Articles By Lt Gen Prakash Katoch
10% Disinvestment in HAL is Too Little
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 09 Nov , 2017
Government has recently approved the sale of 10% stake in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU). Suvarna Raju, CMD of HAL has termed it a “major...
Caste System in Personal Weapons of Foot Soldiers Needs Review
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 07 Nov , 2017
As per media reports the Army is going in for equipping infantry soldiers (not all) with a world-class assault rifle, while non-infantry soldiers would get a cheaper, “less effective”,...
First Diwali of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 27 Oct , 2017
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed to J&K for celebrating Diwali with troops in Gurez, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s going on a two day visit to the Andaman & Nicobar Command...
Pakistan’s Fake Hostage Rescue Exposed
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 25 Oct , 2017
It can well be surmised that the recent marathon nine hour conference that Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistani army chief had with his corps commanders included plans how to continue befooling the US;...
Modular Bunkers – must get our priorities right
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 22 Oct , 2017
According to media reports the Army is looking for Lego-like modular, portable, bullet and blast-proof bunkers to replace stone-mud-log and steel shelters as it secures the nation’s frontiers...
China’s Airborne Capability – Honed and Ready
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 11 Oct , 2017
Since the reorganization of the PLA was ordered in January 2016, there was not much news about China’s Airborne Corps albeit it was appreciated China will continue to maintain its airborne...
FICV Tangle – needs early resolution
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Date: 06 Oct , 2017
The indigenous future infantry combat vehicle (FICV) for the Indian Army is in the news again with the US offering India development and production of armoured personnel carriers in a trilateral...
Quantum Networks and Cyber Security Challenges
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 01 Oct , 2017
It has always been maintained that there is nothing like total cyber security. However, in August 2017 the Chinese satellite ‘Micius’ beamed “hack proof” messages to earth, that were...
Battleground Afghanistan
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 24 Sep , 2017
The title ‘Battleground Afghanistan’ is because Afghanistan will likely remain a battleground in the foreseeable future. And, this is not because of the presence of US and NATO forces....
Border Infrastructure – Defence Minister’s intervention warranted
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 22 Sep , 2017
On Army Day 2015, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had stated that of the 73 strategic roads only 22 had been completed after so many years, and ‘all’ of the 14 strategic rail-lines approved...
US faces the ultimate in China’s Unrestricted Warfare
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 12 Sep , 2017
After the 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the Korean peninsula on September 3, North Korea claimed it has successfully conducted hydrogen bomb test that could be fitted to ICBMs. This was the...
Poor Infantry – gross intransigence to modernization
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 07 Sep , 2017
Though two successive negative budgets have left little scope for modernizing the Armed Forces, whatever modernization is planned remains haphazard. Why haphazard is because while much noise is...
Army’s BSS - fielding initially planned by 2017 could take another decade
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 01 Sep , 2017
The relationship between information and combat is well known. However, the challenge has always been as to how it can be maximized. All military operations are conducted in three domains. Two of...
The Albino Debacle – will we learn?
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 27 Aug , 2017
There was great euphoria on the social media when during the run up to the semifinal for the recent Tank Biathlon held at the 2017 International Army Games at the Alabino Range training ground...
Drones and UAV Swarming – more dimensions
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 23 Aug , 2017
As per media reports, there was considerable concern about a black helicopter spotted flying over and crossing the no-fly zone over the Ram janambhoomi in Ayodhya on August 10, following a crude...
Jinping’s Worries and the Game of Nukes
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 16 Aug , 2017
Heading a large country like China, President Xi Jinping naturally has many worries, besides pushing his pet project – the ‘China Dream’. The standoff between the Indian Army and the PLA at...
Military Uniforms of Khadi – have we asked the Forces?
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 11 Aug , 2017
According to a news report titled ‘Armed Forces personnel may soon wear khadi uniform’, quoting a release by Press Trust of India dated 4 August 2017, the Khadi Villages Industries Commission...
Fighting In North-East Myanmar: What Lies Beyond
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Vol. 31.1 Jan-Mar 2016 | Date: 09 Aug , 2017
In recent years, the central government has made an effort to pacify its ethnic regions but the situation is still unstable in many places and the humanitarian toll that has resulted from...
Hambantota Swallowed – China entraps Sri Lanka
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 07 Aug , 2017
In a massive strategic victory for China, Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port was officially transferred to China for 99 years by the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe under a landmark...
Vijay Diwas – True Homage must go beyond wreaths
By: Lt Gen Prakash Katoch | Issue: Net Edition | Date: 31 Jul , 2017
The 18th Vjay Diwas was celebrated with all the fervor and gusto on 26 July 2017 pan-India especially at the Kargil Memorial at Dras and India Gate, New Delhi. Wreaths were laid for paying homage...