gghhh Courtesy: Gateway House
21 December 2016

Security: intrinsic to foreign policy interests

Security studies provides the framework for anticipating and analysing threats. While foreign policy offers fitting strategies to respond to these threats and address potential issues. Both contribute fundamentally to the other, making it important for both fields to be developed and studied.

Barack-Obama-Nawaz-Sharif Courtesy: Wikipedia
10 October 2016

U.S.-Pakistan: still cosy after Uri

There has been a strengthening in the India-U.S. bilateral, which reached new heights with the signing of the LEMOA agreement in August, 2016. However, this strengthened bilateral has not resulted in a strong response to Pakistan by the U.S. Government.

800px-thumbnail Courtesy: Wikipedia
12 May 2016

India: openly-allied with the U.S.

After nearly a decade of moving slowly towards the U.S. on critical matters including nuclear power, the recent bilateral agreement to share military facilities and have anti-submarine warfare talks, suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have India sail the oceans with the American eagle.

US India Navy Courtesy: Ash Carter / Flickr
16 April 2016

India-U.S.: convergence and divergence

The success of the U.S. Defense Secretary's recent visit to India is indicative of the deepening India-U.S. defence relationship. It has become clear that Indo-U.S. maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean is steaming ahead; while other geopolitical differences, like the sale of aircraft to Pakistan, seem unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

washington-2010 Courtesy: Whitehouse.gov
29 March 2016

Developing global nuclear security

Once the fourth and final global Nuclear Security Summit is held this week in Washington, D.C., the challenge will primarily be for bureaucrats to continue working and keep leaders engaged on nuclear security. Inertia on this issue, especially when there is growing intelligence on security breaches, could be deadly.

070822-A-6849A-667 -- Scouts from 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), pull overwatch during Operation Destined Strike while 2nd Platoon, Able Company searches a village below the Chowkay Valley in Kunar Province, Afghanistan Aug. 22. Courtesy: Wikipedia
5 February 2016

Obama needs to rethink, urgently

A resurgent Taliban has turned a hopeful declaration by the Obama administration into a premature one. The levels of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, currently at 9,800, are expected to increase as a result. But with more than half a trillion dollars spent trying to stabilize the problem, perhaps it’s time to rethink the Af-Pak region.

EndISISFlickrDawn Endico Courtesy: Dawn Endico
3 December 2015

Can ISIS be defeated?

Today ISIS is the gravest international security threat. To defeat ISIS, the world should pay heed to India’s experience of the need to isolate state sponsors of terrorism. Ultimately, only when Saudi Arabia acknowledges the danger to its own survival from past policies of alleged support to extremist groups, can it be a reliable partner in the fight against ISIS.

This year, India's defence diplomacy has ramped up. In 2015 alone there have been 18 military exercises- naval, army and air force- with 13 countries, among the largest engagements the country has had. Most significant is Japan joining the Malabar exercises in the Bay of Bengal and the first-ever maritime exercise with Australia. This is increasing India's presence from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. As these exercises intensify India will be better positioned to handle regional security challenges. Courtesy:
12 November 2015

India’s defence diplomacy

This year, India's defence diplomacy has ramped up. In 2015 alone there have been 18 military exercises- naval, army and air force- with 13 countries, among the largest engagements the country has had. Most significant is Japan joining the Malabar exercises in the Bay of Bengal and the first-ever maritime exercise with Australia. This is increasing India's presence from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. As these exercises intensify India will be better positioned to handle regional security challenges.

Military_truck_carrying_IRBMs_of_Pakistani_Army Courtesy: Wikipedia
3 September 2015

U.S.-Pakistan: A new nuke normal

A report by the Carnegie Endowment and the Stimson Center attempts to recognise Pakistan’s nuclear programme as ‘normal’ and India’s as not. However, with dangerous new additions to Islamabad’s arsenal, a throwback to simplistic US rationalisations still won’t bring Pakistan into the non-proliferation mainstream.