Comment & Briefs

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has revealed the inherent weaknesses in the existing global supply chain and risks of over-reliance on China’s manufacturing industry, presents new opportunities for India to rethink its industrial strategy, especially policies concerning the growth of its manufacturing sector.

Turkish global power aspirations are hindered by a lack of regional influence. Ankara wishes to enhance strategic depth in the neighborhood. Deviating from a soft power approach, President Erdogan has increasingly adopted a confrontational foreign policy.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have come to blows over disputed Nagorno-Karabakh after a quarter of a century. There are numerous geo-strategic interests at play in the conflict that will impact regional peace and security.

The OCPP is a mix of revenue and capital procurement procedures, based on the Defence Procurement Manual 2006. It could have been an opportunity to lay down a more self-contained procedure.

China’s proposal for a new Internet Protocol (IP) is a reflection of its desire to revamp and mould the Internet. This is in line with its ambitions to rise to the “commanding heights” of the scientific and technological competition.

The three list categorisation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—white, grey, and black—has been largely ineffective when dealing with jurisdictions like Pakistan. There need to be more gradations between the grey and blacklists as it may increase policy options and leverage.

While Rafale’s enhanced combat capabilities has added punch to India’s airpower, the developing threat scenario in India’s neighbourhood lends urgency to upgrading the IAF’s largest combat fleet, the Sukhoi fighters, to retain edge over the enemy.

Poor workmanship, deteriorating quality issues, and lack of professionalism have plagued the workings of the Ordnance Factories. There is an imperative need for modernising the workings of the OFs through corporatisation.

India’s decision to reject the NPT was a display of astute statecraft with idealist posturing used to masquerade pursuit of national interests.

China is no longer interested in maintaining previous patterns of its relationships with India and US. It seeks to forge new types of relationships that are reflective of the extant balance of power. China expects India to demonstrate awed subservience and refrain from security cooperation with US.