Indian Defence Review

The Way Ahead: Making India Self Reliant in Defence

On May 31, 2017, in a major policy reform intended to promote ‘Make in India’ in defence manufacturing, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the much-anticipated Strategic Partnership model for the Indian private sector. The model, whose concept was first suggested by the Dhirendra Singh Committee in its July...

US Global Policing - exclusive self-interests

Some US lawmakers including Senators Elizabeth Warren (also contesting next presidential election) and Mark Warner, both Democrats, have expressed concern over the slow pace of normalization in the Kashmir Valley. The House Foreign Relations Committee has also joined their chorus by saying, “India’s communication...

The Rafale is finally on IAF inventory

The Indian Air Force had issued a “Request for Information” (RFI) for 126 MMRCA in 2001. After much dilly-dallying, for almost two years beyond the planned December 2005 issue date, the MoD finally announced a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) in Aug 2007, once the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had granted the...

US Global Policing - exclusive self-interests

Imran – Pakistan’s Nuclear Bogeyman

At the recent 74th UNGA meet, Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan wagged the nuclear tail; threatening the world in general and India in particular, in the event of India and Pakistan going to war. Prior to speaking at UNGA, Imran met amongst others Ghulam Nabi Fai, a convicted felon who has served a two-year prison for...

India reminds Pak and China not to interfere in the internal affairs of its country

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) went off on expected lines on 27 September 2019. On the one hand the Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a speech that tick-boxed development, progress, world peace, annihilation of terrorism and protection of environment by all right thinking countries. On the other hand...

The Rafale is finally on IAF inventory

India takes delivery of first Rafale in France on Air Force Day

On the auspicious day of Indian Air Force, 8th October, Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, hosted the handover ceremony of the first Indian Air Force Rafale in Mérignac, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale final assembly facility. The event was placed under the high patronage of the...

Modernisation of the Indian Air Force

The IAF has slowly been losing the clear combat edge that it enjoyed over Pakistan in 1971 especially in terms of numbers. Technology intensive air power requires faster replacement of assets due to quicker obsolescence. If the IAF does not win the air war, then the Army and Navy cannot win the surface war. The IAF had...

Defence against Drones

The Houthi drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abaqiq and Khurais oil facilities on September 14 have once again brought forth the deadly dimension of this type of disruptive threat. Not that this was the first instance of swarm drone attack. It was covered in these columns earlier that in 2018, there were periodic...

The Relevance of Geography and History in the Maritime Domain

Command Her! If you can’t command her, control her. If you can’t control her, dominate her. If you can’t dominate her, maintain presence and deny her to others. Oh! The sea is a wild child! — Anonymous Geopolitics emerged towards the fag end of the 19th century at a time when the international system was...

Terror’s Third Dimension

In a recent bid to revive militancy in Punjab, Pakistan has tried to smuggle in arms and ammunition from across the border, in multiple sorties using drones. The cargo was meant for the Khalistan Zindabad Force – a proscribed organisation. Intelligence was a tad late in getting this information on time. Had it not...

The Way Ahead: Making India Self Reliant in Defence

Sustaining Air Defence Weapon Systems: Facing the Challenge Here and Now

If there is one challenge that stares insurmountably in the face of Air Defence warriors today, it is the challenge of sustaining and keeping alive, guns, missiles, sensors and Battle Management Systems that are 40 to 50 years old. With the cumulative percentage of obsolescence of all Ground Based Air Defence Weapon...

L&T-built 51st defence vessel ICGS Varahawas commissioned into the service of Indian Coast Guard

ICGS Varaha the 4thOffshore Patrol Vessel commissioned into Indian Coast Guard All fourOPVs built & designed in-house by L&T are delivered ahead of schedule Fifth OPV will soon be ready for sea-trials L&T-built 51st defence vessel ICGS Varahawas commissioned into the service of Indian Coast Guard today at the hands of...

Kashmir: Time to smell the coffee

There is a lot of talk about widespread dissatisfaction within the state of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the...

UNGA: No takers for propaganda

The Pakistani premier, Imran Khan, went to New York to participate in the proceedings of the United Nations General...

Pakistan’s heart continues to bleed for Hafiz Saeed and his ilk

Advocacy of human rights with a carefully cultivated “holier than thou” persona has become the focus for Prime Minister Imran Khan. Amidst ranting of a nuclear holocaust his heart bleeds constantly for the “atrocities being committed by the Fascist Indian state” on the people of Kashmir. While the world has refused to take his ranting seriously, what is becoming more apparent is his...

Pragmatism is Watchword of India's Foreign Policy: Enemy’s Friend is My Enemy

There is a pragmatism bordering on the Machiavellian that permeates the ‘enlightened self-interest’ that is guiding Indian foreign policy, by which, if an enemy’s enemy is a friend, then an enemy’s friend is an enemy. On the margins of the UN General Assembly, Prime...

Pakistan’s targeting of Kashmiri youth needs to be challenged and negated

“When curfew is lifted there will be a blood bath,” said Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, in the course of his address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He parroted this phrase and other hate filled rhetoric with monotonous regularity all though his stay...

India and France 'Reliable Partners'

Remember the months before the legislative elections, L’Affaire Rafale was everyday in the news, thanks to the then leader of Opposition, who alleged hanky-panky in the intergovernmental deal signed between India and France for acquiring 36 off-the-shelf Rafale multi-role...

21 Centuary Warfare: Indian Army set to Incorporate AI to Augment Capability

The Indian Army is set to incorporate artificial intelligence into its formations in constructive, protective and destructive purposes in the next three to four years, said commander of the Jaipur based South Western Command Lt Gen Alok Kler adding it would first be used in mechanised forces. Lt Gen Kler was addressing media persons on the sidelines of Sapt Shakti Artificial Intelligence Seminar at Hisar Military Station, Haryana. “We are a...