IDR Blog
Pakistan Army Chief’s Dash to China May 2016 Analysed
Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s hurried dash to Beijing on May 15 2016 for a two day visit is a pointer to Pakistan’s growing strategic insecurities and re-seeking Chinese security assurances for Pakistan and Pakistan Army Scouring the Pakistani media one failed to find any advance references to the visit of Pak Army Chief’s...
France Strikes Again
In France, May is traditionally the month of pleasant weather, but also the period when the French go on strike. Considering that as a student I lived through the momentous month of May 1968, I should not have overlooked this detail when I booked a ticket to visit my family. This year, the French confront a new wave of strikes; this time it...
Malabar Exercise-2016 and China's Concern
Ahead of the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s four-day trip to China starting from May 24, China is seemingly uncomfortable with the proximity between India, Japan and the US to be exemplified by the Malabar Exercise-2016 and has, thus, upped the ante on its claims in the South China Sea. China has objected to the presence of Indian Navy...
How Indian Military Acquisitions are Changing and why that's a Good Thing
The procurement mechanism of the defence sector in India finally seems to be heading in the right direction. In 1940, legendary Indian industrialist Walchand Hirachand struck a deal with an American businessman to produce combat aircraft in India. One of the investors in the project was the Maharaja of Mysore, who agreed to invest Rs 25 lakh...
India and Iran: Recalibrating Engagement with Region
On May 22, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a much awaited official visit to Iran. The visit, coming after similar visits made by prime minister to the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia testifies to the renewed vigor with which India is engaging with countries of its extended neighbourhood. That all these visits have been...