Journal of Defence Studies

Arms Acquisition Accountability Processes

Most of the advanced democracies agree that confidentiality is needed in terms of technical performance parameters; the numbers to be procured and methods of deployment, which may provide unique advantages to the user. Instead of the military or the civil servants treating these aspects exclusively as military capability issue, legislative intervention is needed for professionalizing and institutionalizing public accountability of security sector. Parliamentary processes have constitutional legitimacy and duty to examine security sector accountability.

Defence Acquisition Process: Issues Pertaining to the Department of Defence Production

The issues of the Department of Defence Production pertain to the development of indigenous production capability in the sphere of defence. This is very important both from strategic requirements point of view, as also how we look at ourselves as a country, how we look at our future and where we want to be seen in the community of nations. It is also important from the point of view of strategic independence. That is why indigenous defence production base is important to us and that is why this accent on indigenous manufacture of defence equipment.

Defence Planning in India

Although India’s defence planning mechanism has evolved over the years, it is still inadequate with respect to prioritisation of precious resources, optimum force suture and creation of a strong domestic defence industrial base. Given India’s complex security environment and massive expenditure on national defence, the planning mechanism needs to be strengthened by articulation of national security objectives and creation of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Doctrine of Self-Reliance in Defence Technologies

There is a strong case for factoring in the impact of defence acquisitions on national economy, industrial capabilities and employment generation. Indigenous systems cannot be promoted without firm conviction on its rationale and advantages. Major systemic changes will have to be effected in the process of requirements generation, development and manufacturing, test and evaluation in order to make progress towards greater self reliance.

Comprehensive Logistics Management in Defence

The RFP should define the sustained capability required for a defined period of time. It should ask the vendors to give technical and commercial proposals for owning and exploiting the same as per the defined usage at a specified level of operational readiness. The provisions for defence offset should be leveraged for setting up the necessary JVs to provide life time training, maintenance and logistic support in accordance with the principles of PBL. In case any existing infrastructure could be made available to him, its details and lease arrangements should also be specified.

Key Aspects of Defence Offsets: Negotiating the MOU between Bidder and Offset Partner

The DPP has proved to be a dynamic document, with improvements with every successive version minimising ambiguities. Documents where ambiguities are either absent or minimum; documents that are transparent and are open to anyone connected; and documents that have good guidelines and directives, serve as an anchor when resolving conflicts that may arise in execution of activities in the related field. The DPP is one such document in the process of defence procurement.

Modernization of Infantry in India

Besides equipping the infantry, a serious look also needs to be given to its training. Use of tactical simulators for training commanders up to unit level, support weapons and advanced infantry weapons simulators, driving and communication simulators have to be procured and utilised to train better educated soldiers who will be required to handle more complex weapon systems and equipment in future.

Defence Acquisition Process : Oversight Concerns

Aspects of cost-efficient QR formulation, RFI and RFP, technical and commercial evaluation including time frames for evaluation, imparting project management orientation to the entire acquisition process including post contract deficiencies were covered in a seminar organised by IDSA on October 27, 2009 seminar.

Hughes, Christopher W., Japan’s Remilitarization

Crippled by US drafted pacifist Constitution and growing pressure from the pacifist lobby within the country, Japan adopted a pacifist security policy during the Cold War period and various governments adopted policies such as ban on arms export and related technology, 1% GDP cap on defence spending, three non-nuclear principles and non- use of space for defence purposes.

Integrated Network Electronic Warfare: China’s New Concept of Information Warfare

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) considers active offence to be the most important requirement for information warfare to destroy or disrupt an adversary's capability to receive and process data. Launched mainly by remote combat and covert methods, the PLA could employ information warfare pre-emptively to gain the initiative in a crisis.

Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India

It has become almost a cliché to say that the LWE situation is the most serious internal threat facing the country. Naxalism has been operating in several parts of the country. It has been there from the late 60s and 70s and different parts of the country have been affected with different levels of naxal violence. It has been tackled in different ways in West Bengal, in Kerala, in Andhra and so on and so forth, Telangana situation was there earlier. A significant change came about with the merger of the Peoples War Group and the MCC to form the CPI (Maoist) in 2004.

Management of Medical Stores in Indian Armed Forces

Due to the large base and geographical spread of users, AFMSDs face difficulties in supplying the required stores to indenters. As a result, clientele satisfaction is affected. The pharmaceutical industry in India has developed over a period of time and there are reputed firms which have wide and reliable network to supply medical stores. Thus, hospitals/units located in peace stations can obtain their stores requirement directly from RC holder or the local market. The smaller units could be attached to the nearest hospitals functioning as DDOs.

India, China and the United States: The Triangle That Isn’t

At the outset, I should like to clarify that I am not going to theorize or build models on global or regional international relations. I am also not going to speak on India and China as such as I have already spoken on it at some length some months ago at the Indian Council of World Affairs. If anyone would like to look through the text of that speech, she or he could get it from the ICWA or from me. This lecture is, in the nature of things, more China focussed.

Hans Blix, Why Nuclear Disarmament Matters

The end of the World War II brought new hopes of creating a better and more peaceful world. However, the beginning of the Cold War and the fierce arms race among the superpowers and allies dashed such optimism. Despite promises by the superpowers to disarm, even by the end of the Cold War, more than 50,000 nuclear weapons still posed security threat to the international community. In recent years, instead of improving, the climate for arms control and disarmament has deteriorated further.

Wang Gungwu and Zheng Yongnian (eds.), China and the New International Order

Wang Gungwu and Zheng Yongnian's edited book studies the issue of how China has been transformed and reshaped as a consequence of the new international order and how China's role has been redefined. The book also attempts to study the domestic sources of China's international behaviour. Its central premise is “how China can reshape the international order depends on whether China has such a capacity, which is a function of its domestic development.

China Builds Dam on Indus near Ladakh

The tail-end of Indus receives so little water that today Sindh's agriculture faces extinction. Further reduction of water will increase salinity, land erosion and sea-flooding that will severely damage the Indus delta. As a consequence, rise in water table may flood cities like Karachi and Thattha. The impact of water shortage on aquatic wildlife will be detrimental.

Ravi Vohra and P.K. Ghosh (Ed), China and the Indian Ocean Region

This book is based on an International Seminar organized by the National Maritime Foundation titled “China and the Indian Ocean Region. The book has ten chapters which cover a number of aspects related to the security and politics involved in the Indian Ocean region. The papers in the book highlight the fact that the Chinese undertakings vis-à-vis the Indian Ocean is primarily aimed at securing the sea lanes of commerce. Today China is heavily depended on the import of its energy and resources in order to run the economy. The major route of this transport runs through the Malacca Strait.

John Quigley, The Ruses for War: Americanz Interventionism since World War II

Though we hear a lot about Islam phobia and xenophobia in popular and political parlance in America, the fact remains that the us has a long and rich tradition of critical study and independent thinking. American foreign policy discourse does not constitute any exception to this tradition. The legendry thinker Noam Chomsky has constantly been questioning motives of American foreign policy and indicting it for many misdemeanors, which, he claims, has committed in the name of containment of communists or war on terror.

Ijaz Khan, Pakistan’s Strategic Culture and Foreign Policy Making: A Study of Pakistan’s Post 9/11 Afghan Policy Changes

In Pakistan's Strategic Culture and Foreign Policy Making: A Study of Pakistan's Post 9/11 Afghan Policy Changes, Ijaz Khan, develops an understanding of the strategic culture in Pakistan. Focusing on the policy decisions in Pakistan post 9/11, it develops an understanding of Pakistan's foreign policy and the role of the Pakistani state in the war against terrorism.

India’s Response Options to Pakistani Nuclear First Use

The promise of 'massive' nuclear retaliation may prove inadequate in staying Pakistani nuclear hand in face of Indian offensives. Inflicting 'unacceptable damage' may appear disproportionate to its leadership if in response to lower order nuclear first use. Therefore, nuclear retaliation could well be of quid pro quo or quid pro quo plus levels with damage not amounting to an 'unacceptable' order.