IT is a matter of great pride to learn that Agosta 90 B submarine has been commissioned in the Pakistan Navy. The submarine has been built by Pakistani engineers, which speaks volumes about their skill. One should also be thankful to France, which helped develop the technology at the initial stages. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who was present at the induction ceremony termed the development a landmark. However, his emphasis on the need to be self-reliant in areas of arms procurement should be given a serious thought. There still remains dire need to be militarily self-reliant in the fields of production and procurement. Our defence forces are mainly dependent on US technology and equipment. While it is an undeniable fact that the US stands head and shoulders above others in matters of arms production, our dependence on its equipment has left us in a quandary. The biggest drawback is that the US can block the supplies whenever it wants. In 1965, despite knowing that the war was crucial to our survival, it cut off the ammunition supply. Most of the artillery, which was American made, was rendered useless because of lack of firearms. This flawed approach of relying on a single country is bound to cast its negative impact on foreign policy as well forcing the leadership to compromise on issues of national prestige. At present, the armament factories in the country particularly those in Wah are doing a good job but the weapons manufactured there fall in the category of small arms which have limited relevance in today's age of next generation weapons like drones and anti-satellite missiles. The country, rather than putting all its eggs in one basket, must therefore pursue military acquisitions from a variety of sources. Special focus should also be paid to setting up of quality institutions and plants. Procuring arms from different sources and indigenizing modern technology would strengthen our defence.