Journal of Defence Studies

Institutional Challenges Confronting the Indian Armed Forces: The Moral and Ethical Dimension

The phenomenon of the apparent lowering of both personal and institutional moral and ethical standards in the armed forces is not limited to India. What is missing is an open debate on the complexities that drive the modern day profession of arms and the need for a mutually supporting relationship between the armed forces and the institutions of a democracy, especially at a time when newer forms of security threats are emerging.

Role of Morals, Ethics and Motivation in a Counter-insurgency Environment

Morals, ethics and motivation are the bedrock of the Indian Army, since it is considered more than a profession: a way of life. These qualities are put to test under most conditions of soldiering; however, there cannot be a more difficult environment than involvement of an army in protracted counter-insurgency (CI) operations. The conditions faced pose peculiar challenges, which force a soldier to adapt. This adaptation can potentially become a morally corrupting influence unless the ethical standards of a force and its moral bearings continue to guide actions.

Ethics at the Grassroots: A Values-based Approach

This article addresses the declining standards of morality in the armed forces and suggests measures to address it by undertaking appropriate interventions at the grassroots, unit or battalion. It traces the importance of ethics in the military, particularly in the context of the post-modern state, which grants exclusive authority to the armed forces for the use of violence. Further, it examines the state of ethics today and the challenges in codification to arrive at the basic ethical norms that need to be fostered in the military.

Falling Standard of Values in the Army: Dilution of Norms is the Root Cause

As human beings are a product of their environment and society, their interpretation of morals, ethics and value system differ. In a traditional culture like ours, attitudes are moulded by long-established practices, rituals and conventions. Group cohesion is a battle winning factor for a military. The Indian Army recruits officers and men from all parts of the country with diverse value systems and attitudes. It is well nigh impossible to weave them into a cohesive group without bringing them on to a common grid of conduct.

Roots of Moral Decline in the Armed Forces: Time to Reclaim our Izzat

The precipitate decline in moral and ethical values, as well as the steep fall in standards of private and public conduct, in recent years, has been accompanied by a concurrent erosion of values amongst India’s military personnel. Consequently, the armed forces, which were once considered exemplars of ethical conduct, discipline and decency, are rapidly slipping in the estimation of their countrymen.

Decoding the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities by Ajey Lele (ed.)

After becoming the first country to oppose the annual non-binding UN resolution ‘Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space’ in 2005, the US made it clear to the United Nations that it ‘will continue to consider the possible role that [S]pace-related weapons may play in protecting [its] [S]pace assets.’ This was only a precursor to the 2006 National Space Policy of the US that has cleared the way for the deployment of Spacebased weapons by the US.

IAF Equipment and Force Structure Requirements to Meet External Threats, 2032

In keeping with the theme ‘IAF Deep Multidimensional Change 2032: Imperatives and a Roadmap’, this article focuses on the responses to the external threat challenges that are likely to be face by IAF in 2032. The seexternal challenges have been identified to be the individual Chinese and Pakistani threats as well as a combined Sino-Pak threat. The article confines itself to developing a possible force structure only in terms of numbers of combat and support aircraft of various types for 2032.

Peace is Everybody’s Business by Arjun Ray

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has been ravaged by terror for over two decades. The scourge of terror, which was largely limited to the Kashmir valley and Jammu region, cast a shadow on Ladakh, the largest district of the state. In 1999, Ladakh, and in particular the area of Kargil, earned fame for the bloody battle that was fought between India and Pakistan. The inhabitants of Ladakh, largely Muslims of the Shia faith and Buddhists, were alienated, victims of apathy and neglect, living in abject poverty and denied governance.

A Soldier’s General: An Autobiography by General J.J. Singh

It is rare for Army officers to write their autobiographies and rarer still for those who have reached the very pinnacle of their careers. It is probably a mix of inertia and security concerns that stops the ink to make contact with paper. The autobiography of General J.J. Singh is therefore a welcome change to the trend. The publication is all the more creditable, as it has been written while the author continues to hold a constitutional appointment of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.

India, to the South China Sea and Beyond

This commentary attempts to map out some of the salient options for India in the region east of the Indian Ocean, that is, from the South China Sea (SCS) extending to the South Pacific. A maritime debate, the role and function of the Indian Navy is thus central.

The Limits of the India-United Kingdom Defence Relationship

The United Kingdom (UK) is keen on establishing a ‘stronger, wider and deeper’ relationship with India. It is ‘determined to make’ defence cooperation ‘an essential part’ of this relationship. London sees such a relationship with an India that will shape the twenty-first century as ‘an essential pillar’ in its ‘broader strategy’ to fashion a role for itself in Asia.

The Significance of 2020 in the Sino-Indian Context

The article looks at the implications of Hu Jintao’s speech at the 18th Party Congress regarding the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) military modernization programme and analyses the significance of 2020 as a key timeline in the speech. Drawing from the previous biennial National Defense papers and significant statements of the Chinese leadership, it assesses the modernization plan of the PLA’s four services in the Sino- Indian context and the probable capabilities that each service is likely will develop by 2020.

Nuclear Terrorism: Inevitable But Preventable?

The phenomenon of nuclear terrorism has been the subject of intense debate as also much hype. This article seeks to cut through the hype and examine the real portents of the threat in terms of event possibilities. In doing so, it calls for sobriety and balance in discussion, emphasizes the need to guard against ignoring numerous scientific facts and real difficulties along the way, and cautions against embracing unduly alarmist overtones.

The Students Islamic Movement of India: The Story So Far

The Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) continues to pose serious threats to the national security of India. Despite having been banned for 12 years, SIMI, it has been alleged, works through radical outfits like the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its front organizations. It has also been charged with having links with terror outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al Islami Bangladesh (HuJI-B), and the Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) of Bangladesh. At the same time, the government’s decision to ban SIMI has been questioned by one section of its members.

Logistics Support Agreement: A Closer Look at the Impact on India-US Strategic Relationship

Logistics support between the armed forces of India and the US will be a vital aspect for enhancing cooperation in capability development to respond to natural disasters and address emerging security threats of the twenty-first century. As the 2005 India-US New Framework Defence Agreement highlights the broader areas of convergence of security interests, the exchange of logistics support facilities would further enhance bilateral defence cooperation as well as India’s strategic role, keeping in view the projected expansion of the Indian Navy’s role beyond the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Changing the Course of War through Targeted Aerial Strikes: Afghanistan 2008–09

Targeted air strikes remain a cornerstone fighting technique in modern counter-insurgency and other military operations. Yet, scholars and practitioners remain divided on the question of the efficacy of this battle mechanism. This article examines some of the underlying assumptions made in their previous analyses, and serves to nuance those approaches. Specifically, it looks at war, not as a static phenomenon but rather as a constantly evolving environment—one where such aerial campaigns affect insurgent counter-strike capabilities and decisions.

Efficiency of Quality Assurance in Army Procurements

This article gives an overview of the evolution of Quality Assurance (QA) in army procurements as also various shortcomings in the contemporary principles and practices that cause delays in procurements and their possible solutions. The list of shortcomings is not exhaustive; however, due care has been taken to bring out the most important ones which need immediate attention. The causal factors of these shortcomings have been analysed and recommendations to overcome them have also been listed to make the QA practice more efficient and minimize delays due to QA.

Challenges for Indian Air Force: 2032

This is the first in a four-article series on the theme ‘IAF Deep Multidimensional Change 2032: Imperatives and a Roadmap’. It examines the challenges that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to face when it completes a century in 2032. The main external challenges facing the IAF are the Chinese, Pakistani and Sino-Pak threat, and the need to build and maintain capability for Out of Area Contingency Operations.

Naval Operations Analysis in the Indian Ocean Region A Review

The end of the Cold War resulted in a fundamental swing from a navy designed to engage a blue water battle fleet to one focused on forward operations in littoral waters. The Cold War era had fuelled massive research and development (R&D) in design of sonars that was able to substantially minimize the uncertainties of the underwater environment. The shift of the naval theatre to the littoral waters led to a paradigm change in terms of technology requirements to retain the effectiveness of these sonars.

Transformation of Indian Naval Aviation Post New Inductions

The need for credible surveillance over the high seas forms the bedrock and foundation of infallible maritime security, and Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) is the basic input for any successful maritime operation. For the last two decades, Indian naval aviation assets have been dependant on the Ilyushin (IL), the Tuplov (TU) aircraft, the Kamov (KM) 31 and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The Fleet Air Defence has also received a fillip by the induction of the MIG 29Ks.