The nomenclature Indo-Pacific as against Asia-Pacific was coined after a statement made by the then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. US coined this terminology possibly due to the emerging geopolitics of the region and the emerging dynamics in the Indian Ocean with an imprint of the South China Sea (SCS). Thus far Chinese activism in the South China Sea was limited to disputes between ASEAN and China. While the U.S. remained preoccupied with GWOT (Global War on Terrorism), ISIS and now Ukraine, the Chinese economic and military might turn overbearing on smaller nations in the region. They largely obeyed the diktat of the Chinese without questioning its legitimacy, particularly on the issues of freedom of navigation and sovereignty of islands except for occasional grumbling. In the recent past, China has gone too far in exercising her claims to sovereignty by reclaiming over 2000 acres (8.1 sq km) in the SCS. China has exercised a slow and deliberate strategy of acquiring and building artificial islands, and maritime features by coercion and many times by force. Blockade of Taiwan from all sides and in a recent incident PLA Coast Guard ship ramming into a Philippines supply ship engaged in support operation within its own EEZ near Second Thomas Shoal has sent shockwaves amongst ASEAN armed forces.
China has built a 3000 Metres runway on the Fiery Cross Isle by reclaiming almost 1 sq km, giving her the ability to operate all types of aircraft IE Y 20 transport, J 10 and J 11 fighters from the Spratlys. The reclamation in the northern part of Spratlys has given China another 3.95 sq km reef which is adequate for a 3000 metre runway. This has provided her two long runways in north and south of Spratley, thus bolstering its ability to more stringent enforcements. vis a vis less capable nations of the ASEAN and curtailing the freedom of navigation of countries transiting in and out of SCS. This is a confrontationist challenge.
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Lessons From Gaza And Lebanon
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POSITIVE STEPS TOWARDS POTENTIAL REGIONAL COOPERATION
It has been a whirlwind of diplomatic activity for India recently. India participated in both the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO) summit that took place in Islamabad on October 15-16, and the 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, from October 2224, 2024. These back-to-back summits within a short span of time underscore India's active role in shaping regional and global diplomacy, balancing national interests with multilateral cooperation
THE EAGLE'S EYE TEJAS MK-II RADAR PIERCES VEIL OF THE SKY
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PRIME MOVER
The indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) has received a boost with its first export order from the Kingdom of Morocco
TRANSFORMATIONAL INDUCTION
The GA-ASI MQ-9B will dramatically enhance the ISR and precision strike capabilities of the Indian armed forces
TACAN PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
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AIRBORNE TRACKER
Indigenous efforts towards AEW&C and AWACS platforms need to be stepped up even as international programmes extend the current state-of-the-art for such aircraft, highlights
AFFORDABLE LETHALITY THE INDIAN DILEMMA
India's defence dilemma is now being complicated by the lessons learnt in the Ukraine and Gaza wars because these conflicts are reshaping the way wars are fought in the modern world.
FROM IMPORTS TO SELF-RELIANCE IN ARMS
Self-reliance in Defence Production needs new ideas, new definitions _es and an appropriate methodology, argues AMIT COWSHISH
"THE INDIAN AIR FORCE IS WORKING HARD TO REMAIN A CREDIBLE AIR FORCE"
Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 21, 1984, Air Chief Marshal AMAR PREET SINGH PVSM AVSM took over as the 28th Air Chief of India on September 30, 2024.