With changing times and the growing profile of India in the international system, there is a need for a change in the structure and process of recruitment into this very important service.
The Syrian decision to use chemical weapons on civilian targets in Khan Sheikhoun in an effort to seek control of the last rebel held territory of Idlib and the US reaction have created a new dynamics in the Syrian crisis.
Post the decommissioning of the Sao Palo, to be completed by 2020, not a single South American navy will operate an aircraft carrier, perhaps reflecting the relative military decline of the region as well as a recognition that carriers can be expensive prestige projects that are quite ineffective in combat.
Sheikh Hasina’s visit should not be seen through the narrow prism of an agreement on defence cooperation or Teesta but through the broader perspective of the unexplored potential in India-Bangladesh relations.
Human rights, privacy and protection of confidentiality are important issues, but so are the requirements of intelligence agencies which have to contend with the inhumane activities of terrorist groups and individuals.
The result of the by-election clearly indicates the need for the NLD government to speedily engender trust among the ethnic minorities. A successful peace process and peace negotiations can be one aspect of it.
In the wake of reports that more than 2000 terrorists belonging to the JMB and HUJI-B have entered India, it is imperative to assess the potency of the JMB threat to India’s security and the counter terrorism measures that need to be undertaken to curb the same.
In the face of Brexit, the continued union of UK and Scotland hinges on arriving at a suitable political accommodation between the UK and the broad spectrum of the Scottish polity and the public.
Despite the opacity of Central Asian politics, the course of political change in the region is likely to be smooth, which is also essential for peace and stability within and outside Central Asia.
China has created a constituency within the Nepal Army during the last few years. Some senior officers of the NA favour deeper military cooperation with China to reap more benefits.
The strategic dialogue should focus on the fundamentals of shared beliefs and political culture, and be supported by widespread engagement at the provincial, governmental and academic levels.
India’s current nuclear doctrine does not call for an automatic massive retaliation for Pakistan’s use of TNWs against Indian troops on Pakistan soil. However, this does not mean that such an attack will go unanswered.
Costa Rica is determined to maintain a demilitarised approach to internal security despite the increasing challenge from violent transnational organized crime largely linked to the trade in illegal narcotics.
Though it began as a search for a path to political democracy, the Arab Spring was used or misused by external powers and entrenched interests within the Arab world to prevent the march towards democracy.
It is time to engage in a dialogue process not just for enhancing strategic trust but also to think more cunningly about how to benefit from China’s riches by gaining access to Chinese credit and technology, and securing markets for Indian products.
The relationship between the cost versus coverage of technology transferred, which likely follows the law of diminishing returns, would make technology acquisition beyond, say 80 per cent, increasingly cost prohibitive, with no matching and assured gains
It is important to restore the functional self-sufficiency of the finance division of a ministry which handles 17-18 per cent of the total central government expenditure so that it could discharge its responsibilities without real or perceived pressures.
It would be prudent for the new state government to re-instil confidence among all parties through a total focus on equitable development in both the Hills and the Valley areas and take all stakeholders on board before undertaking any controversial move.
Increased security cooperation and the potential for cooperation in the Middle East peace process are likely to be the key areas of discussion during the impending visit of King Abdullah to India.
