The People Next Door: The Curious History of India’s Relations with Pakistan, by T.C.A. Raghavan ‘The People Next Door’ is the name of a 1968 television (TV) series made into a 1970 Hollywood movie, a 1996 TV film, a 2008 novel, again a 2016 TV film, and, in the case of the book being reviewed, a non-fiction historical book. When we spend time in observing neighbours, the act has a voyeuristic feel. Ghanshyam Katoch October-December 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Emerging Contours of Maritime Security Architecture under the Belt and Road Initiative The revival of the centuries-old ‘Silk Road at Sea’ into a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) is an integral part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Chinese White Paper on its vision for enhancing maritime cooperation broadly confirms this perception, since it considers maritime security assurance as the lynchpin of MSR initiatives. As its trade and overseas economic interests have been constantly growing, Beijing’s strategic concern about protection of these interests has magnified. Abhay Kumar Singh October-December 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Defending Japan: Reviewing the 2018 White Paper Three key developments unfolded in Japan in August 2018: the Ministry of Defence (MOD) released its annual Defence White Paper; requested a 2.1 per cent increase in the 2019 budget; and instituted an Exploratory Committee on the Future of Self Defence Forces (SDF) with the objective of reviewing the current National Defence Program Guidelines (NDPG) and the Mid-Term Defence Program (MTDP). Analysing these developments in the backdrop of Prime Minister Abe’s top priorities—managing the United States (US)-Japan alliance under the Trump Presidency and delivering on the ‘great responsibility’ of redefining Japanese post-war security orientation—unpacks Tokyo’s key challenges. These are, essentially, balancing between sharing greater burden within the alliance framework to ensure regional security on one hand, and weighing regional sensitivities and deeply fractured domestic constituencies on the other. Titli Basu October-December 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces: A Decade after Reorganisation Japan banks heavily on her security alliance with the United States (US) to ensure availability of requisite military capability in the region. China’s economic and military capabilities have grown in the last two decades, closing the gap with the US. With diminishing differential, especially with respect to China, the US’ deterrence power has gradually declined. Under these conditions, Japan has to develop Self-Defense Forces (SDF) capabilities to ensure that it, in combination with its alliance partner, the US, is able to meet national security challenges. Kishore Kumar Khera October-December 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Approach to Battle: Training the Indian Army during the Second World War, by Alan Jeffreys From entering the portals of a military academy till retirement, an officer remains deeply involved with training. From the initial days as a subaltern to, later on, assuming the responsibilities of a commanding officer who has to ensure that his unit is battle ready, the involvement with training is total. Later, in senior ranks, he is expected to put his experience to work in devising more meaningful and effective ways to train the nation’s military to be ready for the next war. Alok Deb October-December 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Decoding the Expansion Plans of the United States Air Force How different will the USAF look after the proposed restructuring with 74 additional squadrons? Will there be a trade-off between quality and quantity? Kishore Kumar Khera September 28, 2018 IDSA Comments
Nepal-China Transit Agreement: An Evaluation Nepal’s quest for an alternate transit country with a view to reducing its dependence on India succeeded with the finalisation of the text for the Protocol of Transit Transport Agreement with China on September 7, 2018. Nihar R. Nayak September 27, 2018 Issue Brief
Issues in Defence Costing It is important to pay greater attention to the system of costing followed by the MoD given that costing errors could result in the sanctioning of an unaffordable procurement programme, contract being awarded at a higher price, cost and time overruns, and default on contractual commitments. Amit Cowshish September 27, 2018 IDSA Comments
CAATSA Sanctions and India While 11 of the 12 prescribed sanctions will have little or no effect on India-Russia defence relations, the twelfth, unless waived, has the potential to completely derail the India-US Defence and Strategic Partnership. G. Balachandran September 26, 2018 IDSA Comments
China Looks to Africa to Reduce Trade Dependence on the US China may or may not succeed in transforming Africa into a substitute market. If it does, the bilateral trade relationship is likely to become more unbalanced and tilted in its own favour leading to greater exploitation of Africa. Anand Kumar September 18, 2018 IDSA Comments