Publication Filter

From Protection of Shipping to Protection of Citizens and National Economies: Current Changes in Maritime Security

This article analyses the alteration of the referent object for maritime security from protection of shipping and port facilities to protection of citizens and national economies. It presents a tentative answer on the extent and consequences of this alteration applied by states in a global perspective, and focuses on validating four explanatory factors on why the alteration has occurred. The time period of study is between 1991 and 2013.

Effectiveness of Quality Assurance in Army Procurements

A closed loop feedback system for ensuring the quality of the Army equipment exists. Notwithstanding this, a number of Army equipment show a high failure rate at crucial times and are, therefore, a matter of great concern. These failed equipment have resulted in a number of avoidable casualties as well as restricted operational planning by tactical commanders in the field due to the non-availability of equipment for deployment, which results from their low reliability or high rates of failure.

Learning by Doing: The PLA Trains at Home and Abroad by Roy Kamphausen, David Lai and Travis Tanner

Learning by Doing: The PLA Trains at Home and Abroad analyses the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) training exercises and its joint international drills after the year 2000. Drawing on assorted media reports and other sources, the book has created a much-needed structured narrative on the subject. Media coverage, such as that by PLA Daily (China Military Online), has drawn attention to technological developments in PLA’s training exercises, their expanded time, and geographical span over the past decade. The PLA’s joint international drills have also been widely covered.

NSG Plenary Meeting: Nothing Inspiring

The Prague plenary seemingly skirted the ongoing China-Pakistan nuclear collaboration, now a well known chronic weakness of the NSG. Even the public statement did not mention a single line about this collaboration.

Rajiv Nayan |
July 11, 2013 |
IDSA Comments

Ouster of President Morsi and its Implications

The Islamic Brotherhood, vastly experienced in handling stress situations, is not going to take the ouster of its nominee and the democratically elected President with any sense of resignation.

R. S. Kalha |
July 09, 2013 |
IDSA Comments

The Increasing Complexity of the Internationalised Syrian Conflict

Into its third year, the Syrian conflict has been fuelled by a multiplicity of interest groups and countries, overshadowing the initial cause of the protests. Gains for either side in Syria have come to mean corresponding losses for different regional and international stakeholders.

Melissa M. Cyrill |
July 08, 2013 |
Issue Brief

Evolution of Aerial Combat

Trends towards direct energy weapons (DEW), though yet to be fully mature and battle proven, indicate a major shift in the conduct of aerial combat in the coming decades.

Vivek Kapur |
July 08, 2013 |
Issue Brief

India Enters New Era of Space Navigation

One of the biggest advantages of the navigational satellite, once the system gets fully operational, is to reduce the dependency on the GPS. This would make India largely self-sufficient in the navigational field.

Ajey Lele |
July 08, 2013 |
IDSA Comments

Reinventing Defence Procurement in India: Lessons from Other Countries and An Integrative Framework

Over the past decade, defence capital acquisition reforms have enhanced standardization, transparency and bigger acquisition budgets. Yet the system grapples with delays, cost escalations and gaps in operational preparedness. This article explores the structure, process and cultural dimensions of the acquisition system, unpacking the underlying linkages between policy, planning, budgeting, strategic direction, and outcomefocused analytical decision-making—factors that influence effectiveness of the procurement system.

The Maoist Threat

As a nation, we have a tendency to react once a crisis overtakes us. This holds good in the case of natural disasters like the annual floods in the North-East, earthquakes, the tsunami, the most recent calamity in Uttarkhand or national security threats like Kargil, 26/11 in Mumbai, and the Chinese intrusion in Eastern Ladakh in April 2013. To this list can be added the chimera of Maoism or Left-wing Extremism (LWE).