Neglect of India’s frontier areas

Defence Minister of India, Mr AK Antony visited Nathu La in East Sikkim in the first week of December 2007 and was visibly taken aback to see the difference between infrastructure on the Indian and the Chinese sides. Mr Antony termed the visit as an eye opener.

India Can Make Major Defence Equipment

Introduction
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 indigenously developed nor produced under the present evolved methodologies and practices. This is quite a paradox as unlike the first three

Guns versus Butter

India, with limited resources and rising aspirations, faces the age old “guns versus butter” question, which has become even more complex in the era of terrorism, piracy, insurgency, in the backdrop of large conventional forces facing us along our borders with nuclear armed neighbors, China and Pakistan. The nation is already under attack by terrorists, [...]

Defining Victory: The Dilemma in Anti-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency

“Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1809-1894
Abstract
The usage of the term, ‘war’ when battling terrorism or insurgency raises several issues. An important one is the use of the term ‘victory’ to delineate the desired objective in this conflict. There are vital differences between terrorism [...]

The naked truth of Naxalism

A couple hailed by the Indian Express for their stupendous social work in a village ‘Sabdo’ in Bihar were killed, because the Maoists felt that their influence was being eroded. A Maoist activist, Mushar by caste, committed suicide in a village of Patna district, because his wife was raped by the local Maoist leaders.

Need for Defence Manufacturers Association

Although manufacture of components, assemblies and sub-assemblies was thrown open to the private sector in 1991, it was only in 1998 that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) took the first major step to involve the private sector in defence production.

Communication Technologies and non-state Actors

Technology brings development. However, every new technology comes with few drawbacks. At times the drawbacks of new technologies are so serious that they could change the strategic focus of the world. The best example in this regard could be nuclear technology.

Kargil and the decade since

It has been ten years since valiant Indian soldiers achieved the impossible feat of evicting Pakistani intruders from the dizzy heights of Kargil. Frontally assaulting peaks over 15,000 feet in waves the Indian Infantry defied all established norms of mountain warfare, a feat unthinkable for any modern army in the world today.

China Harmony or chaos?

India Bashing: China’s Superiority Complex
China suffers from a superiority complex. This is not new. Genetically, it must have been there for ages, but in recent years due to the rapid economic development, the tremendous advances in the defense field (including asymmetric warfare), the awe with which Western nations look at China1 and events like [...]

Formulating Rational Field Trials and Evaluation Plan

India’s defence procurement procedure is based on ’single-stage two-bid’ system. It entails submission of technical and commercial proposals by the invited vendors at the outset, albeit in two separate sealed covers. Technical proposals are opened initially whereas commercial proposals are kept sealed in safe custody.

Requiem for Prabhakaran

LTTE has been militarily defeated. Prabhakaran, its one and only leader, is dead – killed in battle. LTTE, the organization created by him in his own image was hailed as the most effective guerrilla force in the 20th century.1 Profiles of Prabhakaran sketched by a cross section of political and military leaders both in Sri [...]

Rapidly changing military sociology

The Post-Independence Indian Army continues to struggle with the British colonial model, ways and traditions, which served us well to a point. In fact, we were so enamored by the British ethos that we ceased to introspect about any adaptations that the uniqueness of this land and its changing values demanded. More so, because, at [...]

Unmasking China

China will launch an attack on India before 2012.
There are multiple reasons for a desperate Beijing to teach India the final lesson, thereby ensuring Chinese supremacy in Asia in this century. The recession that shut the Chinese exports shop is creating an unprecedented internal social unrest. In turn, the vice-like grip of the communists over [...]

Revolt in the New Dominion

It was a few days only after I had written an article on the instability of the situation in China that the news flashed that in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang (The New Dominion in Chinese), violence had erupted resulting in at least 156 people dead and more than 1,000 wounded.

Need for Defence Manufacturers Association

Although manufacture of components, assemblies and sub-assemblies was thrown open to the private sector in 1991, it was only in 1998 that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) took the first major step to involve the private sector in defence production.

The Naked Truth of Naxalism

A couple hailed by the Indian Express for their stupendous social work in a village ‘Sabdo’ in Bihar were killed, because the Maoists felt that their influence was being eroded. A Maoist activist, Mushar by caste, committed suicide in a village of Patna district, because his wife was raped by the local Maoist leaders.

Defence Procurement Update

Since the 1960s, the Indian Armed Forces have been the main source of sustenance fuel to the erstwhile USSR and later Russian weapons industry. Over 80 percent of our military hardware is of Soviet origin. In the first 15 years of independent India, no new weapons were procured.