By Brian Carnell

Wednesday, May 15, 2002

India has nuclear weapons, but apparently that is not enough. So, according to the BBC, it is now turning to an ancient Hindu text as a source for future military technology.

The text was written by Indian military strategist Kautilya in the fourth century BCE in which the author claimed to have access to fantastic military methods.

For example, the text claims to contain a recipe that allows a soldier to be fed a single meal and remain healthy without eating again for an entire month. Another part of the text claims that specially made shoes made of camel skin will enable soldiers to walk for hundreds of miles without ever feeling tired.

Indian soldiers might like to fight during the evening hours, and so the ancient text includes details on making a powder from fireflies and the eyes of a wild boar that will allow soldiers to see in the dark. For good measure, the text purportedly even explains how to manufacture invisible and indestructible planes.

Not surprisingly, India Defense Minister George Fernandes is apparently behind the project to study the ancient Hindu text. Fernandes was at the center of a bribery scandal involving India's arms trade and was removed from his position for 8 months. Apparently one of his strategies to overcome that and hold on this time is to appeal to Hindu nationalism by going along with this absurd exercise.

Source:

India defence looks to ancient text. Shaikh Azizur Rahman, The BBC, May 14, 2002.

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