Three techniques of Naxal supporters

Ravi Shanker Kapoor  A few years ago, prominent journalist Arun Shourie wrote a book whose theme was evident in its title—Will the Iron Fence Save a Tree Hollowed by Termites? This comes to the mind while viewing the May 25 massacre by Naxalites in Chhatisgarh: termites are wrecking our fight against what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [...]

Pakistan: Challenges before the New Government

Alok Bansal and Manjima Madhuri The elections held in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the 11th of May, 2013 attracted attention from all over the globe.  The second largest Muslim democracy of the world has again attracted attention of experts due to the reemergence of Nawaz Sharif and his party Pakistan Muslim League (N). [...]

China’s overplay and India’s dropped chance

Vinod Saighal It is necessary to preface the article on the recent incursion in Ladakh with a paragraph from the author’s book Restructuring South Asian Security*, with special reference to the chapter Dealing with China in the 21st Century   Whenever writing of India-China relations it is useful to look at the growth patterns adopted by the two countries since regaining [...]

National Defence University – An Analysis

This is the first of a series of articles on the recently inaugurated Indian National Defence University. It covers the major aspects to be considered to initiate the process. Analysis of curricula, faculty and participation by academia and industry shall be covered as more details are forthcoming. Finally, after years of drawing board exercises, the [...]

Defence Indigenisation

Government should stop paying lip service Gurmeet Kanwal The Defence Minister, Mr A K Antony, has repeatedly exhorted the armed forces to procure their weapons and equipment from indigenous sources in recent months. It is a well-established fact that no nation aspiring to great power status can expect to achieve it without being substantively self-reliant in [...]

China…What Next?

While this crisis may have blown over, it serves as the right wake up call to India to shore up its defences with a proactive and pragmatic policy from Himalayas to the Indo Pacific to develop leverage to protect its interests.

Managing the Borders

as long as the territorial dispute is not resolved, China remains India’s foremost military threat. The ministry of external affairs must make all out efforts to seek an early resolution of the dispute and not be lulled by Deng Xiao Ping’s gratuitous advice to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi that it is a dispute left over from history and should be left to future generations to resolve. This strategy of postponing dispute resolution may suit China, but it certainly does not suit India.

Chinese Intrusion in Ladakh: Terrain model exposes Dragons War Preparedness

Chinese perspective of raising tensions in Ladakh is not shaped by any altruistic motives of improving its positions on the border or lay claims to new areas. It is a well planned strategic response aimed at coercion to prevent India from improving its overall strategic posture in the region.

India-China Relations and the Changing Nature of War

While China has ratcheted up its show of assertiveness in the recent years, India has been quietly preparing for a parity to prevent war. Often parity does not have to be equality in numbers. The fear of pain disproportionate to the possible gains, and the ability of the smaller in numbers side to do so in itself confer parity. There is a certain equilibrium in Sino-Indian affairs that make recourse to force extremely improbable. Both modern states are inheritors of age-old traditions and the wisdom of the ages. Both now read their semaphores well and know how much of the sword must be unsheathed to send a message. This ability will ensure the swords remain recessed and for the plowshares to be out at work.

Ladakh and the War Zone Campaign Doctrine of China

Infrastructure, military capabilities and cost of war may preclude military adventurism at the moment but when push comes to shove India can and must look China in the eye diplomatically and militarily. Since the aim of the WZC is a political victory for China, India must signal strong resolve to ensure it retains its moral ascendancy. To begin with, the foreign minister must not go to China.

Next Page »