THE AUSTRALIAN LESSON

Determined to modernise its defence forces, the Australian government, in collaboration with its indigenous industries, has taken a decisive step in strengthening its air-defence system, writes DEBALINA GHOSHAL

RECONSIDERING THE CHINA OPTION

For India, engagement with China, not confrontation with it, is the better way of dealing with, argues AMIT GUPTA

INDIA'S MILITARY SATELLITE OPTIONS

There is a growing requirement for dedicated military early-warning satellites, given the missile threats from both China and Pakistan, argues SANJAY BADRI MAHARAJ

COMING OUT OF CHOPPY WATERS

After centuries of stagnation, India’s shipbuilding industry is making a comeback with the Indian Navy leading the way. While warship production is proceeding at a brisk pace, it is the merchant shipbuilding sector that has the greatest promise and needs to be revived, argues RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA

Boosting Soldier Lethality

While infantry weapons’ modernisation is a very long and tedious process, a good beginning has been made under the ‘Make in India’ programme, writes Amartya Sinha

Challenges Of F-21 Through ‘Make In India'

Though it is a wonderfully proven and affordable fighter aircraft, Ambika Gupta argues why it makes better sense for the F-21’s manufacturer Lockheed Martin to build C-130 Super Hercules transporters, MALE surveillance and combat UAVs in India

Assad Will Be The Real Beneficiary

By launching a military operation against Kurdish forces inside Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is inadvertently delivering a hands-down victory to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s political aspirations, explains Manish Rai

Weapons That Killed Baghdadi

Operation Kayla Mueller was one of the most daring US Special Forces raids in recent military history, which took out ISIS Chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. AMARTYA SINHA explains the tactics and weapons used in killing the world’s most dreaded terrorist.

The Welham Initiative

The Dehradun-based school has taken the lead in inculcating pride in the country’s military. Indeed, a laudable goal, writes SANJAY AGARWAL

K-4 Test Will Put India In Top 5

DRDO’s K-4 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile) is all set to undergo a long-awaited test-firing. If the test goes through, it will validate all necessary technologies necessary for executing a long-range strike through the ‘second-strike’ arm of India’s nuclear triad.

Insurgencies Of North East

Drawing from his vast military experience, SHOKIN CHAUHAN outlines the evolution of the violent agitations in strategically the most sensitive region of the country

India's Military Special Forces

While the training and motivation levels of Indian Special Forces are unmatched, there are serious deficiencies in equipment which may prove to hinder their effectiveness in the long-term. To streamline planning for various SF contingencies, synergise their operations and draw optimum benefit from their specialist capabilities, it would make sense to ensure that all SF units in the three services are raised, equipped and trained to the same standards, argues SANJAY BADRI-MAHARAJ.

Combat Over Kargil - How The IAF Emerged On Top

The defining takeaway from Kargil is that it was innovation on the fly and superior tactics that helped the IAF dominate the skies over Kargil. Had the service been pressed into battle early, the war would have finished a lot sooner, and hundreds of Indian casualties could have been avoided, reminds Rakesh Krishnan Simha.

Dogfight Dukes

Individually, the Dassault Rafale and Sukhoi-30 are powerful fighters, but together they are a dramatic force multiplier that will transform the IAF’s war fighting tactics; the combo is bad news for India’s enemies, writes Rakesh Krishnan Simha

A Journey Of Wonder Embraer At 50

It all started with a modest but persistent dream: to produce aircraft in Brazil, a country of one of the most creative aviation pioneers – Alberto Santos Dumont.

It's Not Just About Combat Aircraft

Much of the attention that is focused on the Indian Air Force scrutinises the IAF’s combat aircraft fleet and its decline from a peak of 39.5 combat squadrons. Insufficient attention is paid to the other important, indeed, vital elements of the IAF which include the air defence network of radars and missiles, the transport and helicopter fleets and the aircraft used therein. These are all worth examining on their own merit, write Sanjay Badri Maharaj

IAF In Transition Challenges Ahead

For becoming truly potent and able to deal with a two-front war, the Indian Air Force requires 50 squadrons with modern weapons. To achieve all this, the IAF needs a capital budget that is over ₹60,000 crore a year for two decades, argues ANIL CHOPRA.

Fighter Jets For The IAF

India has invited bids for the purchase of 114 fighter jets, valued at more than $15 billion and currently the world’s largest deal in play. AMIT GUPTA explains how to choose wisely and quickly.

It's Not Just About Combat Aircraft

Much of the attention that is focused on the Indian Air Force scrutinises the IAF’s combat aircraft fleet and its decline from a peak of 39.5 combat squadrons. Insufficient attention is paid to the other important, indeed, vital elements of the IAF which include the air defence network of radars and missiles, the transport and helicopter fleets and the aircraft used therein. These are all worth examining on their own merit

IAF In Transition Challenges Ahead

For becoming truly potent and able to deal with a two-front war, the Indian Air Force requires 50 squadrons with modern weapons. To achieve all this, the IAF needs a capital budget that is over ₹60,000 crore a year for two decades,

Dogfight Dukes

Individually, the Dassault Rafale and Sukhoi-30 are powerful fighters, but together they are a dramatic force multiplier that will transform the IAF’s war fighting tactics; the combo is bad news for India’s enemies

Air Combat Training

SANJAY BADRI MAHARAJ explains why it is of vital importance to impart the best training to fighter pilots on whose operational percepts and competence the Indian Air Force is structured

Drone Warfare Why India Must Stay Ahead Of The Curve

Following the Iranian downing of an expensive American military drone, the Indian military is apparently having a rethink on high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs. However, if properly deployed, drones are a tremendous force multiplier that can wreak havoc in the enemy camp

China's National Defence In A New Era

Beijing’s latest white paper on defence, which happens to be the first since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012 and the 10th in the series, is an attempt to link Chinese dreams with reality

AI Out Of The Shadows And Into Warfare

The development of Autonomous Weapons Systems and Artificial Intelligence(AI) assisted planning and management of battlefields need checks and balances so that the human input into any decision on use of lethal force remains paramount, argues

Measured Fallouts

Barring China’s serious “concern about the situation in Kashmir” in the light of India's move to revoke Article 370, which gave a special status to the state, the international community has largely refrained from making adverse comments. On the contrary, global reactions have been largely supportive and do not constitute any real threat to India’s security environment

Litmus Test Of India's Global Standing

As of now Indian diplomacy and the country’s economic worth have managed to contain any adverse global fallouts following the annulment of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir

Ladakh As A Union Territory

According Union Territory status to Ladakh is a masterstroke to promote India’s strategic interests, writes P Stobdan. The bold political move will unlock several key problems that had been frozen for decades. The political and economic strengthening of Ladakh could usher in an opportunity for the country to physically connect with markets in China, Eurasia and Europe and beyond

Ultimate Tactical Level Destroyers

Armoured combat vehicles continue to be the most sought-after weapon on tactical-level battlefields and India is no exception. The two ground wars – with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971 – saw widespread use of tanks, tank destroyer vehicles and armoured personnel carriers (APCs). As of 2019, with more than 4500 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) divided into 67 armoured regiments, the Indian Army has one of the largest tank fleets in the world. AMARTYA SINHA takes a look at the current armoured capabilities of the nation as well as some of the ongoing projects undergoing development

Trump, India, And Pakistan

Ambika Gupta analyses the contours of US-Pakistan relationship and where exactly President Trump’s offer to provide his good offices to mediate on Kashmir fit in