Strategic Analysis

Neville Maxwell’s War

Neville Maxwell's book, India's China War (Jaico Publishing House, Bombay, 1970) has already been subjected to extensive comments by a number of senior journalists in this country. By and large, the comments are not commendatory and one correspondent reflected the official view that it had woven a string of half-truths and misrepresentations around a preconceived conclusion. It is natural for an ordinary Indian to be indignant over the book.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West by Ahmed Rashid

In the recent past, Pakistan has earned the distinction of being the most dangerous place on earth. According to some analysts it is a failed state, while others insist that since there is every possibility of resurrection, it should not be considered a failed state. However, almost everyone would agree that the state is in the midst of a severe crisis and poses a great danger to peace in the world in general and the region in particular.

Rethinking Class in Russia by Suvi Salmenniemi (ed.)

Class is a normatively charged concept rooted in ideas of oppression, exploitation and domination. The collapse of the Soviet Union engendered an unprecedented rise of social inequalities in Russia. Social differentiation, poverty and the emergence of a newly rich class on the eve of the Soviet collapse have seldom been analysed from a class perspective. Rethinking Class in Russia addresses this lack by exploring how class positions are constructed and negotiated in new Russia, by taking an ethnographic and cultural studies approach to the topic.

Russian Energy Security and Foreign Policy by Adrian Dellecker and Thomas Gomart (eds.)London/New York, Routledge, 2011, 256 pp., $135, ISBN 0-203-81673-0 (master e-book), 978-0-415-54733-8 (hbk), 978-0-203-81673-8 (ebk) Russian Energy Security and Forei

This book is a collection of essays by eminent scholars focusing on the energy security of Russia and how it plays a dominant role in Russia's foreign policy. The main objective of the book is to probe the link between Russia's foreign and energy policies. However, energy security is a key element in Russia's national security is analysed systematically and coherently.

Vortex of Conflict: US Policy toward Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq by Caldwell Dan

The United States is currently facing daunting security challenges in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq. In the midst of a growing domestic economic crisis and anti-Americanism abroad, there is an ongoing debate in the academic and policy-making circles questioning the basic American foreign policy goals towards these countries. For the present, it seems that the restoration of peace, stability and security and normal diplomatic relations with these countries is still a distant prospect. In this context, Dr.

Internal Conflicts: Military Perspectives by V.R. Raghavan (ed.)Vij Books, New Delhi, 2012, 324 pp. Internal Conflicts: Military Perspectives by V.R. Raghavan (ed.)

India's tryst with destiny began on 15 August 1947. It did not take long for both conventional and sub-conventional challenges to manifest in the onward journey of the nascent country thereafter. While a number of accounts have since been written of state and region-specific insurgencies as a subset of sub-conventional threats, this edited volume attempts to analyse the conflicts from a military perspective.

India’s Foreign Policy: Coping with the Changing World by Muchkund Dubey

Muchkund Dubey's book on India's foreign policy is quite different from similar books written in recent times. Most books either reveal a nostalgia for the Nehruvian past or reject it altogether. The author of this book adopts a different approach. He links foreign policy to domestic factors at every step of his analysis and reminds the policy makers that there are limits to what diplomacy can achieve. He also points out that an uncertain domestic situation handicaps India's foreign policy.

Essays on the Kuki–Naga Conflict: A Review

The Kuki–Naga conflict, which was mainly fought on land and identity issues, resulted in the uprooting of hundreds of villages, with the loss of more than 1,000 lives and enormous internal displacement. The British colonial policy of governance in the north-east frontier of India and the rise of ethnic nationalism among both the Kukis and Nagas in the post-independence period were the roots of the conflict.

Understanding Diverse Global Thoughts on Air Power

Air power has gone through a lot over the last two decades—from being a decisive tool of war fighting during Operation Desert Storm and operations over Kosovo, to a more sobering period in the first decade of this century when it faced intense criticism over its use in Lebanon, Iraq and Af-Pak.

India’s Relationship with Saudi Arabia: Forging a Strategic Partnership

Trade has been the dominant factor in India's relationship with Saudi Arabia, with the import of oil being a major component. India views Saudi Arabia as a country with which it can forge security ties in order to deal with terrorism, piracy and criminal elements. Diplomatically, it could be a gateway for India into the wider Arab and Islamic world. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has reciprocated India's initiatives relating to issues of mutual interest. Although some hurdles remain, it is time for both countries to work towards building a strong strategic partnership.