CATEGORIES

Time For A Shift In The National Security Paradigm

New Delhi-centric approach towards national security needs a long-delayed change, with state governments and Union Territories playing an important role. And in this, north-eastern states should be allowed to show the way

KEEL OF SECOND PROJECT-1135.6 FRIGATE LAID

The ships under construction at Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) are part of indigenous shipbuilding programme being executed under Inter Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russian Side for construction of two advanced frigates for the Indian Navy

PIERCING THE DARKNESS THROUGH NIGHT VISION DEVICES

From fighter pilots and tank crews to ground infantrymen and special forces troopers, all active personnel require latest generation helmet-mounted and handheld Night Vision Devices (NVDs) and Thermal Imagers (TIs) as per situational and operational requirements

THE LADY, THE TATMADAW AND MYANMAR

If Myanmar’s South Asian neighbours abstained from the June 18 UNGA vote, the nation did not have irreconcilable issues with any of them, and was not any less undemocratic than fellow-members in the ASEAN – which as a grouping has also been engaging the military rulers to restore normalcy. The West, which has had no problem in working with other autocratic ASEAN members on multiple political, economic and strategic fronts is also yet to study and understand the psyche and character of Myanmar as a nation, where post-coup military rulers may now be waiting out Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 76, for recommencing a democracy process that they are comfortable with

Israel Shipyards presents flexible commercial options

Israel Shipyards Ltd. has presented, for the first time at IMDEC, its flexible commercial options to meet the new economic reality.

HOT WHEELS: TOWARDS A HIGHLY MOBILE ARMY

While the Indian Army has a significantly large fleet of trucks and utility vehicles, there is a need to further augment the capabilities by adding latest vehicles with better fuel-efficiency, faster speeds, larger wheelbases and enhanced axle-load bearing capacities

GOODBYE BAGRAM

Bagram Air Base—the mysterious airfield 60 km outside Kabul, where Air Force One landed in the dark of the night has been handed over to the Kabul Government. In a way it signals the exit of America from the ‘forever war’ in Afghanistan. The airbase is a singular sign of the government’s writ. Kabul will do everything in its power to retain the base while the Taliban eyes it as a key asset to be wrested.

Defence Secretary inducts ALH Mk-III helicopters into ICG

In a major boost to the ALH Mk-III indigenous Coast Guard programme, three Advanced Light Helicopter (ALHs) manufactured by HAL were inducted into the stables of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) by Dr Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary in June.

Why Military Relationship With Russia Still Matters For India

After the Galwan confrontation between India and China two trends have become apparent in Indian defence policy: there has been a perceptible shift towards the United States and its allies in New Delhi’s security relationships; and the country, as it usually does when it is faced by a crisis, is beginning to think proactively and creatively about weapons production and acquisition.

INTERVENTION OPERATIONS & RAPID RESPONSE CAPABILITY

Given India’s established expertise and military capability, there can be little doubt that it will be called upon by the international community to deploy Indian forces, writes SATISH NAMBIAR

SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED AT KUDANKULAM NPP

After the completion, the Kudankulam NPP will become not only the largest nuclear power plant in India, but also the largest clean energy production facility in the entire region as well, writes ALEXANDER NAKHABOV

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