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Breaking News
New Drives to Counter China Come With a Major Risk: Throwing Fuel on The Indo-Pacific Arms Race
An accelerating arms race in the Indo-Pacific is all but guaranteed now that China finds itself a target of new security arrangements — AUKUS and the Quad — aimed at…
Imran Khan Being His Vacuous, Vapid and Vituperative Self in UNGA
As much as Imran Khan’s cult (which includes obsequious retired Pakistani generals, diplomats and ‘serving’ journalists) might like to imagine that the world comes to a stop when Taliban Khan…
AUKUS for Muscle Power, QUAD for Global Good
A new word, “Nixon shokku” was added to the Japanese dictionaries when President Nixon made a visit to Beijing behind the back of the closest ally of the US in…
The UNMANNED WINGMAN: A Loyal Ally in the Skies
Image Courtsey: theaustralian.com.au Hypothetical Scenario- August 2025: A UAV takes off from Jammu Sector for a surveillance mission along the Working Boundary (WB), in response to Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance…
Including Arthashastra and The Bhagavad Gita for Indian Military Training – Salience of India’s Strategic Roots
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for enhancing indigenisation in the national security system, not just in sourcing equipment and weapons but also in the doctrines, procedures and customs practiced in…
Balochistan is Now a Geostrategic Center of Gravity in South Asia
As long as the United States maintained a presence in Afghanistan, China could not fulfill its ambition to dominate South Asia and isolate India. Now largely free of American influence…
It’s Not the Job of the Quad, Keeping Chinese Tankers Safe !
In mature democracies, the relationship between the foreign service and the Navy is symbiotic, with each service wishing the best of health to the other. In India, the relationship started…
The Second Quad Summit- Whither Indo-Pacific Order
The first-ever in-person summit of the four leaders of the Quadrilateral Framework (Quad) in the Indo-Pacific on Friday in Washington marks a critical milestone for the consultative framework since it…
The Iran Factor in Post Afghanistan Geopolitics
Common belief in geopolitical circles has always considered Iran, with its Shia orientation, as being completely opposed to the Taliban because of the obscurantist Sunni ideology that the latter follows.…
Impact of Taliban’s “Victory” on Global Islamist Terrorism
US led Global War on Terror has had a stifling effect on most Islamist terror groups around the world since its start in 2001. However, the chaotic and haphazard US…
International Affairs
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A Change is Coming Through German Elections
By Gurjit Singh
French break-up a blow to Biden’s China-focused alliance rebuilding
By Reuters and Chanakya Forum
America’s Afghanistan Debacle – End of the Unipolar World
By Sonal Shukla
Lessons From Kabul Fiasco
By Dr Seshadri Chari
The General’s Desk | Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (R)
By Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)
OP-ED
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India’s Options in Afghanistan
By Lieutenant General D S Hooda (Retd)
From the Podium | Prof. MD Nalapat
Cockpit Conversation | Cockpit Conversation
Policy & governance
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Remembering the Journey of the Montreal Protocol On World Ozone Day – Its Future and the Role of the Armed Forces
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – September 16 – is a reminder to the international community of the need for fostering international cooperation to tackle transnational issues. After all, this day is celebrated in commemoration of the
By Dr Dhanasree Jayaram
The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) – Unleashing India’s Economy
Public assets all over the world have been recognised as a definite and easy source of revenue for governments in dire need of resources. Unlocking the potential of unused and underutilised national assets created over a few years is not a bad idea but needs to be imple
By Dr Seshadri Chari
Body Packing in International Drug Trafficking
A Nigerian, who arrived on a flight from Johannesburg via West Asia, was intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on 17th August 2021, at Bangalore Kempe Gowda International Airport, which led to the recovery of 1.2 kg of Cocaine worth Rupees 11 cro
Revamping The Defence Acquisition Process-A Revolution in Procurement Affairs ?
Revamping The Defence Acquisition Process-A Revolution in Procurement Affairs ? Brig Arvind Dhananjayan (Retd) In order to invoke a paradigm shift in leviathan processes, change has to be risk-bearing and revolutionary. Revolutionary because a wanton deviation fro
Weapon platform
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MR-SAM: Boosting Efficacy of India’s Air Defence
India’s’ Air Defence (AD) arsenal witnessed a significant fillip with the Hon’ble Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh handing over of the first deliverable Firing Unit of the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) to the Chief of Air Staff at Air Force Stati
By Brig Arvind Dhananjayan (Retd)
Unmanned Ground Vehicles: Augmenting Our Frontline Warriors
Outcomes in battles are a fallout of the side with better morale and will; but also the one with superior training and equipment. Indeed, all other factors considered, the side that uses technology to its advantage in any duel, skirmish or battle is more likely to win t
By Brig Arvind Dhananjayan (Retd)
Integrated ASW Defence Suite: A Key Enabler Towards Ocean Dominance
As a further fillip to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ drive and towards the goal of self- reliance in the Defence Industry, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has, on 27 August, concluded a contract for 14 Integrated Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Defence Suites (IADS) worth R
By Brig Arvind Dhananjayan (Retd)
LCA TEJAS: Ready To Touch The Skies With Glory
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has this month placed an order worth Rs. 5375 Crores with General Electric (GE) Aviation, US for supply of 99 F404-GE-IN20 engines for the TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), in support of the ‘firm’ contract for 123 LCA to the I
Defence & Strategy
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Quad as Bulwark Against an Aggressive Dragon
There is heightened expectation as US President, Joe Biden is preparing to host the first, ‘in person’ Quad leaders’ summit, on 24th September 2021 at White House. Besides host USA, others, Indian PM, Narendra Modi, Scott Morrison, Australian PM and Yoshihide Su
By Lt Gen K J Singh (Retd)
C 295 and India’s Aircraft Production Ecosystem
Indian government finally cleared Rupees 21,000 crore ($3 billion) Airbus-Tata project for 56 C-295W military transport aircraft. Additional six may be acquired by the Coast Guard. The long-pending deal for replacing the old HAL license-built HS-748 (Avro) planes of IAF
By Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)
China Appoints New Commander Western Theatre Command – What India Should Read Into the Move
From the days of Arjuna or Alexander, every side has spent time and effort to know about opposing commander/s and understanding the whys and wherefores of what drives them, what their personal traits that may spill over into their generalship are, and how they have disp
By Brigadier Sanal Kumar (Retd)
Operations in Kailash Range – An Year On: India’s Strategic Resolve Demonstrated
Operations in Kailash Range - An Year On: India’s Strategic Resolve Demonstrated Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (Retd) Achieving strategic, operational and tactical surprise, India occupied the operationally important heights of the Kailash Range on the nigh
Visit of H.E. Mr. Nikola Selaković, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia to India
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Nikola Selaković, paid an official visit to India on 19-20 September 2021, as a special envoy of the President of Serbia. During his visit, he called upon Hon’ble Vice President of India and held discussions with
Quad as Bulwark Against an Aggressive Dragon
There is heightened expectation as US President, Joe Biden is preparing to host the first, ‘in person’ Quad leaders’ summit, on 24th September 2021 at White House. Besides host USA, others, Indian PM, Narendra Modi, Scott Morrison, Australian PM and Yoshihide Su
By Lt Gen K J Singh (Retd)
Lessons From Kabul Fiasco
The apex leadership of the Taliban which claims control over Kabul had deferred its ceremonial declaration of the launch of its regime on the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack on America. No one can be more naïve than the White House if it decides to cons
By Dr Seshadri Chari
India’s Options in Afghanistan
On 26 September 2001, a small U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operatives team arrived in the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan. As described in Gary Schroen’s book First In, this vanguard set the stage for America's war in Afghanistan. The forces of the Northern Allianc
By Lieutenant General D S Hooda (Retd)
C 295 and India’s Aircraft Production Ecosystem
Indian government finally cleared Rupees 21,000 crore ($3 billion) Airbus-Tata project for 56 C-295W military transport aircraft. Additional six may be acquired by the Coast Guard. The long-pending deal for replacing the old HAL license-built HS-748 (Avro) planes of IAF
By Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)
China Appoints New Commander Western Theatre Command – What India Should Read Into the Move
From the days of Arjuna or Alexander, every side has spent time and effort to know about opposing commander/s and understanding the whys and wherefores of what drives them, what their personal traits that may spill over into their generalship are, and how they have disp
By Brigadier Sanal Kumar (Retd)
Taliban and Kashmir – Those Who Do Not Learn from History are Doomed to Repeat It
While the world stood watch, Taliban took over absolute control over Afghanistan, excepting a small part of the Panjshir area. The question that now looms large is the impact of this takeover on Afghanistan’s neighbours as well as the rest of the world. For India, its
By Mr S P Vaid
Kin Terrorism – Islamic State’s Recruitment Game Plan in India
One of the many things Samuel Huntington spoke in his book, ‘Clash of Civilizations’ is, about how youth bulge in Muslim countries in the 21st century is somewhat directly proportional to rise of recruits for Islamist organisations and political movements. He tries
Afghanistan- No Last Word Yet
Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanikzai, the head of Taliban’s Doha office, has met our ambassador in Doha at his request. This contact was preceded by his interview with an Indian TV channel in which he spoke re-assuringly about wanting friendly ties with India, as well as Taj
Turmoil in Afghanistan and India’s Calibrated Steps
As the dust settles on the erstwhile Kingdom of Gandhara, the attention shifts from the ongoing evacuation and the so-called American blunder, to ‘what next?’. Distant nations in the European Union and the Middle East are on guard as it falls in their circle of conc
The Afghanistan Kaleidoscope
As Afghanistan becomes more complex one is tempted to recall events in memory which caused similar confusion. None qualifies more than 9/11 when the world was really stumped; terror, lawlessness and rogue behavior seem to be all pervading and which way things would move
Operations in Kailash Range – An Year On: India’s Strategic Resolve Demonstrated
Operations in Kailash Range - An Year On: India’s Strategic Resolve Demonstrated Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (Retd) Achieving strategic, operational and tactical surprise, India occupied the operationally important heights of the Kailash Range on the nigh
Afghanistan: Show Me The Money!
Afghanistan: Show Me The Money! Sushant Sareen Capturing Afghanistan was the easy part; running Afghanistan is the more difficult and complicated part, especially on empty. A week after having occupied Kabul and almost the entire country, the Taliban are only just
Panjshir-Valley of Hope
Panjshir-Valley of Hope Dr Waiel S H Awwad It was in September 2001 in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan where foreign journalists had gathered for almost a month during the war between the Taliban forces and the Northern Alliance. The ‘Lion of Panjshir’, A
Quad-ASEAN Defence Exchanges On The Rise
Quad-ASEAN Defence Exchanges On The Rise Gurjit Singh The Malabar Quad exercise will take place in September of this year. For the second consecutive year all four Quad countries will participate. An Indian task force of 4 ships from the Eastern Naval Fleet are
The Mess that is Afghanistan
The Mess that is Afghanistan Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) I chose this title to keep the scope of this essay open ended because the current situation in Afghanistan is too tenuous at present to get any clear cut answers. What we should be getting to look at is t
China, Pakistan and Their Secret Wars in Afghanistan
China, Pakistan and Their Secret Wars in Afghanistan Cdr Sandeep Dhawan (Retd) In 2014 then US President Obama announced that he plans to cut the 34000 strong American forces in Afghanistan by 70 percent. He further stated that by 2015 he intends to bring the stre
Era of Indian Youth is Here
Era of Indian Youth is Here Gautam Gambhir The International Youth Day was commemorated on 12 August 2021. We, in India, are at the verge of celebrating our 75th Independence Day. These 75 years have been full of turmoil and transition. Change has been the only c
Blinken Visit To India – ‘Broadening of Shared Agendas’
Blinken Visit To India - ‘Broadening of Shared Agendas’ Kanwal Sibal High level engagement between India and the US has continued with Secretary of State Blinken returning within two months of External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s visit to the US. While the
INS Vikrant – A Naval Liability
INS Vikrant – A Naval Liability Bharat Karnad Indian warship building has finally come a full circle. It was in the 1780s, that impressed by the man-o’-wars in the 100 ton-1,000 ton range made from hardy Malabar Teak by a team of shipwrights under the Parsi
Cross-Border Terror Tunnels
Cross-Border Terror Tunnels Dr G Shreekumar Menon Tunnel warfare has been in vogue since time immemorial. The Mahabharat records how the Pandavas escaped through a secret tunnel, from the ‘Lakshagriha’- the house made of lac, which was ordered to be burnt down
Kashmir Rises Above Pakistan’s Wicked Plans
Twitter handle Hidden Roots has exposed a whole range of anti-India propaganda campaigns across Europe and beyond that is being planned by the Strategic Communication Division of Pakistan's foreign ministry. It is to be launched on August 5 as 'Yom-e-Istehsaal' (Oppres
Farce elections in Pakistan occupied Kashmir
The recent elections in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) are over now. How were these elections conducted and how have the previous elections been conducted? I will be presenting a brief overview for those who just observe these elections from outside, never having been
Developing Scientific Talents – A Must for India’s Development
Developing Scientific Talents - A Must for India's Development Dr G Madhavan Nair The world is going through one of the worst periods in history due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, it was in 1918, that the Spanish Flu caused by a virus had affected the globa
Post-dated Cheque on a Bank That Doesn’t Exist!
Post-dated Cheque on a Bank That Doesn’t Exist Sushant Sareen This sums up the ‘pledge’ of Pakistan’s ‘selected’ Prime Minister Imran Khan to the people of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), that after the people of the erstwhile state decide
Time for India to Answer the Afghan Conundrum
Can India, at least this time, go beyond tokenism in supporting the Afghan National Army (ANA) in its fight against the Taliban? Will the Indian think-tank give up its measured approach while committing military aid to Afghanistan? And finally, will India take the lead
Kargil: A Matter of Honour
Kargil: A Matter of Honour Major Gaurav Arya (Retd) They say it was the Bakarwal goat herders who first saw Pakistani intruders on the heights of Kargil. Mostly Muslim goatherders, Bakarwals have, for thousands of years roamed the Pir Panjal ranges for grazing
Red Flags in US-India Defense Cooperation
Red Flags in US-India Defense Cooperation Ram Madhav The US-India defense ties have acquired critical momentum. Given India’s geo-strategic surroundings and the downward slide in its relations with China in the recent years, this relationship is bound to move in
Integrated Theatre Commands: India Needs to Think Big
Integrated Theatre Commands: India Needs to Think Big Cdr Sandeep Dhawan (Retd) The United States was the first country to start working on the concept of jointmanship among all the branches of its military. Though the US Army started working on joint functioning
Afghanistan: How Instability There Impacts The World
Afghanistan: How Instability There Impacts The World Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) Everybody is talking and discussing Afghanistan because of the uncertainty prevailing after a 20-year US and NATO presence. The Taliban who ruled from 1996 to 2001 and were displac
The General’s Desk | Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (R)
By Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)
OP-ED
-
India’s Options in Afghanistan
By Lieutenant General D S Hooda (Retd)
