Low Intensity Conflict Revisited

The very understandable reluctance to use air power (in the classical sense) against one’s own populace has to be reconciled with the reality that insurgents do not have scruples.

Agro Terrorism

At the beginning of the 21st  century, more than 60 low and medium-intensity wars are raging around the planet-roughly

India in Asian Geopolitics

I am going to (deal with) the subject of “India in Asian Geopolitics” because I want to spend some time focussing on some structural features of the security environment that faces India across the widest possible canvas. I must give you two warnings, however, before I launch into the substance of my presentation. First, I [...]

The Madhesis of Nepal

Dramatic events in the past one year since the 2006 “April Revolution” in Nepal have been redefining the political landscape of the Himalayan nation in more ways than one. One important change is the visible rise of “marginalized” groups in national politics. The “excluded” groups – cutting across ethnic, religious and language lines – are [...]

IDR Interview “…IAF has to maintain its sharp edge.”

  In an exclusive interview, Air Chief Marshal FH Major, PVSM, AVSM, SC, VM, ADC, shared his perception about the Indian Air Force with Bharat Verma, Editor, Indian Defence Review. 

IDR Exclusive: Private Sector in Defence

In our latest issue of Indian Defence Review we carry an indepth analysis of the role, challenges, opportunities and shortfalls of the Private Sector in Defence Production.

Private Sector in Defence Production

IDR Interview: Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Defence Production

Defence Industry Abroad

Synergising Public and Private Sector

IDR Interview: M M Pallam Raju, Minister of State [...]

The Danger

Very few policy makers in India dare to acknowledge the danger to the nation’s territorial integrity. The security and integrity of the nation has become hostage to vote-bank politics. Democracy and more than eight percent economic growth will be of no avail if the country as such withers away. India is not only being frayed [...]

Private Sector in Defence Production

The Government of India has been reiterating its commitment to achieve the much-publicised target of procuring 70 per cent of its defence requirements from indigenous sources by 2010. Despite its best efforts over the last two decades, India is nowhere near that figure as yet. The Government is well aware of the emergence of [...]

IDR Interview: Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Defence Production

In the recent past, the Ministry of Defence has taken many innovative and creditable measures to harness the potential of India’s private sector in defence industry by providing level playing field. However, progress on ground has been rather sluggish. Editor, Indian Defence Review requested Minister of State for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh, to [...]

Defence Industry Abroad

According to the US War Department, private sector is better equipped for defence industry because:

Defence industry is highly technology driven and it is the private sector that adapts itself better to rapidly changing technology.

The private sector possesses business acumen to spot fleeting opportunities for long term survival and continued prosperity of their enterprise.

Open and free [...]

Synergising Public and Private Sector

 

IDR Interview: M M Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence

The revised Defence Procurement Procedure was promulgated on 1 September 2006. It is a very comprehensive document and covers the complete spectrum of procurement activities. Clarifications with respect to some major issues like development of indigenous defence industry, continued delays, role of middlemen and probity contract were sought from Minister of State for Defence, [...]

Kelkar Committee

In Focus: Largest Private Sector Shipyard

ABG Shipyard is the largest private sector shipyard in India. The registered office and the yard are situated at Surat in the state of Gujarat and the corporate office in Mumbai. It is the first shipyard in India that built and delivered vessels for International client. The shipyard has gained International recognition in the specialised [...]

Raksha Udyog Ratnas

In order to promote participation of the private sector in defence Production, the Kelkar Committee had recommended that private sector industry leaders be identified as “Raksha Udyog Ratnas” (RURs). They should then be encouraged to assume the role of system integrators of large weapon systems and producers of platforms required by the Defence Forces. RURs [...]

India Lags Behind in Shipbuilding

There has been consistent boom in shipbuilding since 1990s. The main reason for this has been the rise in the volume of International trade due to healthy long range economic and energy demands. In addition the replacement of the single hull oil tankers have also contributed to driving new shipbuilding and this factor [...]

Gujjar Agitation: Internal Security Ramifications

The purpose of this article is not to dwell on the political and social dynamics of the recent Gujjar agitation, but to highlight the pernicious internal security ramifications of such agitations and its impact on the internal security of the nation and cohesion of the armed forces. The armed forces has have so far been [...]

Let us shed tears for ourselves

Large sections of the nation shed tears on July 11, 2007, in memory of the 190 innocent Indians belonging to different religions who were killed a year ago in a series of explosions in suburban trains of Mumbai by jehadi terrorists inspired by the ideology of Al Qaeda. Their tears were also an expression of [...]

Chinese Anger

January 22, 2007: Female students of the Jamia Hafsa madrasa attached to the Lal Masjid in Islamabad occupied a Children’s Library adjacent to their madrasa to protest against the demolition of seven unauthorized mosques constructed on roads in Islamabad by which President Pervez Musharraf often travels. The mosques were demolished on the [...]

Siachen: An episode to remember

In the troubled relationship of India with Pakistan, there have been very few occasions when the latter desired a genuine end to some of the problems. Siachen belongs to this rarest of the rare category. The event belongs to the period of Gen Zia-ul-Haq, who had seized power in Pakistan in 1977 and made himself [...]