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A defence minister with military background — a risk India needs to take
- May 12, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Category: India
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The Modi government has initiated several defence reforms. But mere political acumen of the defence minister is insufficient to steer them.
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Don’t just game the system, return to Kautilya’s goal of happiness in Covid 2nd wave
- May 12, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Category: India
India will soon witness a blame game — the Centre will blame states, govts will blame private sector and citizens. But the gaming of political system won’t be discussed much.
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Ladakh didn’t work out for China. It will now drive a wedge between Quad partners
- April 14, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Category: China
In the contemporary global geopolitical landscape, China has evoked more fear than hope. It has displayed an impressive capacity for political organisation to pursue its objectives. After nearly three decades of resting hopes on a China that will be a responsible power in the international system, there is now an increased consensus among most Western and Asian powers that a collective approach is necessary to tackle it.
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Seventh Fleet move a reminder that Quad must remain a group of equals, not a US-led posse
- April 14, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Categories: China, India, Indian Ocean Region
The US Navy’s Seventh Fleet statement of 7 April 2021, after the freedom of navigation operation off Maldives in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone or the EEZ, even if legally valid, and watered down later by the Pentagon Spokesman, was unwarranted and seems indifferent to the sensitive phase in India-US relations.
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India must be smart in supporting Myanmar, if Quad won’t measure up
- March 25, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Category: ASEAN & ARF
Gaining overland access to Indian Ocean through Myanmar is crucial for China’s geostrategic designs. Which means India can’t protest against coup too loudly.
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India dives into Quad waters
- March 25, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Categories: IOR, Strategic Affairs
Several strands of strategic vectors may have been generated from the geostrategic moves signified by the first ever summit, albeit virtual, of the Quad leaders, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Yoshide Suga and Scott Morrison on March 12, 2020. In a first for the Quad, a joint statement was released that serves as a declaration broadly conveying the goals and areas of focus of the group. China is not mentioned and that silence is deafening.
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Chinese Communist Party has goals. India needs to have its own, not just respond to aggression
- March 24, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Categories: China, India, Strategic Affairs
China is yet to respond to the Quad’s joint statement. But one thing is clear, India’s national security strategy must change.
There are glaring dissimilarities in India’s foreign policy stances towards China post the military disengagement in Doklam 2017 and the ongoing one in Ladakh. -
Opinion: Our four nations are committed to a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region
- March 24, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Category: Strategic Affairs
Joe Biden is president of the United States. Narendra Modi is prime minister of India.
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House defence panel must ask 4 key questions — from lower expenditure to pension bill
- February 24, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Military, Strategic Affairs
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence can bring much needed clarity on India’s national security that Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget didn’t answer.
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Defence allocation: Shrinking budget, rising threats
- February 24, 2021
- Posted by: Lt Gen (Dr) Prakash Menon (Retd)
- Categories: ASEAN & ARF, China, Military, Strategic Affairs
FEB 09 2021, 23:31 IST UPDATED: FEB 09 2021, 23:45 IST
Indian Army. Credit: PTI Photo
The realities of the defence budget seem to be blowing in the political wind and, despite claims to the contrary, the allotment for 2021-22 could at best be described as ‘more of the same’.
