles and strained logistics forced commanders to ration artillery fire, to the prolonged campaigns in Vietnam and Afghanistan, where years of sustained operations exposed weaknesses in procurement, production capacity, and supply chains.

Each time, W...