India is facing increased threats through both conventional and unconventional means hence it needs to shore up its capabilities in its western and eastern flanks of island clusters. The eastern side is relatively well protected through the presence of military assets in the Andaman archipelago, but the same cannot be said about the Lakshadweep group of islands on the western flank. There is an urgent need to improve our military preparedness in the Lakshadweep area that can detect and respond to seabased threats in real time.

Terrorism continues to be a major source of concern to nations as it poses a serious and evolving threat. It also constitutes a direct challenge to the national security and, more importantly, to national unity. India has been in the crosshairs of terrorism for over four decades hence it is imperative that there should be a robust technology driven anti-terror mechanism in place to effectively counter terror. Unmanned aerial vehicles would fit the bill perfectly in India’s fight against terror, especially urban terror.

Belarus has managed to escape the scanner of major countries reserved for rogue nations despite blatant violations of the laid-down international rules. Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, despite his moral credentials badly shaken after trumped up elections in 2020 still seems to be holding firm ground due to the unstinted support offered by Russia, an acknowledged military powerhouse.