'Jugaad': Bane or Boon for soldiers ?

‘Jugaad’ is a Hindi word that translates not only to a noun – it’s a fix, a work-around, an innovative solution – but also encompasses an entire spirit of resourcefulness and resilience. It refers to an improvised solution born from ingenuity in the face of scarcity and adversity and has become the newest management trend across the world. As scarcity drives innovation, the bleak economy of the last few years has brought this stark fact to central focus with the ‘jugaad’ innovators in the corporate world, organisations, universities and myriad other institutions circumventing linear, structured, pre-planned, time-consuming and expensive R&D processes. Their approach is more fluid and cost effective as it infuses key capabilities such as frugality, inclusivity, collaboration, and adaptability into the system which is exactly what is needed in a hyper competitive and fast-moving world. ‘Jugaad’ is increasingly becoming a global approach because rules, regulations, policies and procedures tend to weigh down initiative, resourcefulness and innovation.

Innovation is possible in limitless ways. Take the example of using old saris to make quilts. The principle at work here is to use the material of the fabric in an application that did not have aesthetics as its primary purpose. Using old saris as outer covers for quilts gave an aesthetic quality to the product and we had a solution that was every bit as good as its more processed counterpart and far cheaper too. The AC sleeper is another innovation which makes travel in air-conditioned comfort feasible to large sections of the population at the cost of giving up some room. It is a compromise but one that takes us up the value curve.

There are six principles of frugal innovation:
• Seek opportunity in adversity.
• Do more with less.
• Think and act flexibly.
• Keep it simple.
• Include the margin.
• Follow your heart.

In India, innovative use of air power by the Indian Air Force played a part in the Kargil War. Its stellar role in the Kargil victory 13 years ago had as much to do with its pilots and planes as with that great Indian trick, ‘jugaad’. Pilots flew real-time missions with hand-held GPS sets to home in on high-altitude targets, usually tiny contingents of Pakistanisoldiers and used hand-held video cameras to record bombing runs for post-op analysis back at the base. The challenge for the IAF in Kargil was unprecedented. No air force had ever been tasked to bomb targets at elevations of 14,000 to 18,000 feet, against a backdrop that made spotting impossible. To top it, there were instructions to not cross the Line of Control. A serving IAF pilot, who did not want to be identified, said, “We did use hand-held commercial GPS units, except they were not really hand-held; they were fixed in front, in a bracket. So, what other jugaad did the IAF do? Shooting up an avalanche! Pilots knew if you couldn’t bomb dispersed enemy soldiers, you could hit them with something they least expected: they thus shot on mountain sides to trigger avalanches. There is more. Kargil was just the start.  

Jugaad for a Soldier and Soldier Craftsmen

Although logisticians of our defence forces are relentlessly working for supporting the field force, it is in remote areas where even eagles do not dare that the real value of ‘jugaad’ comes in to play. The Indian soldier guards such desolate and forbidding places around the year; be it snowclad mountains, thick forests or the harsh desert sands. Here, the soldiers use ‘jugaad’ to remain ever ready for the mission. There are so many challenges and difficult unpredictable situations that resort to the conventional systems is inadequate and ‘jugaad’ then becomes an essential requirement to retain operational effectiveness. For the soldier craftsmen, challenge of keeping the guns and equipment serviceable in such adverse condition is a big challenge. Many a time defects have to be rectified without actual spares being available and naturally then‘jugaad’ comes into play. Cannibalisation of spares is also a type of ‘jugaad’ which is necessitated due to the urgency of operational requirements. At times these ‘jugaads’ are found to be very effective and better than standard solutions. Creative modes of crossing the river, negotiating an obstacle and ingenuity for survival in adverse conditions,repairing the equipment with available resources are all various forms of jugaad. Even the Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF and BSF) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are efficiently working with the support of ‘jugaad’. Today it has become the buzzword in field areas where there is no customised solution to the local situation and problems. Within the constraints available and with the philosophy of ‘jugaad’ the unique innovators come about with simple local solutions. By seeking opportunity in adversity our soldiers innovate and come out with a practical and simple solution or remedy. ‘Jugaad’ is not the same as 'chaltahai'. The latter denotesan attitude of helplessness and indifference whereas ‘jugaad’ always seeks to find a solution where apparently none exist.

But ‘jugaad’ can lead to problems too. The ability of the armed forces to make do with what they have and still deliver optimum results acts as a brake to changing outdated rules and outmoded systems of functioning. By taking the armed forces for granted, the status quo is maintained and decision makers remain in their comfort zone wherein changes which are required to be made in this information age is put on the back burner. Herein lies the problem. If soldiers continue to improvise and accomplish their task in the face of inadequate resources, then where is the need to provide additional resources! In that sense, ‘jugaad’ hampers systemic changes being made in our procurement and equipping policies which in the long run can only have a negative impact on the operational effectiveness of the Force. Short-circuiting outdated financial regulations is frequently resorted to speed up work but the negative aspect is that the impetus to change financial regulations dies down. In any event, changing such procedures is a long drawn out affair and so ‘jugaad’ becomes a quick fix solution. But it leads to other ills which over a period of time corrupts and corrodes the system. An everyday example is the manner in which the three quotation rule is circumvented by one and all. The obvious question is why have such a rule?

There is a serious need to carefully address this concept of ‘jugaad’ in the Armed Forces. While innovation is the hallmark of a soldier, it should be the exception rather than the rule. More effort needs to be devoted to modifying systems and procedures to get them in line with the information age. We need to have simpler rules and procedures in place with higher levels of transparency and accountability to obviate resort to ‘jugaad’ at every step. The philosophy of frugal innovation for ‘jugaad’ may hold good for the corporate but should not be the norm for the Army as the life of our soldiers is at stake. However, innovation within the Forces must continue to be given enough respect and be encouraged. Following is recommended to preserve these ‘jugaad’ concepts:

• Virtual innovation lab may be established at training centres,sothat soldiers can experience the multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional methods but without the time and carbon costs of travelling and being away from other responsibilities.
• ‘Jugaad’ Bank may be created at appropriate headquarters to conserve these ideas and further develop them if required. on them.
• A system of rewards be created for effective innovations.
• Brainstorming sessions be conducted during Sainik Sammelan and free flow of thoughts be encouraged without any barriers of rank and file.
• Encourage DRDO scientists to engage with jugaad inventions, and to look at how their knowledge might improve the systems effectiveness without removing the ability of local people to enhance the solutions such as finding better materials or new ways of using materials to improve performance.
• The use of ‘jugaad’ should be selective and not done merely for form. Thereafter, if found suitable, the resource should be standardised.

Technology companies such as Apple, Cisco and Google – as well as corporations in healthcare, CPG, automotive, insurance, and other industries have embraced ‘jugaad’. By creating special innovation groups and internal programmes, these companies are urging engineering and product teams to come up with outside-the-box ideas that cost as little as a tenth of the average R&D expenditures to develop, said Navi Radjou, a strategy advisor based in Silicon Valley and co-author of the new book Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth. ‘Jugaad’ therefore must be used by the Armed Forces to expedite the transformation process but with the caveat that it should not be at the expense of creating a status quo mind-set within the Forces.

The author is a Senior Fellow at CLAWS

Views expressed are personal