Chinese border incursion and violation of agreements Though India and China have signed two landmark agreements on the maintenance of peace and tranquility on the border, the two armies have indulged in extensive competitive deployment, violating the letter and spirit of the two agreements signed in 1993 and 1996. The credit must be given to these agreements for the absence of cross border firing as regularly witnessed on the Line of Control between India and… Read More »Putting pressure

Emerging pirate-jihadi nexus Even as the Indian Navy is being modernized with the acquisition of stealth technology frigates and fast offshore patrol vessels a chink is beginning to appear in maritime defence that has all the hallmarks of the land-based “sub-conventional warfare” by non-State actors instigated, financed and launched by nation-States that have, like Pakistan become rogues in their mentality and worldview. One symptom of that change is the “revision” of India’s anti-piracy rules of… Read More »Ready to counter

MiG-29K joins the Indian Navy The supersonic MiG-29K joined the Indian Navy on the day when the Indian Naval Aviation was celebrating the diamond jubilee of its establishment on 11th May, 1953. Six decades later, the Indian Navy has emerged as a dominant force in the Indian Ocean and with the joining of the Mig-29K as the front line maritime fighter, the Indian Navy will command greater respect from the rival navies in the maritime… Read More »Sea birds

India’soptions in Afghanistan     The manner in which the USmanaged to find and destroy Osama Bin Laden, the founder of the umbrellaterrorist organization Al Qaeda, it has changed the rules of engagement whichcould well have a salubrious effect on India’srole in Afghanistan.     A change in the rules of engagement would mean, first andforemost, that Pakistan must respect the sovereignty and integrity ofAfghanistan and not treat it as its “sixth province”.   “Sixth… Read More »Stability is key

Hostile Indian borders and the need of UCAVS The recent experience with China along the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh sector has brought to the fore the need for unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) that will put an end to the perennial crib about the absence of adequate infrastructure in the high Himalayas. Our road building projects are believed to be about three years behind schedule because of difficulties in rock-cutting and bridge-building.… Read More »Tailless bombers

China’s expansion in Indian Ocean region China has announced recently about its plan to that it would setup its first military base in the Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles. According to officials, this facility will be solely for the purpose of seeking supplies and recuperating facilities for its Navy; however, it is a significant addition to China’s footprint in the region which is only expanding, with maritime facilities such as port and naval bases. Thus,… Read More »Strengthening grip

China’s geopolitical interests in Myanmar may face complication The much awaited Myanmar gas has started flowing to China as part of Myanmar-China natural gas pipeline project marking the start of trial operations, but analysts believe this may lead to fresh competition among some energy hungry neighbors and finally brewing internal trouble for Myanmar which has just integrated with Asian mainstream. The valves at the Kyaukpyu gas station where the pipeline starts in Rakhine state in… Read More »Striving to hold

The new phase of the Arab Spring What began as a movement devoid of any structure and fueled mainly by long standing anger and frustration of the people has transformed itself into a larger question of society-state relations in the Arab World. The Arab Spring, which started as a revolt against the decades’ long tyranny of autocratic rulers and their inefficient social, political and economic practices, has matured into a larger ideological debate of the… Read More »Continued unrest

Chinese incursion and Uttarakhand tragedy: Role for satellites For centuries, the mighty and magnificent Himalayas have remained an integral and inseparable part of the national consciousness of India. India’s spiritual literature describes Himalayas as the veritable symbol of divinity, nobility and immortality. As the snow clad abode of Gods, Himalayas continues to be held in reverence by a large segment of the Indian population. In addition to serving as the sentinel and guardian of the… Read More »Catching early

Role of military horses and mules in mountain warfare China always has awkward surprises in store for India and offers non-conventional ideas translated into greater enemy difficulties. Despite massive modernization, the Chinese PLA uses a range of animals to speed up there mobility in difficult terrains. In fact, over the past two years and more the Chinese have been importing mules smuggled out of India through Nepal. Clearly, the intention is to traverse mountainous territory… Read More »Forward echelon