IDR Blog
An Extraordinary Indian: The Pilot who is a Fighter
MP Anil Kumar was a dashing MiG-21 pilot in the Indian Air Force. He was paralysed neck below due to a motorcycle accident on his way back from the squadron after night flying on June 28, 1988. The accident confined him to a wheelchair for life. He was just 24. For the past 19 years he has lived in the military’s Paraplegic Rehabilitation...
Pakistan - On a treadmill, going nowhere
There are not many in Pakistan or outside who can confidently describe the situation there. Far too many contradictions have surfaced. Maybe no-one is really in charge. There are peace talks, but no real peace talks. There are anti -terror operations, but no real anti-terror operations. The former Army Chief and self-appointed President Pervez...
Operation Bluestar: The British connection
There seems to be an avoidable controversy over the British connection in the unfortunate Operation Bluestar in June 1984 that saw the Indian Army entering the sacred Golden Temple to flush out the Sikh militants. Some declassified British documents revealed on January 13 by Britain’s National Archives suggested that the then government led...
Who is India’s real ally?
During a heated debate in parliament before the 1962 Sino-Indian war, Prime Minister Nehru declared that he favored peace over war with China, making it clear that he was willing to negotiate with the Communist nation till the bitter end to resolve border disputes. Shortly thereafter, India’s pacifist founding leader got the shock of his...
Calling a spade a spade in dealing with China
A friend recently asked me: “In your opinion, how should the new government deal with China?” I answered that first of all, I do not know who will be the next Prime Minister and then, perhaps more importantly, who will the PM’s choice to look after Defence and External Affairs. …whoever ‘deals’ with China will have to be frank and...