Defence & Security

Chinese ‘Spy Ship’ at  Hambantota – A Security Nightmare for India & South Asia
Analysis, Asia, Big Block of 4, Defence & Security, Featured

Chinese ‘Spy Ship’ at  Hambantota – A Security Nightmare for India & South Asia

China docked its 'spy ship' in the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka for several days. Despite India’s reluctance and insistence against this decision, Sri Lanka allowed the ship to be docked, buckling down under Chinese pressure. This move has several tactical and strategic consequences on the South Asian region and especially on India’s influence in the region. China exerted its pressure on Sri Lanka and has been successful in sending across the perception of its strategic dominance in the region through this Spy Ship in  India’s naval backyard. Though the official sources in the Sri Lankan government said that this was just a balancing game being played, in order to accommodate the Chinese, it’s quite evident that China did not want to lose face by not being successful in this g...
Agnipath – The Truth & the Way Forward
Analysis, Defence & Security, National

Agnipath – The Truth & the Way Forward

(This article was first published on Nizam Today. Re-published with permission) The Agneepath scheme announced by the government recently has invited extreme reactions from a section of people, both within the armed forces and outside, with some – from within the forces too – going to the extent of claiming that one of the most dangerous outcomes could be ‘militarisation of society – an extremely serious charge – when viewed in the context of the number of veterans in society today. While the senior leadership of the services has become the object of derision and memes, significant blame has been laid at the doorstep of the political dispensation too, on issues concerning the execution and nitty-gritties of implementation, which is beyond their scope. What is the truth and wh...
Indian Air Force ranks 6th, ahead of PLA Air force, in Global Air Powers Ranking
Defence & Security, National

Indian Air Force ranks 6th, ahead of PLA Air force, in Global Air Powers Ranking

The Indian Air Force has been ranked higher than the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, the Israeli Air Force, the Japan Air Self Defence Force, the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom and many more developed nations, according to a report published by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA). The Global Air Powers Ranking (2022) report has given the highest TvR score of 242.9 to the United States Air Force (USAF). The USAF which has 5,091 aircrafts comprises a broad mix of aircraft types and several products are locally sourced from the massive industrial base of the US. It also maintains dedicated strategic-level bombers, CAS aircraft, a sizable helo and fighter force (of which many are multi-role types), and hundreds of transport aircraft and the USAF is going ...
Pulwama terror attack: How India responded
Defence & Security, National

Pulwama terror attack: How India responded

https://youtu.be/b7TpVTQml4E In one of the deadliest terror attacks on Indian security forces, 44 CRPF personnel were martyred on February 14, 2019. A Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist drove an explosive-laden SUV into a convoy of vehicles carrying CRPF troops on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway. As the entire world, including China, condemned the terror attack, India summoned Pakistan's top envoy and lodged a strong protest. Prime Minister Modi asserted that the security forces have been given permission to choose the timing, place, and nature of their response to the terror attack. Nationwide protests erupted against the dastardly terror attack as Indians demanded that the terror group and its sponsors be taught a lesson. On February 26, 2019, Indian Air Force jets...
China encroaching Nepal – One fence at a time!
Asia, Defence & Security

China encroaching Nepal – One fence at a time!

https://youtu.be/KNplo3a_NLM A report of a task force instituted by the Nepalese government accuses China of encroaching into its territory. It is the first time there have been official claims from Nepal of Chinese interference in its territory. The nearly 1,400km border between Nepal and China-occupied Tibet was laid out in a series of treaties signed in the early 1960s. Much of the border between Nepal and China-occupied Tibet is remote and the boundary is demarcated by a chain of pillars, set kilometers apart. The Nepal government sent a task force, consisting of police and government officials, in September 2021 to Humla after reports of Chinese encroachment. The task force found that China had built a series of buildings and fences on the Nepalese side of the border. The tas...
What is the Theatre Command system?
Defence & Security

What is the Theatre Command system?

https://youtu.be/Gm-Wxeo0hY8 The theatre command system is intended to bring better synergy between the three branches of the armed forces. Instead of separate commands for the army, navy, air force, a unified command will be set up to be led by a single commander. The military assets that are usually split under separate centres of command will be fused into one single command under one operational head. This operational head will be responsible for directing and controlling their activities in a given situation. A theatre command system will also contribute to more streamlined costs and a leaner fighting force. The theatre command system will help remove redundancies and bring greater focus in the allocation of resources. More than 32 countries already have some form of t...
The next Chief of Defence Staff of India- Tasks & Challenges
Defence & Security, National

The next Chief of Defence Staff of India- Tasks & Challenges

https://youtu.be/b6KTa-baKps The death of General Bipin Rawat has thrown the challenge of choosing the next Chief of Defence Staff to the government and the defence establishment. In the revamped military structure of the Indian Defence establishment, the post of CDS is of pivotal importance. Though there are no fixed rules, the government decides the next CDS keeping in mind the security challenges. Any commanding officer of the three services - Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy - is eligible for the post of the CDS. The decision will be taken on the basis of merit-cum-seniority of the military officer but the CDS should not be older than 65. Of the three serving chiefs of the armed forces, Indian Army chief General MM Naravane is the senior-most officer in the mil...
NGO files petition in SC to stop widening of roads that reach Indo-China border, instead tells army to airlift!
Defence & Security, National

NGO files petition in SC to stop widening of roads that reach Indo-China border, instead tells army to airlift!

Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India and the founder of the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) Colin Gonsalves has filed a petition to stop the widening of roads that connect the Char Dham in Uttarakhand as it will cause adverse impact in the hilly region resulting from the felling of trees. The Char Dham road network also reaches the Indo-China border and is used by the Indian army. Supporting Gonsalves’ stand is an alleged NGO called “Citizens For Green Doon”. They are represented by lawyers Colin Gonzales and Mohammad Aftab, who had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to stop the construction of roads on the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand, citing the environmental impact. Instead, they have asked that the “Indian Forces can use air route in war”. The three-judge bench o...
US UK and Australia Submarine Deal (AUKUS): Its reflection on the Region and India
Analysis, Asia, Defence & Security, Featured, World

US UK and Australia Submarine Deal (AUKUS): Its reflection on the Region and India

New partnership will include deepened cooperation between the U.S., U.K. and Australia across emerging security areas such as cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and undersea capabilities.President Biden has made addressing competition and aggression from China a central focus of his foreign policy. For this they have sacrificed other policy goals and regions.India is fighting terror, authoritarian regime in the neighbourhood, and has to up its cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and undersea capabilities.India is fighting to stop forced debt traps, forced droughts, fighting terror and standing with the world for justice. If India is not in AUKUS then who? In a surprise announcement this Week American President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris J...
QUAD Navies participate MALABAR-21 Naval Exercise
Defence & Security

QUAD Navies participate MALABAR-21 Naval Exercise

(Image: @indiannavy) Indian Navy is participating in the sea phase of Exercise Malabar 2021 from 26 – 29 August 2021 along with the US Navy (USN), Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Malabar series of maritime exercise commenced in 1992 as an IN-USN Exercise. In 2015, JMSDF joined Malabar as a permanent member. The 2020 edition witnessed participation of the Royal Australian Navy. This year marks the 25th edition of Ex Malabar, being hosted by USN in the Western Pacific. The Indian Navy’s participation includes INS Shivalik and INS Kadmatt and P8I patrol aircraft led by Rear Admiral Tarun Sobti, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. The US Navy will be represented by USS Barry, USNS Rappahannock, USNS Big Horn and P8A patrol ai...