CATEGORIES

UGVS: THE WHAT, THE WHY, AND THE HOW

Given the deteriorating security landscape in the neighbourhood, India must fast forward the development of autonomous weapons that can be force multipliers for the nation’s armed forces, writes COL. ANDREW FERNANDES (RETD)

NAXALISM CONFOUNDS THE INDIAN STATE

AJAY K MEHRA discusses why and how the Maoist menace is alive and kicking

LEASING MILITARY EQUIPMENT

There is no way that India can replace many of its military requirements with leased equipment. The environment, the risk of loss and damage may impose prohibitive lease terms on any contract. However, there is scope in the logistics, coastal policing, search and rescue and training spheres, argues

Quad's Challenges In Bay Of Bengal

As the military takeover in Myanmar has provided a further opportunity to China to enhance its profile in the region, the Quad partners (India, Japan, Australia and the United States) have to reimagine their strategic plans for the Bay of Bengal area taking into consideration the importance of three regional stakeholders namely Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, argues P M HEBLIKAR

The Assam NRC Fiasco

With Assam electing a new assembly this month, the National Register of Citizens is going to be a highly emotive issue, which, if not handled properly, will create huge disorders in a state that is traditionally vulnerable to multiple insurgencies having serious strategic implications. RAJEEV BHATTACHARYYA enumerates factors contributing to the fiasco

Make: Myth, Reality Or Pipedream?

Today, in India, the government has shown that they have the will under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They have also shown the way with DAP- 2020. Now it is up to the user, the bureaucracy and Indian industry to utilise both and move ahead, writes COL. ANDREW FERNANDES (RETD)

THE TEJAS AND TEJAS MK1A: HAL HAS TO DELIVER

The Tejas project is a litmus test of the ability of Indian designers and production agencies to produce a viable combat aircraft, argues SANJAY BADRI-MAHARAJ

THE QUAD AND BEYOND

Given the potentials as well as the contradictions within the QUAD, India has to maximise its options in order to participate successfully in the great game that is emerging in the Indo-Pacific, writes NINAD D SHETH

SIGHT AT NIGHT ENHANCING NIGHT VISION CAPABILITIES OF THE INDIAN ARMED FORCES

With challenges persisting at the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control, the Indian Army is on a modernisation spree. The army requires third and fourth generation NVDs which have a reduced halo effect, better picture clarity, more panoramic view and longer battery life, explains DHIRENDER SINGH JAMWAL

UAVS: INDIA HAS TO MOVE FORWARD

India has made some significant use of UAVs in its internal security operations and considerable use for military surveillance. However, its own development projects are still limited and have not yielded major products for military use. This is rapidly changing, explains SANJAY BADRI-MAHARAJ

ATMANIRBHAR IN EARNEST

Aero India was a homegrown affair with welcome signs of an indigenous defence manufacturing capability that is coming of age, writes C SANTHOSH

COUNTER-DRONE TECHNOLOGIES: NASCENT, BUT WITH ENORMOUS POSSIBILITIES

Designing and developing new countermeasures will require substantial investments, but they should not be hindrances in innovation, writes R CHANDRAKANTH

A US-INDIA MILITARY PARTNERSHIP SANS QUAD

Arguing that India cannot depend on the QUAD framework to deal with a Chinese threat, AMIT GUPTA suggests that a realistic workable alliance with the United States based on a fruitful weapons partnership between the two countries and the provision of military basing is a much better option for New Delhi

MSMEs Can Make Or Mar ‘Make In India' Initiative

The fulcrum of the ‘Make in India’ programme is the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) segment and, as of now, the MSMEs are thought of only as an adjunct. But that is slowly changing, explains R Chandrakanth

Defence Against Offence: India Is Building Up Its BMD Systems

The experience gained from the development and operation of the BrahMos Mach-3 supersonic cruise missile by the Indian armed forces will be an added advantage not available to other nations in the region. As a result, India could likely have operational hypersonic weapons capability before the end of the decade, explains C Santhosh

MEETING NEW AIR AND MISSILE THREATS

The Indian Air Force has begun substantial modernisation of its strategic air defences. But while progress has undoubtedly been made, strategic SAM defences remain weak, writes SANJAY BADRI MAHARAJ

EXPENSIVE BUT INDISPENSABLE AIRPOWER

AMIT GUPTA argues why given the harsh economic challenges facing the country, which is not unique to India, the best way to afford an effective air force is to plan differently but smartly by going for techno-globalisation rather than futile techno-nationalism

IAF INDIGENISATION REALISTIC TARGETS ARE NEEDED

India cannot and must not expect complete indigenisation. The tendency to view Indian efforts in terms of indigenous content is singularly unhelpful. While increasing indigenization is necessary, economies of scale, costs, and realistic appraisal of the level of technology transfer have to be taken into consideration, argues SANJAY BADRI MAHARAJ

EVERGREEN RUSSIAN FACTOR IN EVOLUTION OF IAF

AMIT COWSHISH argues why it is hard to ignore the Russian factor in India’s military capability

NANO DRONES: A BIG IMPACT ON THE BATTLEFIELD

Nano drones, the advanced systems that pack a lot of functionality into a tiny form factor, are becoming a major military tool. With China having a huge lead, India needs to get its act together, argues RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA

BEING SELF-RELIANT IN DEFENCE

The ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign is speeding up the growth of indigenous defence manufacturing capability in India, writes C SANTHOSH

POST-RAFALE IAF GROWTH CHALLENGES

In order to have its authorized 42 squadrons earliest by 2038, the Indian Air Force requires $110 billion (₹770,000 crore), estimates ANIL CHOPRA. Where is that money? Will this remain a pipe dream?

AUGMENTING THE AIRLIFT CAPABILITY

India is slowly and steadily raising its means to deploy and sustain military forces across possible distant battlefields by air, writes NINAD D SHETH

The Reality Of India's Drone Dreams

India needs to up the drone game quickly and imports are only part of the solution, argues NINAD D SHETH

Is The Private Sector Ready To Develop 3rd Gen ATGMS?

The recently announced negative list of 101 weapon systems offers a great opportunity towards self-reliance in defence as it paves the way for the Indian industry to rise to the occasion and manufacture the embargoed items by using indigenous design and development capabilities, argues R Chandrakanth

THE INDIAN ARMY'S RAPID REACTION CAPABILITY

While the IAF and navy are very capable and have improved their ability to transport and sustain the army, much needs to be done in order to give the Indian Army its desired deployment capability, writes SANJAY BADRI MAHARAJ

THE DANGERS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE WEAPONS

The dangers of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons cannot be unstated or underestimated. The US, China, Russia are all working towards thwarting possible attacks. There are Indian plans to counter these threats to both civil and military assets

INFANTRY COMBAT VEHICLES: GIVING THE SOLDIERS A FIGHTING CHANCE

The Indian Army’s plan to replace its fleet of outdated infantry combat vehicles is currently stuck in procurement limbo. To be able to fight and win the next war, the need of the hour is to push forward with next generation combat vehicles without wasting time, explains RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA

FUTURE-PROOFING THE BORDERS WITH THE HELP OF DRONES

It is not just acquisition of drones but also training and constant update for users on the ground. Future warfare is going to be futuristic, writes R CHANDRAKANTH

AUGMENTING THE FIREPOWER

NINAD D SHETH explains how India is pushing artillery modernisation amid budget constraints