Articles By Col JK Achuthan (Retd.)
Study of Armoured Formations’ Organisation & Employment, following Gen...
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Date: 11 Jul , 2023
Hitler had chosen the June 1888 born Col Gen Heinz Guderian1 who was doing the duties of Inspector General of Panzer Troops, as the new Chief of the Army General Staff, after the failed Plot to...
India’s ‘IPKF’ Intervention in Sri Lanka: A Study in Retrospect
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Date: 25 Jul , 2022
Introduction The Indo-Sri Lankan Accord (ISLA) was signed between Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi and President JR Jayewardene on 29 July 1987. The fundamental purpose of this pro-active action by...
Advances made by China in the Field of ASW Sonar Systems
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 22 Nov , 2021
Chinese sonar systems were initially based on Soviet supplied system, and during the 1980s some western ‘sonars’ were imported, including Italian DE-1160, French DUBV23/43, SS-12, HS-312...
Understanding the Chinese Leadership’s Decision-Making Process in a...
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 13 Apr , 2021
If you know the Enemy as well as well as you know Yourself, then you can win a Hundred Battles! – Sun Tzu Introduction The top hierarchy in the Indian military are not very familiar with the...
Review of Battle of Chamb 1971
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Date: 04 Apr , 2021
Hq 10 Infantry Division – Andarwal, West of Akhnoor (GOC – Maj Gen Jaswant Singh – Armoured Corps) 28 Infantry Brigade (Responsible for the Defence of Hills Sector in the North) 5 RAJPUT ...
Lessons to be Learnt from the German Balkan Offensive Campaign - April 1941
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 03 Apr , 2021
Background Italy had joined the Second World War on 10 June 1940. Benito Mussolini, the Fascist dictator of Italy (Il Deuce-The Leader) appreciated that it was an ideal time to conquer the...
Strengthening India’s Ability: To Prevent Future Wars
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 35.1 Jan-Mar 2020 | Date: 21 Dec , 2020
“You may not be interested in War; but War is interested in You!” — Leon Trotsky Strong countries prosper by avoiding wars. Sweden has not fought any war since the beginning of the...
India can make major defence equipment
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol 24.3 Jul-Sep 2009 | Date: 16 Aug , 2020
The Central Govt in India accords very high priority and funds allotment to cater for the equipment requirements of the Armed Forces. Yet the bulk of the major equipment requirements are neither...
Making the Indian Army Self-Sufficient
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 17 Jul , 2019
Editors Comment: As a first the Ordinance Factory manufacturing the AK-203 Assault Rifle with Russian design and technology is the first truly Make in India project. This Factory is headed by a...
Learning from Our Enemy: An Analysis of the Losses in the 1948 Indo-Pak...
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 33.4 Oct-Dec 2018 | Date: 18 Apr , 2019
The propensity of the Indian military leadership for trusting the Pakistani War Machine and leaving vital localities such as Ledi Galli and Pir Kanthi abandoned during heavy snowfall months...
Does India Have a Viable Plan ‘B’ Against Pakistan?
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 05 Oct , 2018
Ever since the early 1940s, the erstwhile Muslim League Party which colluded with the British Rulers during the grim period of WW II to ensure its political resuscitation and gain the benefits of...
What Made the ‘Sword of Islam’ Conquer Large Parts of the Ancient World?
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 33.1 Jan-Mar 2018 | Date: 23 Jun , 2018
The deep study of the characteristics of successful Muslim armies is very important for Indian military professionals, because we have Pakistan as our neighbour. Rulers there can unite the polity...
‘Deep Operations’ Theory: 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 31.4 Oct-Dec 2016 | Date: 15 Dec , 2016
The need to understand the mechanics of conduct of ‘Deep Operations’ is paramount while undertaking offensive operations. “Limited War” and “Limited Objectives” are mindsets of the...
Indian Army: Adopting ‘Deep Operations’ Doctrine
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 31.2 Apr-Jun 2016 | Date: 22 Aug , 2016
In hostile interactions between nations, there are ‘no rules’ for the Victors till the status quo has been established. India is a continental country and should, therefore, have a realistic...
Need for an Indian Marine Force
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 30.4 Oct-Dec 2015 | Date: 21 Feb , 2016
Our continued neglect of the maritime frontier and the opportunities that it provides reflects the thinking of a ‘landlocked’ power. If we create a master plan to devote one per cent of our...
India’s ‘War Doctrine’: The Next Decade
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 30.2 Apr-Jun 2015 | Date: 23 Jul , 2015
In the natural progression of a country to take its rightful place in the world hierarchy by the middle of the next decade, India has no alternative but to make its processes simple, productive,...
Attaining Strategic India 2020: Lessons From Niccolo Machiavelli
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 29.4 Oct-Dec 2014 | Date: 27 Feb , 2015
Great individuals associated with the Renaissance such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante Aligheri and Galileo were Florentine citizens. The forces of debate, democracy, organised guilds,...
Developing Heavy Breakthrough Capability for the Indian Army
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 29.3 Jul-Sep 2014 | Date: 20 Oct , 2014
A ‘heavy breakthrough capability’ in India’s context relates to having the capability to reach objectives up to 600km in depth, should the political circumstances impose war on our nation....
Quest for the Golden Hind
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 28.2 Apr-Jun 2013 | Date: 13 Sep , 2014
The Indian military might today is at its nadir with neither vision nor drive to achieve quantifiable goals. The Indian Army has become similar to a national ‘militia’, good only in numbers...
Why not have ‘Technical Support Division’ at the Army Corps Level?
By: Col JK Achuthan (Retd.) | Issue: Vol. 29.2 Apr-Jun 2014 | Date: 18 Jul , 2014
The essence of successful conventional defensive battle is in maintaining elasticity and cohesion; thereafter debilitating the enemy’s combat power to the danger zone of exhaustion and...