Military Affairs

About Centre

The Centre for Military Affairs comprises of a mix of serving officers of the Indian Armed Forces and civilian experts. The Centre adopts an inter-disciplinary approach to various issues that impinge upon India’s national security in general and the armed forces in particular. Its research focus is on issues that impact upon national security and capacity-building of the Indian armed forces. Specific areas of focus include: emerging contemporary challenges in warfare, jointness, defence co-operation, maritime security, and military training needs. In addition, the Centre also addresses China- and Pakistan-related issues with a bearing on their interface with Indian security. The Centre closely interacts with military establishments in India and abroad and contributes to policy making by conducting research in areas of significance for the armed forces.

The message from mock battles

Even though the respective military exercise held by Pakistan and India are about handling of respective offensive reserves, the message that emerges is that their employment is best avoided.

Ali Ahmed
May 07, 2010
IDSA Comments

Anti-Naxal Operations: Employment of Armed Forces

Whereas employing Armed Forces may appear to be an attractive idea to control the naxal menace, the adverse effects of their long term commitment, particularly of the Army, need to be understood.

Rumel Dahiya
May 04, 2010
Issue Brief

Getting Ready for a Hot Summer

The defence minister is indeed correct that ‘sacrifices’ would have to be made but this time India should offer that privilege to the Pakistani Army.

Ramesh Phadke
April 05, 2010
IDSA Comments

Building Road Infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control: Hurdles and Constraints

Though the target date for completing the 73 envisaged roads is 2012, only nine have so far been completed.

Narinder Gupta
April 01, 2010
IDSA Comments

Reprioritising Defence Acquisitions

The Indian armed forces appear to be driving defence budgets rather than a cold calculation of the country’s desire for ‘adequate’ military capability.

Ramesh Phadke
March 30, 2010
IDSA Comments

Political Dimensions of Limited War

While limitation in aims set is acknowledged as the primary way of conflict limitation, the point lost sight of usually on the politico-military facet is war termination.

Ali Ahmed
March 29, 2010
IDSA Comments

Defence Budgetary Allocation 2010-11: Adequacy vs. Usage

Adequacy or inadequacy of defence allocation largely lies in the manner it is spent keeping in view the defence requirements for meeting operational and strategic goals and to have the needed defence preparedness to deal with threats.

Narinder Gupta
March 18, 2010
IDSA Comments

The Challenges of Asymmetric Warfare

While the asymmetrical threat will have an effect on warfare at strategic, operational and tactical levels, the threat will be most dramatic at the operational level.

K C Dixit
March 09, 2010
IDSA Comments

The military intelligence function in future war

To prevent intelligence failures there is a need to incorporate the additional and fresh areas of intelligence interest brought on by the asymmetric and nuclear dimensions of future conflict.

Ali Ahmed
February 26, 2010
IDSA Comments

The Imperative of Modernising Military Communications Systems

Modernisation has been grossly inadequate in the field of command, control and communications systems that link the ‘shooters’ and ‘sensors’ together to achieve synergy through network centricity and effects-based operations.