Much has been said lately about the China-Japan rivalry spreading to the continent of Africa. Perhaps, this is logically so. Japan’s growing interest in Africa as a lucrative market for economic ties and energy security, at a time when China’s ever-increasing economic and political clout is engulfing Africa; is proving to be an extension of already existing competitive rivalry between both the nations. An adding to this tension is their war of words over each… Read More »Tough rivalry

Thailand’s anti-government unrest has taken an increasingly ugly, more violent turn with children killed or injured, their tiny bodies maimed and turned lifeless by shrapnel or gunshots. Thailand’s government will remain paralyzed for months, raising the risk of further street violence and possible damage to the economy, after the country’s Election Commission announced it would try to complete this month’s disputed election in late April. Thailand recently held parliamentary elections amid anti-government protests, which have… Read More »Bleak future

Since many of the Indian airfields are of dual civil-military facilities it would be natural to assume that if anything interferes with the operation of civil aircraft the same would apply to military aircraft as well. Though the latter are by and large “all weather” flying platforms they may be able to take off from a smog-bound airfield but getting back could become a problem without adequate instrument landing systems below. India has been in… Read More »Fresh approach

Poor state of the financial affairs of the country has ensured that the defence budget will not be a game changer in the coming financial year. The Indian armed forces are already feeling handicapped because of inordinate delay in finalizing cabinet sanctioned major defence acquisition plans and the reduced actual provisions for the three services will bother Indian strategic observers in the coming year. The interim defence budget for the year 2014-15 has shown a… Read More »Controlled sanction

Protection against nuclear, biological and chemical attacks is practically non-existent in India in the context of the urban target. So as far as the rural ambiance is concerned NBC protection is being provided only to troops that would be expected either to secure an area after an attack or launch counter-attacks on the enemy in the retaliatory strike concept. In the light of the devastating consequences a nuclear attack will have, one can only expect… Read More »Strong shield

China’s rise in the past decades has been extraordinary. It has grown to become an economic powerhouse and a military giant. But, as the country has grown and evolved from the shackles of its past, the manner in which it has gone about its rise has been viewed as aggressive. Naturally, a country on its path of super economic growth requires maintaining a continued and sustained standard of performance, for which it requires resources–monetary, political,… Read More »China’s hegemony

Almost 15,000 kms long border spanning six countries require constant monitoring but in terms of prioritizing the border areas for more effective surveillance, the Indian Army needs to focus more on the borders with China and Pakistan and to a lesser degree on the borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, while other countries like Nepal and Bhutan requires much less deployment of manpower and resources. The borders with Nepal and Bhutan require basic surveillance but the… Read More »Border surveillance

If the IAF philosophy is indeed one of capabilities and not just numbers there is a very valid underpinning to it in the series of upgradations that have been undertaken over the past decade and is still continuing. The accent has shifted from single capability flying machines to multi-role fighters capable of both air-to-air and air-to-ground attack roles in beyond-visual-range mode. Even as the early versions of the MiG-21s are being decommissioned and readied for… Read More »Fighter upgradation

Since the sea warfare is changing at a rapid pace with the introduction of best of technology into the sea borne underwater operations, most navies are finding it difficult to detect undersea activities of stealth submarines which can defy sometimes most modern technical capability of a well equipped force. More than 35 countries are currently operating a series of modern submarines, both conventional and nuclear capable, which can operate so silently that one cannot even… Read More »Naval warfare

As the fire and huge explosion incident in the INS Sindhurakshak submarine last 14 August is still fresh in public memory, the involvement of another warship in a fire incident has caused much consternation in the strategic circles. Though the Navy has put up a brave face with various explanations, and as the Naval Chief Admiral D K Joshi proclaimed from the Naval Day Press Conference podium that the accident record in the Indian Navy… Read More »Navy accidents