The Great Game in Afghanistan: Rajiv Gandhi, General Zia, and the Unending War, by Kallol Bhattacherjee A journalist by profession, Kallol Bhattacherjee has written extensively on South Asian affairs and on conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. In writing The Great Game in Afghanistan, he has researched extensively into the personal records of John Gunther, who was the United States (US) Ambassador to India between 1985 and 1988. The author was also fortunate to be able to hold extensive interviews with Gunther post-2014 with Ambassador Ronen Sen, who was Rajiv Gandhi’s diplomatic aide in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during this crucial period. N. Bahri July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
From Smart Power to Sharp Power: How China Promotes her National Interests Authoritarian regimes are increasingly taking recourse to sharp power as a preferred means of realising national interests. Sharp power weaves an intricate web of responses short of war, such as coercion, persuasion, political power, and inducements to further a nation’s interests, all the while concealing a long stick. China, in particular, has perfected the art of using sharp power in recent years, often investing large political capital and monies to impose its will on nations all over the globe. Mandip Singh July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
India’s Quest for Recognition India’s quest for being recognized even as a regional power, let alone a global power, requires a balanced and simultaneous growth of its economic and military capabilities. Deepak Kapoor July 25, 2018 IDSA Comments
The 2018 Meeting of States Parties (MSP) on Biological Weapons Convention: An Assessment The Eighth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention which was held in Geneva during 07-25 November 2016 had an extremely disappointing outcome. This Review Conference, as is now widely… Continue reading The 2018 Meeting of States Parties (MSP) on Biological Weapons Convention: An Assessment Manish July-December 2018 CBW Magazine
Stop Turning a Blind Eye to Tear Gas Misuse Riot control agents (RCAs), which are commonly known as tear gas and pepper spray, are defined by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) as “any chemical not listed” in one of… Continue reading Stop Turning a Blind Eye to Tear Gas Misuse Michael Crowley July-December 2018 CBW Magazine
China’s Hydro Ambitions and the Brahmaputra The upper riparian China is uniquely positioned to influence the flow of Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra into lower riparian India. In the absence of a water sharing treaty, the Chinese decision to build more dams on Yarlung/Brahmaputra and continued evasiveness on its long-term plans would remain an issue of major concern for India. Shreya Bhattacharya July 23, 2018 Backgrounder
Unpacking UK Combat Air Strategy The UK Combat Air Strategy unveiled on July 16, 2018 can actually be termed as the Combat Aircraft Industry Strategy. India, with a nearly non-existing aircraft industry, can benefit by understanding the key rationales underpinning the CAS. Kishore Kumar Khera July 23, 2018 IDSA Comments
Indian Aircraft Industry: Possible Innovations for Success in the Twenty-First Century, by Vivek Kapur Taking off in 1940 with the establishment of Hindustan Aircraft Limited (later named Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL), the Indian aviation industry has grown in spurts over the past seven decades and more. During the initial phase, HAL provided maintenance support to various combat aircraft of the allied forces in World War II and, subsequently, commenced licenced production of combat aircraft. After Independence in 1947 and its nationalisation, HAL grew in strength to design combat aircraft. Kishore Kumar Khera July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
India’s Defence Diplomacy with Southeast Asia: An Impetus to Act East India’s Act East policy is delivering results its approach towards Southeast Asia. India’s improving stature in the region along with other key geopolitical players has heralded its arrival as a major regional power in the power matrix. In fact, India is in a unique position in the region in terms of defence and military engagement and must explore this potential further. India satisfies all the attributes needed for robust interaction in the military sphere. Vignesh Ram July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Indian Strategic Culture and Grand Strategic Preferences The utility of the theory of strategic culture to explain the choices nation-states make is still to be convincingly proven. Alastair Iain Johnston has provided a viable notion of strategic culture that is falsifiable, its formation traced empirically, and its effect on state behaviour differentiated from other non-ideational variables. Following his methodological framework, Kautilya’s Arthashastra is identified as the ‘formative’ ideational strategic text which is assessed to illuminate Indian strategic culture. Kajari Kamal July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
