WORLD
Indo-US ties are based on mutual benefit, not ‘strategic freeloading’
Ill-informed commentary from a section in the US suggests that India is a strategic freeloader in a manner similar to NATO allies. That is a wholly inaccurate portrayal of the bilateral relationship which is based on a two-way flow of advantages. Also, India is charting its own path to enhance its Comprehensive National Power
POLITICS
Why military training for youth and children is a misguided idea
Military training for youth, though patriotic in intent, lacks clear objectives and evidence, risks militarising society, burdens youth, diverts resources, and undermines democratic, philosophical, and developmental principles of good citizenship
BUSINESS
How Russia finances its war against Ukraine
Oil and gas revenues account only for 30 per cent of Russia’s budget expenditure. Russia has other significant sources for funding its expenditure, including war expenditure. Russia’s war finance is ‘an independent variable’ and largely immune from international sanctions
BUSINESS
An opinion born of frustration that is dead on arrival
In the case of the US, there are simply too many variables shaping Indo–US ties. Leadership factors, even if occasionally not healthy, are peripheral in shaping the bilateral relations. The dead economy comments against India were made less out of conviction and more out of frustration
BUSINESS
Pax NATOcana? Mark Rutte’s laughable fantasy
NATO’s Secretary General’s threat of secondary sanctions against countries such as India and China if they continue to trade with Russia is out of sync with economic reality. It’s a fraying alliance and faces a bleak future as the theatre of superpower rivalry shifts to the Pacific
INDIA
Enterprising states can boost India’s military industrial complex
Andhra Pradesh’s aerospace and defence cluster policy has useful takeaways for other states interested in attracting investments in these sectors. Prior efforts by states have not delivered satisfactory outcomes. However, with corrective policy measures states can draw in significant investment
WORLD
Asim Munir’s lunch with Trump showed Pakistanis who’s ‘The Real Boss’
Samuel Huntington theorized decades ago on civilian supremacy in democracies. He clearly didn’t account for Pakistan where the civilian administration seems to be a prop for the military’s conception of democracy. It’s led to black humour such as Pakistan army has a country for itself while other countries have armies. A look at how this sui generis model plays out
WORLD
Pakistan’s Army gets the bucks, but can’t produce a bang
Without checks and balances from civilians, Pakistan’s defence budget increases are unrelated to the state of the economy, which is dismal. Within the military, it’s the officer class that’s the prime beneficiary of the largesse. Most importantly, a generous defence budget has not translated into demonstrable military capability
WORLD
Ukraine’s Op Spider Web proves strategy and preparedness are essential to battlefield wins
A surge in drone usage in recent conflicts has led to a belief in technological determinism. Seductive as drones and other weaponry are, evidence from the ground in recent conflicts show that getting the basics right makes the difference. Weapons need to be undergirded by strategy
WORLD
Will Bangladesh Army stage a coup?
The gulf between the Yunus-led caretaker government and the military brass is evident. A deterioration in both political and security conditions have catalyzed speculation of a coup. That said, when studied against the backdrop of conditions that enable a coup, Bangladesh seems unlikely to witness a military takeover. At present.
INDIA
India’s an emerging drone giant, with 10% market share. Is this tech really a game changer?
This month’s Indo-Pak conflict saw South Asia’s first drone battle, with India winning hands down. It’s unleashed a wave enthusiasm across the domestic drone ecosystem and sparked speculation on drones being a military silver bullet. A clear-eyed assessment, however, shows drones to be just one among the efficacious options. And it’s most effective when used in combination with other weaponry
BUSINESS
Robo-soldiers across the Himalayas
Recently robots participated in a Beijing half-marathon. It may have triggered amusement but it should be seen as an experiment in changing the profile of soldiers. In a not too distant future, the move towards ‘intelligentised warfare’ could see the proliferation of robot soldiers in the PLA
WORLD
China’s façade of neutrality in Russia-Ukraine conflict
There may not be a cogent justification for Chinese soldier-volunteers to fight against Ukraine, but China would not send them without a long-term strategy. It must be part of a calibrated strategy that is yet to emerge in public domain
INDIA
Who's India’s foremost national security threat?
Unlike the US, designing a national security threats pecking order is not an easy job in India. In the absence of an official policy statement, the entire debate is under-developed. Consequently, we do not have an outright answer to our national security problems as well as priorities
BUSINESS
China’s military industrial complex has quality issues. Self-reliance is some way off
A sharp drop in China’s share of global arms imports may give the impression that its MIC has crossed a critical hurdle. It’s however premature to reach this conclusion as supply disruptions in both Russia and Ukraine, among largest arms suppliers to China, may have distorted the data. It’s China’s dwindling share in global arms exports that provide a truer picture of China’s MIC
BUSINESS
Observing China through Western lens
China’s actual defence spending remains a mystery, with Western estimates placing it within an unusually wide range. Indians fall into a cognitive information trap by relying on these sources. India needs to enhance it capabilities to understand China, which should lead to knowledge production that caters to India’s strategic interests
WORLD
Europe’s increased defence spending doesn’t cut it. Ukraine needs the US
The US not just provided the largest support to Ukraine among individual countries, its supply of military hardware has no immediate substitute. Moreover, Europe’s stated intent to ramp up military spending will run into the constraint caused by the continent’s relative economic decline. The US is irreplaceable in Ukraine’s war effort
INDIA
Trump ask of NATO members will trip on budget constraints
Trump may have a legitimate grievance in nudging the NATO countries to open their coffers for defence. In 2024, all NATO countries spent $1185 billion (estimated). Out of this, the US alone spent $755 billion. Trump’s call for raising defence budget amongst NATO partner countries may remain a ‘cherished dream’. At best, these countries may agree for more defence burden sharing in future conflict situations
BUDGET
How to contextualise India’s defence budget
Neither does India noticeably underspend on defence nor does the military run short of money for equipment purchase. Budgetary lapses too don’t take place. The structural issue facing policy makers is to shift the pattern of defence spending to 60 percent for equipment and 40 percent on revenue items. Currently, it’s the other way round
POLITICS
From Syria to Myanmar: Why national armies struggle against rebel forces in civil wars
National armies often struggle against rebel forces due to inadequate strategies, asymmetrical warfare, and lack of counter-insurgency training. Factors like dispersed rebels, high-tech weapons, and political divisions hinder national armies, while democratic societies offer hope through inclusive approaches to resolve civil wars
INDIA
India’s arms production and inferences from SIPRI report
India's domestic military industrial complex is thriving, with domestic production meeting two-thirds of weapons requirements. However, India remains a peripheral player in the global arms production market, with only 1.1% representation in SIPRI's top 100 companies, necessitating policy reforms
BUSINESS
What Elon Musk doesn’t get about military technology
Technology matters amongst military weapons only when they enjoy decisive edge over the existing weapons through a generational advantage. We, therefore, need to water down the enthusiasm over drones being a superior or transformative military technology to fighter jets. Drones, at best, will co-exist with other new generation weapons
WORLD
Israel’s military resilience undermines calls for arms embargo
Despite France and other countries pushing for arms embargoes, Israel’s military strength - backed by significant US support, robust domestic production, and vast stockpiles - makes it largely immune to any disruptions in arms supply, ensuring continued operations in Gaza and beyond
WORLD
Ukraine’s Victory Plan: Much ado about nothing
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy recently detailed a victory plan which aims to secure US support. Given Ukraine's resource constraints, the victory plan is perhaps too ambitious and a poor reflection of overconfidence
