Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

Pakistan’s Air Power

 Born of the partition assets of the pre-partition Indian Air Force, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) came of age towards the end of the fifties when, through free-supply of modern jet aircraft by the United States under the Mutual Security Agreement which Pakistan signed with the United States in May 1954, the PAF was transformed into an all-jet air-fleet. Since then, in instalments, Pakistan had received from the United States directly, or through their common military allies, fighters, fighter-bombers and bombers sufficient to form and equip about 10 combat squadrons, comprising 200 modern aircraft. Read More

Challenges to Deep-Decarbonization to Achieve Net Zero for India: A Review

 Achieving net-zero emissions is essential to limiting global warming, and India’s role is critical given its size, developmental needs, and rising energy demand. This article reviews recent academic and grey literature to identify key challenges to deep decarbonization in India, with a focus on the near term. It introduces a conceptual framework that groups these barriers into three broad categories: techno-economic, governance and institutional, and socio-economic and political economy. Within this structure, it analyses sector-specific obstacles in power, industry, and transport. The review highlights cost and financing barriers, regulatory and institutional limitations, and complex socio-political trade-offs. The article concludes by identifying opportunities for targeted interventions and outlines research and policy gaps that need urgent attention to ensure India’s transition to net zero aligns with its development priorities. Read More

Economy, Efficiency, and Equity: Significance of Gender-Balanced Militaries in the Global South

 The economic viability of ‘ideas’ is one of the primary driving forces in the policy landscape worldwide, and this principle needs to be employed in the service of gender equity and empowerment. This article makes a case for gender-balanced militaries via the efficiency, economy, and empiricism arguments. By looking at examples from South Asia, India in particular, the article demonstrates that interventions in gender balance are beneficial for the militaries in the Global South in both the short and the long term. Such interventions also allow the Global South to align their strategic goals with their socio-economic agenda. Read More

Landscaping Renewable Energy in Changing Dynamics of World Energy: India’s Response

 Energy security and climate change are prime concerns worldwide. Every nation has its own Nationally Determined Commitment, and it aspires to achieve net zero in a specific time frame. India too targets to achieve Net Zero by 2070. The large-scale exploitation of renewable energy can help to achieve Net Zero. The share of renewable energy in the total primary energy is expected to be more than 35 per cent by 2035. It has also been pledged that 40 per cent of the country’s electricity would be generated from non-fossil fuels, such as wind and solar. In response to the changing world energy dynamics, India has started positioning itself and accordingly implemented various policies and strategies. Read More

India-Oman Space Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges

 Countries like the US, China, Russia and France are significantly increasing their space programme budgets. West Asian countries like the UAE and Oman are investing in space programmes and collaborating with India to develop space technology. This research explores India-Oman space cooperation and its implications for West Asia’s regional space security objectives and politics. The article argues that India and Oman have the potential to forge a robust space cooperation through strategic capabilities despite challenges due to competition and policy gaps. The research undertakes a descriptive and analytical approach followed by policy recommendations and relies largely on primary resources. Read More

Rediscovery of the Chola Dynasty – A Review of Lords of the Earth and Sea: A History of the Chola Empire

 The Chola Empire, a dominant South Indian dynasty that thrived between the 9th and 13th centuries CE, has captivated the attention of historians for over a century. The Empire is often celebrated for its administrative innovations, military conquests, naval expeditions, economic prosperity, and cultural achievements. Over time, various historians, both Indian and Western, have offered diverse interpretations and assessments of the Chola legacy. While early historians like K.A. Nilakanta Sastri laid the groundwork by celebrating the grandeur and efficiency of the Chola State, later scholars such as Burton Stein and Romila Thapar have provided more critical and nuanced readings. The Cholas are now seen not merely as conquerors and temple-builders but as complex agents of social, economic, and cultural change. Read More

Geopolitical Dimensions of India’s Coal Transition

 This study examines the complexities of India’s coal transition within the global energy landscape, where there is a persistent dominance of coal despite the increasing share of renewables in the energy mix. The article aims to situate winners of energy transition and observes how crises have impacted the transition trajectories of these countries. Evolving bilateral and regional relations with geopolitical winners illustrate India’s efforts to integrate advanced technologies for coal transition. The article highlights the necessity of balancing coal phase-down policies with technological advancements to meet developmental priorities and climate commitments. Read More

Stranded in Legal Ambiguity: Gilgit-Baltistan’s Fight for Identity

 This article examines the legal ambiguity surrounding Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), a disputed region administered by Pakistan, through expert interviews. It explores GB’s unclear status, tethered to the Kashmir issue, and Pakistan’s strategic perpetuation of this ambiguity to bolster its UN plebiscite stance, facilitate CPEC projects, and manage sectarian dynamics. Cosmetic reforms, like the 2009 Empowerment Order, fail to grant true autonomy, leaving locals disenfranchised. The study highlights local demands for provisional provincial status or self-governance, arguing that Pakistan’s dual rhetoric—claiming GB as integral yet disputed—undermines rights and fuels resentment, urging a re-evaluation of GB’s constitutional limbo. Read More

India’s Evolving Approach Towards the Gulf: From Bilateralism to Regionalism

 The Gulf and Indo-Pacific are the two strategic regions in India’s extended neighbourhood located, respectively, at the northwestern and southeastern flanks of the Indian Ocean and are key to the geopolitical competition between the United States (US) and China. As China is increasingly a challenge in India’s national security and foreign policy discourses, and the Indo-US partnership takes momentum, it might have implications for India’s approach to the Gulf region. Taking a neoclassical Realist frame of analysis, this article contextualizes the US-China tensions and India’s engagements with the Gulf and the Indo-Pacific regions to argue that the developments in the Indo-Pacific are an important factor to the shifts in India’s approach towards the Gulf. Read More

Cyberwarfare in Post-Colonial States: An Analysis of China’s Apps Ban in India

 Cyberwarfare has emerged as a critical dimension of modern conflicts, challenging traditional State-centric frameworks in international relations. As technology continues to advance, cyber attacks have the potential to cause significant disruptions to critical infrastructure and national security. This article examines how post-colonial vulnerabilities intersect with cyberwarfare, highlighting the interplay between State and non-State actors in hybrid warfare. Using China’s App ban in India as a case study, the article explores how colonial legacies exacerbate cybersecurity challenges in post-colonial States. It argues for a decolonized approach to war studies that integrates the roles of technology, culture, and governance in addressing evolving cyber threats, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and inclusive governance structures. By highlighting the inadequacies of current legal and policy frameworks, the study underscores the need for collaborative, inclusive strategies to counter cyber threats. Read More
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