Articles By Col Anil Athale
Kashmir Valley Troubles: Has the Penny Dropped?
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 19 Sep , 2016
The recent events in Kashmir and robust Indian response does seem to indicate that Indian approach to trouble in Kashmir valley has finally come to terms with changed global scenario. Unmindful...
Kashmir: Historical Background
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 21 Aug , 2016
“Men do not make their history in isolation from the past. The memories of dead generations hang like a mill stone around the necks of present generations.” — Karl Marx Kashmiri aspiration for...
Understanding the Violence in Valley!
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 14 Jul , 2016
Insurgencies are like amoeba, constantly changing shape and size. What began as a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan in 1947 has, over time, undergone several metamorphoses. Initially...
India at Simla: Turning Victory into Diplomatic Defeat
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 02 Jul , 2016
In the 1971 Indo Pak war, all attention was focused on the Eastern front. In the West Indian successes in Punjab, (Shakarhgarh, Chicken’s neck near Akhnoor) and thrust towards NayaChor in...
Urgent Need to Have a Re Look at India’s Minimum Deterrence
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 14 Jun , 2016
The need for a re-look at our nuclear posture has become imperative after the Jan 2016 Pathankot attack. What if the infiltrated terrorists had succeeded in blowing up several aircraft? How would...
The Eagle, The Dragon, The Elephant and The Bear
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Vol. 31.1 Jan-Mar 2016 | Date: 12 Jun , 2016
Indians indeed have never been more confident of their future in history and that is reflected in every field. The elephant is more sure-footed than the Chinese Dragon or the British Lion. This...
Pakistan’s Strategic Dilemma
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 14 Apr , 2016
Pakistani threat of use of low yield nuclear weapon on its own territory against Indian spearheads is a big lie. Both in time and space, the Pakistani threat of use of these nuclear weapons...
Who bother about Military History?
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 15 Mar , 2016
The short answer to this question, none! After having spent over 30 years in the field, I can say this with certainty. With a few honourable exceptions like late General Palit and General Sinha...
Does India lack Strategic Culture?
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 17 Feb , 2016
Of late there has begun a lively debate on Indian strategic culture or lack of it. Some have referred to the “Panipat Syndrome’ while some others have harked back to Chanankya. Indian...
Long Term View of Indian Security
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 24 Dec , 2015
The PM’s recent emphasis and campaign to ‘make in India’ is certainly far better than the whole sale import of entire weapon systems. This will at least ensure jobs in India and some degree...
Mythology of Limited War
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 20 Oct , 2015
“Future conflicts are going to be short but intense wars before international pressure forces a cease fire. Both sides will try to gain maximum territory to use as a bargaining counter in...
Cold Start Doctrine
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Vol 26.2 Apr-Jun 2011 | Date: 26 Sep , 2015
India has been victim of proxy war since 1999. First in Kargil in May 1999 when regular Pakistani soldiers in garb of ‘Kashmir Freedom Fighters’ infiltrated and seized dominating heights...
The Naga Peace Accord: A Historical Context
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 05 Aug , 2015
It is often said that history is chronicle of follies of the past! The history of Nagaland conflict aptly fits that description. It is worthwhile to take a dispassionate look at the past so that...
Diagnosing War on Terrorism: Some Thoughts
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 16 Jul , 2015
The term Global Terrorism or more correctly ‘war against terrorism’ came in vogue only after 9/11 when the US suffered terrorist attack on its homeland as a blow back to its misguided Afghan...
Principles of War for Nuclear Age
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 05 Jun , 2015
In any discipline, some theoretical principles govern or explain most of actions/events. For long time Principles of War have played that role in Art of War. These are not laws in formal sciences...
Primacy of Deterrence in Nuclear Age
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 02 Jun , 2015
A real ‘revolution’ in history of warfare was ushered in 1945 when the human beings tapped the forces of nature trapped in tiny atom, a force of vast proportion that has the capability of...
Factor of legitimacy in use of force in countering insurgency
By: Col Anil Athale | Date: 21 Apr , 2015
Military men by training and instinct are suspicious of academic and philosophical speculation. But all over the world today, they are increasingly tasked to tackle insurgencies, a problem that...
Defence : dangerous drift!
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 07 Apr , 2015
In another two months time the Modi led BJP govt. will complete one year in office. One has waited in vain for the much needed correction on some fundamental defence issues like the country’s...
Defence Preparedness: An unforgiving opportunity
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 30 Jul , 2014
At Rs. 2.29 lakh crore, Defence expenditure is the largest component of the national budget. But true to Parkinson Law, when the figures are astronomical and beyond the grasp of human mind, the...
The ‘Why’ of Rethinking Indian Nuclear Deterrence!
By: Col Anil Athale | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 25 Jul , 2014
Indian nuclear decision making was always in the global political context. These were almost exclusively political decisions with the armed forces not in the loop. The 1974 Pokhran I tests were...