Journal of Defence Studies

Richard Bonney, Tridivesh Singh Maini and Tahir Malik (Eds.), Warriors after War: Indian and Pakistani Retired Military Leaders Reflect on Relations between the Two Countries, Past, Present and Future

This is an interesting book which offers views, insights and analyses of the relations between India and Pakistan through the interviews with top 26 ex-military officials from both the nations. These officers from both the sides held important positions and provided crucial leadership to their respective militaries in the years after the birth of two nations in 1947. The book attempts to explore whether sustainable peace is possible between both the nations and what are the prospects for the resolution of all outstanding issues between the two nations including the Kashmir dispute.

PLA’s Influence in Foreign Policy Making in China and Implications for India

Given the growing international dimensions of the three areas assigned to the PLA in the White Paper, especially the increasing linkage between the country’s national security needs and foreign policy goals, the leadership in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has rightly entrusted the country’s defence establishment with the task of conducting its own ‘diplomacy’ under a ‘new security concept’.

Complex Cold Warriors: US-China Relations & Implications for India

US-China relations have assumed a new dimension in recent years and reflect
the various tensions and mutual suspicions that are inevitable in a relationship
between an existing super power and a rising super power.

Chess and Go: Strategic Rivalry or Harmonious Balance?

When troops are deployed on active frontier duty - even in peacetime - the key
issues that face commanders are: maintaining morale, vitality and discipline for long
periods. Under difficult climatic conditions or in areas far from human habitation,
the challenges are multiplied.....

Infrastructure Development and Chinese War Waging Capabilities in Tibet

China has created world class infrastructure on the Tibetan plateau in terms of highways, rail links, airports, logistic installations and oil pipelines which have civilian as well as military usage, allowing China to settle its Han majority population into these sparsely populated areas, project power in Central and South Asia, and make sustained efforts to integrate these alien areas. These unprecedented infrastructure developments have significantly multiplied the war waging capabilities of China, including against India.

China and India: Maritime Commonalities and Divergences

When a nation embarks upon the process of shifting from an “inward-leaning economy” to an “outward-leaning economy,” the arena of national security concerns begins to move to the oceans . The expanding economies and ever increasing demand for natural resources has rekindled the maritime vision of these growing nations. The rediscovery of a maritime vision leading to increased inroads in the maritime domain by both these nations could be viewed as being based on maritime commonalities. Along with the commonalities there are divergences in strategic thought and approach.

Soft Way to Consolidate Hard Power: China’s New ‘Low Profile’ Strategy Orientation

China learnt in 2010 that continued strategic tension with the United States provides less advantage to China’s vital interests. For consolidating a peaceful development environment, China began to reshape its rising strategy of “Low Profile with a new identity of an emerging power”. China might not satisfy the US hegemony profile, however, China is not certain nowadays that it can overcome its strategic limits and diplomatic isolation in East Asia.

The Military Confidence Building Measures Strategy Across the Taiwan Strait

On December 31, 2008, the President of China, Hu Jintao, gave an important speech
on the eve of the 30th anniversary of “A letter to the Taiwan compatriots” dated
January 1, 1979, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

China’s Strategic Culture and Sino-US Military Relations: A Re-view

China’s strategic culture professes both peace and aggression, but is also marked by ruse and deception. Military power is a necessary ingredient of great power status and China’s current rise includes hi-tech military modernisation that can challenge the only contender it has in the Asia-Pacific, the United States.

Sino-Myanmar Military Cooperation and its Implications for India

China is emerging as the closest strategic partner of Myanmar. This has been advanced by politico-military assistance followed by economic and energy cooperation. Besides, Myanmar is becoming strategically significant for India for strengthening its economic links with South East Asia; for acquiring energy resources and from the security perspective. The Sino-Myanmar military cooperation which started with the negotiation of purchase of arms including jet fighters, armoured vehicles and naval vessels has gone much deeper.