Whither the Mexican Air Force Combat Fleet?
2017 ,
In September 2016, it was reported that the Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana – FAM) has retired the last of its tiny force of F-5E fighters.1 While these reports...
Read MoreIDSA Comments
Rebooting the Defence Budget
2017 ,
It may sound harsh but the changes made in the structure of the defence budget for the second year running appear quite aimless. In the process, however, these disruptive changes...
Read MoreTrump and Israeli Settlements Expansion
2017 ,
US President Donald Trump voiced mild criticism of the Israeli government’s expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, at a dinner with a Jewish magnate on February 08, 2017....
Read MoreAn Analysis of the Internal Security Budget 2017-18
2017 ,
Beginning with the spike in budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2009-10 following the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008, the MHA has been witnessing a...
Read MoreGorkhas of the Indian Army and India-Nepal Relations
2017 ,
This commentary is inspired by the Annual Gorkha Brigade Conference held at New Delhi on 11 February 2017 and the unique model of military diplomacy it fosters between India and...
Read MoreHAL’s Gamble – Will the “Advanced Hawk” break into the Export market?
2017 ,
On 5 February 2017, a version of the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) was unveiled. The aptly-named “Advanced Hawk” is a joint-venture between BAE Systems and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)....
Read More10 Questions the Standing Committee on Defence needs to ask MoD
2017 ,
Restructuring of the demands for grant of various ministries, including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) last year, and further tinkering with the MoD’s demands this year is inexplicable, to say...
Read MoreIndia’s Defence Budget 2017-18: Should Alarm Bells Ring?
2017 ,
Until 2015-16, the budgetary allocations of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) fell under eight Demands for Grants: the five revenue budgetary demands for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Ordnance Factories,...
Read MoreWould a Non-Lapsable Defence Modernisation Fund Work?
2017 ,
One idea that keeps resurfacing in discussions on the defence budget is the creation of a non-lapsable defence modernisation fund (DMF) to harvest the money that remains unspent, especially under...
Read MoreAgni-V and Strategic Signalling
2017 ,
Is China feeling threatened by India’s Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) capabilities? The way it has reacted to India’s recent back-to-back successful testing of Agni-IV and V, it is clear that...
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