Journal of Defence Studies

Reconstitution of the Bangladesh Rifles

The mutiny in Bangladesh Rifles in February 2009 tainted the image of the most important para-military force of Bangladesh. It completely destroyed the command structure of the force and created distrust between army and the BDR. In this situation, it became necessary to reconstitute the force. Bangladesh has undertaken this exercise. But the proposed reforms somehow does not appear geared to deal with the grievances of the BDR soldiers which have been seen at least as one of the causes of the mutiny.

North Korea’s Nuclear Issue: Security Implications for Asia

The security environment of Asia is threatened by the nuclear weapons development programme by North Korea. Threats of economic sanctions by denying economic aid and resolutions by the UN Security Council to punish Kim Jong-il regime have only reinforced Pyongyang's resolve to pursue its chosen path. Not only the future of the Six-Party Talks seems uncertain, there seems to have little hope to bring the recalcitrant country to the negotiating table.

The Evolution of African Armies: A Perspective in 2010

African militaries have only recently emerged from colonial rule and several decades of Cold War gaming by superpowers. As the continent continues to be riddled with wars, these armies have been an essential part of the problem and the solution. Their evolution over the time has occurred in waves of progress and arrest. While it is impossible to generalize about the entire continent's military apparatus, this paper highlights some of the larger trends that have emerged out of this evolutionary process.

India’s Defence Budget 2010-11: An Analysis

India's raised its defence budget for 2010-11 by 3.98 per cent to Rs. 1,47,377 crore. This allocation represents 2.12 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), which is below the global average of 2.5 per cent. Considering the void in defence preparedness and the rising military expenditure and capability in neighbourhood, India needs to increase its defence spending to around 2.5-3.0 per cent of GDP. However, the increase in allocation has to go with reforms in capital acquisition system, which in present form is unable to spend the allocated resources.

Naxalite Movement in India: The State’s Response

Introduction

Mark Fitzpatrick, The Iranian Nuclear Crisis: Avoiding Worst-Case Outcomes, 2008, Routledge, Oxon

This book explores the options for building a fence between dormant Iranian nuclear-weapons ability and a real weapon, both in practice and in terms of observation. There is no definite firewall between the peaceful nuclear activities as Iran claming allowed under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and weapons abilities, but there are some ways to make the difference between the two wider and more visible.

Indian Aerospace Power

Modern aerospace power is the only instrument that would give the country an assured capability to project precision fire power at great distances with or without mid-air refuelling and AWACS support and therefore, continues to remain the best instrument for deterrence and instantaneous and calibrated response to emerging threats. Whatever India decides, it cannot but modernise its aerospace power.

Keynote Address at the National Seminar on Defence Acquisition

Our defence forces require timely and cost effective acquisition of defence equipment to enable them to meet any challenge to the country's security. Especially all of you who represent the strategic community know very well that we are living in an era of challenges from many quarters. The emerging security scenario is very challenging. Nobody can say what will happen in some of our neighbouring areas. The situation is that critical.

Surveying State of Art Weapon System Availability: Merits of RFI System

…..SQRs form the basis of any procurement /development/R&D project
undertaken by SHQs, the process of formulating the same should be free of
vested influences, maintaining the confidentiality.

Address at the National Seminar on Defence Acquisition

Acquisition efficiencies represent the most vital element in India's quest for optimal defence capability build up in the desired time and cost horizons. The focused attention bestowed by MOD and Services Headquarters in recent years on this critical theme is a clear assertion of the country's resolve to acquire full spectrum military strength over the next 15-20 years.

Paper Evaluation of Technical Offers

……if Paper Evaluation were achieving its aim of ensuring that only those equipments that meet the technical parameters were invited for field evaluation and if that conclusion was to be true then such equipments should by and large clear field evaluation. However, experience does not suggest that. ……. modify …… existing procedure of Paper Evaluation to achieve the desired results much faster in the context of our acquisition philosophy of SUNDER – SASTA – AUR TIKAU alluded to earlier.

Firming Up the “Buy”, “Buy & Make” and “Make” Decision and Relevance of the Pre-Feasibility Study

The Government has professed it's inclination to promote indigenous production of defence products over and over again but unfortunately something seems to be holding the ministry back in taking on the issue wholeheartedly. In order to go full steam on the bandwagon of indigenization……..Scrap the present elaborate categorisation process completely and replace it by a simpler process….

The Challenges of Contract/Project Implementation

To prevent diffusion of responsibility, dedicated teams should be in place for the entire duration of a project, especially for non-R&D projects. The team should be mandated to stick to sanctioned time and cost but sufficiently empowered to make minor alterations in the scope. The team may be asked to sign a performance and integrity related MoU and assured of necessary support. This should include assured funding support because old projects may sometimes gasp for funding as new priorities take over with change of key decision makers.

Special Address at the National Seminar on Defence Acquisition

The present defence procurement and management structures in the Ministry of Defence were set up in 2001 in terms of the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on reforming national security system constituted in the wake of the Kargil conflict. The GOM recommended setting up of an acquisition wing with the task of expediting the acquisition of capital equipment required for the modernisation programmes of the three Services.

Sub-Conventional Warfare Requirements, Impact and Way Ahead

Clear higher level directions, strategic and tactical directives are essential for the Army and other security forces trained and equipped for conventional warfare to operate in an extremely challenging and hostile sub-conventional warfare environment. Commanders and troops must understand that they are operating in a tricky situation and their overall aim will always remain achievement of more perfect peace. It simply implies that there is no such thing as a quick military victory. Conduct of counterinsurgency campaigns will invariably extend over a number of years.

What Would Make the Multi-National Anti-Piracy Efforts Off Somalia More Effective?

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted unanimously on 30 November 2009 to extend for another 12 months a mandate for member countries to conduct anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, to include “entering the territorial waters and undertake all necessary measures that are appropriate in Somalia”. Earlier the same month during a session on “Piracy and the situation in Somalia”, the UNSC members criticised the practice of paying ransom and stated that the coordinated fight by navies from several countries had failed to deter the pirates.

Arms Acquisition Competitiveness: Relevant International Experiences

Even though the Indian government has begun to encourage participation of private sector in defence systems production, it is not technologically competitive in the global market. The Chinese are giving importance to two factors: first, the civilian high technology market should increase sophisticated dual-use products that are readily available to the military. Developments of new C4ISR capabilities in the military have been a consequent result of improvements in the telecommunications sector.

Vote of Thanks at the National Seminar on Defence Acquisition

Today, we are facing a serious challenge in trying to cope up with a rising China and in that effort we have very many disadvantages. The Chinese have a developed infrastructure on their side which we have failed to develop on our side. The Chinese have a much higher GDP, have a better developed, modernized military, and perhaps higher level of technology. Under these circumstances we have got to look for factors in our favour in the international situation which we could exploit in order to cope up with the Chinese challenge. Yes, there are.

Complex Project Management: An Appropriate Monitoring/Evaluation / Course Correction Methodology

Avoid persecution of the responsible parties if there are overruns, otherwise in future the managers will be reluctant to give any information for fear that it will be held against them. Project control should be seen as a tool to assist managers reach their objectives, not as a weapon of attack.

Challenges of Capability definition and Cost Efficient QR Formulation

Services need to be very clear about their future requirements for the next 10 to 15 years based on an in depth analysis of the emerging threats and evolving technologies. While it is always desirable to seek extra capability that developed nations may be planning to acquire, but it must be kept in mind that finally the resources are limited and an increase in SQR from 90% to 95% would result in cost of equipment increasing two to three times. The cost of the technology exponentially rises with the increase in level of QRs.