-
Disruption in Military Affairs
- September 2, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Military, Pakistan, SAARC, Strategic Affairs
No Comments
Three months back I was approached to speak at the Army War College, Mhow, during the Doctrine and Strategy Seminar on Multi Domain Operations. In this time many things happened. I corelated the topic with the current international military and strategic events. I realised that the actual scope was wider since the concept is evolving.
-
DAP : Examination of the Strategic Partnership (SP) Model
- August 13, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: Domestic Issues, Military, Strategic Affairs
The Indian Army is making incremental, but confused, progress in upgrading its depreciated artillery profile that has languished gravely since the import of Bofors howitzers in the late 1980s as per Rahul Bedi in Hindu in 2014. In 2020, the same Hindu reports that the Defence Ministry will introduce import embargo on 101 items.
-
Why Corporatisation of Ordnance Board is a must
- August 11, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: Domestic Issues, General Topics
On 16th May 2020 the Government announced the decision to corporatize OFB to improve its autonomy, accountability and efficiency. It evoked overwhelming response from the Armed Forces who felt that the step was overdue but suboptimal. Almost everyone wanted the OFB to be privatised on a PPP model. Simultaneously there were discordant notes from within OFB.
-
Evolving into a Tank for High Altitude
- August 11, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: Domestic Issues, Military, Strategic Affairs
The current Sino Indian standoff has highlighted the lack of a suitable tank for high altitudes.The tank is required not only for defending our territory but also for carrying out any offensive into China. Unless we pose a credible offensive threat to China, our territory will always be subject to salami slicing. Having a light tank in adequate numbers in Eastern Ladakh and Sikkim is mandatory.
-
India’s QUADratic Equations
- August 3, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: Military, Strategic Affairs
India has reinforced the LAC with 35000 troops. It is considering banning more Chinese apps. Chinese entities are being excluded from – telecom, railways, non-essentials, infrastructure and more. Our stance against the Chinese is hardening. The question is – should we continue to do it alone or as part of the QUAD? Needs a logical examination.
-
Belling the cat of intellectual mediocrity
- July 31, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: Military, Strategic Affairs
An article titled ’Military Mediocrity – Who Will Bell The Cat’ by Mr Mohan Guruswamy is doing the social media rounds.( published in the citizen.in). It paints the Indian Armed Forces leadership in poor light. Casting aspersions on the leadership of the Armed Forces, at present, sows doubt in the minds of common people. Is the safety, security and wellbeing of the nation in the right hands?
-
QUAD 2.0 or TIANXIA
- July 29, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Foreign Affairs, Rest of the World, SAARC, Strategic Affairs, USA, West Asia
Gordon Chang says ‘Xi, thinks everyone should acknowledge not only Chinese hegemony but also China’s rule,… China’s ruler has both the right and responsibility to rule Tianxia, or all under Heaven’! Does the world want to be in this Chinese hell? If not, it needs the QUAD. It is a global imperative.
-
5G and Chinese Trojan Horses
- July 21, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Strategic Affairs
These days 5G and Huawei is in the news. Most people ask – why it is such a big affair? In most conversations about ‘5G’ it seems that it is wiser to say ‘Haan Ji’ and let it pass. However what is happening about Huawei and Chinese electronic surveillance and data theft is insidiously significant. It is part of the Multi Domain War which is being waged by China.
-
The Middle-Aged Kingdom’s Last Gambit
- July 17, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Strategic Affairs
Why is China doing what it is doing? Two recent articles highlight the dichotomy of the situation. The article ‘China Talks of US Decoupling and a Divided World’ highlights the views of Zhou Li, a high ranker in CCP. He cautions China to prepare for – shrinking external demand, disruption of supply chains, coexistence with coronavirus over the long term, an outbreak of a global food crisis (in China?) and a resurgence of international terrorism (Tibetan and Uighur?).
-
China’s Future Moves : Insidious and Indirect
- July 13, 2020
- Posted by: Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Strategic Affairs
Earlier, I had written that the Chinese will start talking peace once the odds are against them. The standoffs had only two outcomes. They end at a table and China withdraws to resume as an unmanned LAC or we end up with a manned LAC. We are heading generally in that direction.
