The recent 'heart as a weapon' initiative in Jammu and Kashmir has been received favourably both by critics of security forces and by the state government.
The Indian Army’s Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations does an admirable job in balancing human rights protection with operational demands. However, there is a degree of dissonance in the approach to human rights brought about by the perspective that protecting human rights is a means to an end.
This Brief argues that foot mobility is central to mountain warfare. It first uses historical evidence to show the advantageous use of this capacity by the victor. It then argues for preserving this ‘military biodiversity’ by including indigenous breeds of animals.
Faulty promotion policies and the unsatisfactory professional education of the officer corps deprive Indian military officers of the opportunity to master strategy and develop capacities for handling high level issues.
This paper attempts to address the increasing challenges faced by the Army -both individually for the soldier and collectively as an organization. It is an attempt to balance the soldier’s individual need for personal growth and development, optimizing his potential, as well as the military’s need for mission effectiveness.
A shift in strategic thinking over the past two decades has now led to India being poised between the strategic doctrines of offensive and defensive realism.
Demands from society and family are higher on soldiers and, thus contribute towards greater stress. Therefore, desired capacities have to be built in our recruitment system, training philosophy, training methodology, training infrastructure in training academies, regimental training centres, divisional training schools and other military colleges/ schools of instruction as also in our military thinking to produce motivated, efficient and stress-adapted officers and soldiers capable of meeting future warfare challenges efficiently
The current predicament the Military finds itself in can be used constructively by the Services and the government for undertaking the necessary correctives with a sense of urgency and obligation.
People in India have traditionally looked up to the Armed Forces. Corruption in the Armed Forces therefore militates against the spirit of service to the nation. It has to be cleansed wholesale, with effective mechanisms for protecting whistleblowers and taking swift action against the guilty put in place. Caesar’s wife must be beyond reproach.
