Major Lessons from Operation Pawan for Future Regional Stability Operations The Indian intervention in Sri Lanka throws up five major lessons for future regional stability operations. Firstly, it is imperative to define the mission unambiguously and establish a clear mandate. Secondly, there is need for a robust military contingency planning process as well as discussions at various levels within the system to refine plans and provide an adequate force to meet possible eventualities. Thirdly, clear command and control needs to be established at the outset and the appropriate field formation must be designated as the headquarters. S. Kalyanaraman | July 2012 | Journal of Defence Studies
Stealth and Counter-stealth Some Emerging Thoughts and Continuing Debates If there is one dimension in the air attack–air defence continuum that is riding high on the wings of enabling edge technologies, it is the use of stealth, both in the offensive and defensive domains. V. K. Saxena | July 2012 | Journal of Defence Studies
Defence Procurement Procedure The Unfinished Agenda It has been a long time since the first set of instructions on defence procurement was issued in 1992. Since then, however, there have been several refinements and additions, based on the feedback from the stakeholders and the experience of the Defence Ministry itself, culminating in the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2011. This is presently under review and it would be reasonable to expect that the changes being contemplated will result in further refinement of the procedure and address some of the concerns expressed from time to time. Amit Cowshish | July 2012 | Journal of Defence Studies
Parliament and Defence Preparedness The leakage of the former Army Chief General V.K. Singh’s secret letter of 12 March 2012 to the Prime Minister, on large scale deficiencies in the Army, created an uproar in Parliament. While the issue of who leaked the letter and the motive behind the leak is under investigation by intelligence agencies, the bigger aspect that needs to be examined is how did we reach this level of hollowness, and what needs to be done to rectify the situation and avoid a recurrence in the future. Deepak Kapoor | July 2012 | Journal of Defence Studies
NATO Supply-Lines: Crocodile Tears and India Dilute Pakistan’s Ghairat Regardless of the spin and gloss that Pakistan puts on the decision to re-open NATO supply lines to Afghanistan, it was in large measure the result of sustained US economic, political and diplomatic pressure. Sushant Sareen | July 06, 2012 | IDSA Comments
The Significance of Connectivity in India-Myanmar Relations With better connectivity and implementation of various development projects, the Asian Highway would enable the North-East region to become a business hub of South Asia. Shristi Pukhrem | July 06, 2012 | IDSA Comments
Multiple Rebel ‘Naga Armies’ in Nagaland Without rooting out the parallel structures of an illegitimate economy and violence existing in Nagaland, efforts undertaken by Naga civil society to bring about peaceful reconciliation would only deliver sub-optimal results. Namrata Goswami | July 06, 2012 | IDSA Comments
African Union COMMISSION IN A STALEMATE The imbroglio over who should be chairperson of the African Union Commission has exposed deep divisions among African states, which will undermine the effective functioning of the commission itself. Babjee Pothuraju | July 06, 2012 | Backgrounder
SM Krishna’s Visit to Tajikistan and India’s ‘Connect Central Asia’ Policy SM Krishna’s visit marks the stepping up of India’s newly pronounced ‘connect Central Asia’ policy, although the biggest challenge is convert the proposals into reality. Meena Singh Roy | July 05, 2012 | IDSA Comments
Debating the Interlocutors’ Report on Jammu and Kashmir There is much scope for imaginative thinking on the desirability, compatibility of goals and feasibility of the political, cultural and socio-economic components of the new compact as suggested by the Interlocutors. Arpita Anant | July 04, 2012 | IDSA Comments
