The recently held second Belt and Road forum in April 2019 based on the theme “Shaping a Brighter Shared Future" gained considerable momentum in the world community. BRI has been an ever evolving concept that has changed considerably since its inception in 2013. It has generated a blend of optimism and consternation around the world.
Senior Fellow, IDSA, Gp. Capt. Ajey Lele’s article on India’s space agenda, titled ‘Should India pursue a Space Force?’ has been published in The Space Review on May 13, 2019.
India’s ASAT test has provided an opportunity for the country to recalibrate its defense structures. It’s now clear that India needs to establish the fourth arm of its defense structure, the Indian Space Force, writes Gp. Capt. Lele.
Senior Fellow, IDSA, Gp. Capt. Ajey Lele’s article on India’s space programme, titled ‘India makes strides towards space security’ has been published in East Asia Forum on May 04, 2019.
India has a vibrant space programme and is keen to use space for developmental and commercial purposes. In the coming decades there could be a ‘space race for resources’ with asteroid mining becoming a reality. India needs to ensure that all treaties in the space domain are fair, writes Gp. Capt. Lele.
Senior Fellow, IDSA, Gp. Capt. Ajey Lele’s article on Mission Shakti, titled ‘A-SAT Mission Shakti: A project that made rocket science look simpler than politics’ was published in Financial Express on March 30, 2019.
Commenting on the political turmoil over the test, Dr Lele writes that internationally, India has significantly raised the stakes of the issues concerning Space Security. For India space is a tool for a growth and wellbeing of its people.
Senior Fellow, IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s opinion piece on ASAT test, titled ‘The successful ASAT test has earned India its rightful place on the high table’ was published in The Indian Express on March 29, 2019.
The article describes the ASAT missile test as a demonstration of technological capability and a message of deterrence and says that it strengthens India’s claims to be a party to international negotiations on space.
This 652-page book has six main sections and in total 21 chapters, including the introduction and conclusion. The basic themes discussed in the book include the prevention and disarmament issues related to the Chemical and Biological Weapons and the possible role for arms control, the ongoing advancements taking place in the field of chemistry and biology and the role of civil society to address various challenges posed by such weapons.
Senior Fellow, IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article on SSLV rockets, titled ‘Once Ready, ISRO’s SSLV Rockets Will Enhance India’s Strategic Capabilities’ was published in Strategic News International on February 08, 2019.
Technology and the armed forces have a symbiotic relationship. Many technologies which are presently used in day-to-day life, like the Internet or navigation systems (global positioning system [GPS]), actually have a link to, or are derived from, military innovations. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one arena of present generation technology that militaries have been developing mainly for two purposes: first, for juxtaposing it on their existing defence architecture for its performance enhancement; and second, for developing new types of militarily instruments and weapon systems.
This book debates and discusses the present and future of Disruptive Technologies in general and military Disruptive Technologies in particular. Its primary goal is to discuss various critical and advanced elucidations on strategic technologies. The focus is less on extrapolating the future of technology in a strict sense, and more on understanding the Disruptive Technology paradigm. It is widely accepted that technology alone cannot win any military campaign or war. However, technological superiority always offers militaries an advantage. More importantly, technology also has a great deterrent value. Hence, on occasion, technology can help to avoid wars. Accordingly, it is important to effectively manage new technologies by identifying their strategic utility and role in existing military architectures and the possible contributions they could make towards improving overall military capabilities. This can also entail doctrinal changes, so as to translate these new technologies into concrete advantages.
The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control treaty that outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors. This convention came into force on 29 April 1997. This convention is the effort of some 20 years of negotiations at the Conference of Disarmament (CD).
