“War is a continuation of politics by other means,” Carl Von Clausewitz, Prussian general and military theorist. Let us start by unequivocally stating that it is nations that go to war. The armed forces are one of the pivotal constituents of comprehensive national power (CNP) in a multi-polar, multi-domain international security environment, where nations are in 24X7 persistent engagement of cooperation,

Disengagement between the Indian Army and the PLA in Ladakh was expected but it came earlier than what may have been anticipated. After nine rounds of military led talks and commencement of an immediate pull back of heavier elements a resolution of issues between the two countries still remains unlikely;

After nine months of uncertainty in Ladakh, high levels of tension and every possibility of a breakout of armed exchanges on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), comes an announcement of disengagement by both China and India. In fact, the disengagement has already begun.

Consequent to various proactive measures adopted by the Indian government, the prevailing situation in J&K is largely in our favour. Pakistan will endeavour to alter the situation negatively and exploit to calibrate it to its advantage.

At the outset let me admit that neither the title nor the theme of this essay is an original. I have borrowed it from the doyen of Indian military institutions, the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, recently made more famous by the book “The Wellington Experience: A Study of Attitudes and Values Within the Indian Army,”

When Joe Biden was elected as the US President a little over 10 weeks ago, all doubts about major changes in American foreign policy were dismissed on the assumption that in national policies, things do not work that way.

Most strategic minds are currently in ‘analysis overkill’ and unable to assess much further on the Ladakh standoff.

Six years ago, was the 50th anniversary of the Indo-Pak Conflict 1965. Even as a second-generation officer and having served 40 years in the Indian Army, I thought I did not know enough about the strategic aspects of the war except the part involving operations in J&K; that essentially meant the Battle of Haji Pir.

The Army Chief, General Manoj Naravane in his Army Day press interaction confirmed that the Indian Army is prepared to remain deployed in additional strength in Ladakh due to the current standoff with China.