It is not immediately known whether Carl von Clausewitz (Born: 1780), the Prussian General and author of the redoubtable treatise On War was influenced by Sun Tzu, the 544 BC Chinese general and philosopher, but a close reading of both their works would seem to entail that despite the apparent differences in their philosophies pertaining to warfare, there exists certain inherent convergences.
Bhutan has been a friendly and reliable neighbour to India. The friendship between India and Bhutan is time-tested and deep-rooted. Not only has India signed a friendship treaty with Bhutan but also placed a permanent training team in the latter. The cultural and religious affinities also bring the people of Bhutan and India very close to each other.
The Chabahar deal signed by India with Iran in May last year is seen by many as its strategic response to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which culminates in Gwadar. Besides deepening ties between India and Iran, Chabahar deal provides a strategic edge to India by gaining connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.
A joint military exercise has been planned between Nepal and China to be held in February, 2017 causing serious discomfort to India’s strategic interests. The joint military exercise, first of its kind between the two countries, named Pratikar-1, will be training the Nepalese armed forces to deal with hostage kind of scenarios involving foreign terror groups.
Questions on credibility of massive retaliation in India's nuclear doctrine have persisted since its public revelation in 2003. Persistence of these questions was evident in the recent round of debates on review of India’s nuclear doctrine, sparked by Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar’s remarks on the doctrine.
On September 30, 2015 following an official request by the Syrian government for military assistance against the jihadist groups acting in the region, Russia decided to launch a fierce military campaign against ISIS positions in Syria. The objective was to hit the terrorist command and control centers, oil facilities, major hideouts, and deliver a sizeable advantage to the government forces acting on the ground to regain control over the lost territory. The intention of the exercise was to weaken the ISIS and its ability to generate revenue to sustain its operations.
The Nepal earthquake that struck on 25 April 2015 measuring 7.8 was the worst earthquake since 1934 and resulted in widespread damage in Nepal and surrounding countries of the region. According to “Did You Feel It?” and the responses on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website, tremors within India were felt as far and wide as Karnataka and Kerala.
The plight of fishermen traversing the Palk Strait, which marks the maritime border between India and Sri Lanka has been mired in controversy ever since the Independence of both the states. The narrow strip of water way called the Palk Strait separates Tamil Nadu in India from the Mannar district of Sri Lanka. Its width is between 53 and 80 kilometres. This narrow strait has been a cause of confusion and conflict over the use of the waters, particularly for activities such as fishing.
On 18 August, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson announced that the Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan scheduled for 25 August had been cancelled. This followed some dramatic developments earlier in the day centred around India’s Foreign Secretary, Sujatha Singh, calling the Pakistan High Commissioner, Abdul Basit, and advising him that the Foreign Secretary-level talks will be cancelled if he went ahead with his meeting with the Hurriyat leaders. Eventually, Basit settled for talking to them instead.
The Armed Forces Long-term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) is a composite document that reflects the vision for the modernisation of the Indian Armed Forces and hence an enhancement of the technologies being used by the institution. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the LTIPP, which lays out the acquisition road map for the armed forces over the next 15 years (2012-2027).
