With concerted attempts to make the oceans transparent and the development of technologies that could make the quietest of submarines detectable, India, with its nuclear doctrine predicated totally to the importance of being undetectable will have to reduce its overdependence on a submarine-based nuclear deterrence. The “No First Strike” nuclear doctrine is based on the presumption of the inviolability of secrecy and deployability of India’s nuclear strike capability. The proviso that India would resort to… Read More »Undersea sensors capability

Maritime sovereignty disputes in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, have been a source of tension and a destabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific region. To translate the vision of “a peaceful and prosperous Community” into reality, ASEAN needs to address internal differences and garner a collective power of unity that pushes for a peaceful and durable solution to the South China Sea issue, such as setting up mechanisms to maintain maritime order and… Read More »South China Sea

High mountain terrain is often inaccessible, uninhabitable or of no apparent value, yet peoples and states still fight to possess it. Long, bloody wars have been fought, and are being fought. Over the past six decaded, high-altitude combat has raged in Africa, Asia, and South America. High altitude and cold weather warfare are specialized military operations that require special training, special gear, and very special troops. Mountains present unique challenges to soldiers and commanders alike… Read More »Fighting tactics

Submarine force is the most vital component of any military and it is the ultimate deterrence against the enemy but if the navy loses its platform and human resources in the midst of a war then it can be a big disaster to overcome. There are dozens of incidents since 19th Century where submarines and crews lost their lives in a critical manner and it ultimately led to innumerous pain and lingering agony, taking decades… Read More »DSRV technology

By dint of constant deployment over decades in the Himalayas in some of the highest battlefields in the world, Indian troops have accumulated significant expertise in difficult terrain warfare. However, the threats to Indian territorial integrity are not confined to mountain warfare. They include the deserts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, the forested mountains of Jammu and Kashmir and the North-east, and the salt-water creeks along the Indo-Pak border and the Indo-Bangladesh border. Each requires clothing… Read More »Terrain warfare

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East diplomacy was in full play during his recent visit to Seoul, South Korea. Though the two countries enjoy warm friendly relations since decades and the South Korean economic engagement with India has become so deep rooted that Korean companies have become household names in India , the two countries have only recently begun to realize the strategic potentials of partnership. This is why during Modi’s visit to Seoul, the… Read More »Defence cooperation

With the advent of new technologies, unmanned ground vehicles are being increasingly used to defend ground targets and carry out reconnaissance in the battlefield which is filled with lots of hazards and release of toxic weapons by the adversary. That is why unmanned armored vehicles are regularly used and are expected to remain a very important part in military operations. These vehicles provide ground forces with enhanced capabilities in terms of mobility, firepower and protection.… Read More »Unmanned armored vehicles

In this day and age there can be no argument against the presence of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the battlefield. They are fast becoming standard equipment in the order of battle (Orbat) of nearly every modern army. Although fears that they could be lost in the battle are as likely to come true as in the case of manned aircraft the plus remains that no pilot… Read More »Significance of UAVs

To keep an eye on the enemy activities deep inside the opponent’s territory, military commanders are increasingly relying on high speed data transfer which can be beamed from a powerful AWACS at a critical situation. The AWACS, which has emerged as the 21st Century “Eye in the Sky”, can credibly meet the requirement of military planners and defence strategist in a unique way while it can be highly cost effective. Airborne Early Warning and Control… Read More »Airborne surveillance

The saga of the Indian Army’s acquisition programme for small arms and assault rifles is a scam wrapped within a farce. The indigenously produced Indian National Small Arms System (INSAS) has been systematically denigrated and successive governments forced to sanction ad hoc acquisitions to meet urgent demands to deal with the perennial threats from Pakistan and China and the internal insurgencies. The result is that the Indian Army and paramilitary, central and State police forces… Read More »Small arms