Unpacking UK Combat Air Strategy The UK Combat Air Strategy unveiled on July 16, 2018 can actually be termed as the Combat Aircraft Industry Strategy. India, with a nearly non-existing aircraft industry, can benefit by understanding the key rationales underpinning the CAS. Kishore Kumar Khera July 23, 2018 IDSA Comments
Indian Aircraft Industry: Possible Innovations for Success in the Twenty-First Century, by Vivek Kapur Taking off in 1940 with the establishment of Hindustan Aircraft Limited (later named Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL), the Indian aviation industry has grown in spurts over the past seven decades and more. During the initial phase, HAL provided maintenance support to various combat aircraft of the allied forces in World War II and, subsequently, commenced licenced production of combat aircraft. After Independence in 1947 and its nationalisation, HAL grew in strength to design combat aircraft. Kishore Kumar Khera July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
India’s Defence Diplomacy with Southeast Asia: An Impetus to Act East India’s Act East policy is delivering results its approach towards Southeast Asia. India’s improving stature in the region along with other key geopolitical players has heralded its arrival as a major regional power in the power matrix. In fact, India is in a unique position in the region in terms of defence and military engagement and must explore this potential further. India satisfies all the attributes needed for robust interaction in the military sphere. Vignesh Ram July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Indian Strategic Culture and Grand Strategic Preferences The utility of the theory of strategic culture to explain the choices nation-states make is still to be convincingly proven. Alastair Iain Johnston has provided a viable notion of strategic culture that is falsifiable, its formation traced empirically, and its effect on state behaviour differentiated from other non-ideational variables. Following his methodological framework, Kautilya’s Arthashastra is identified as the ‘formative’ ideational strategic text which is assessed to illuminate Indian strategic culture. Kajari Kamal July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Army and Nation: The Military and Indian Democracy since Independence, by Steven I. Wilkinson Steven I. Wilkinson’s work on the Indian Army and its relationship to Indian democracy is mandatory reading for scholars interested in civil-military relations. Ironically, despite the voluminous literature on civil-military relations in the Subcontinent, it is still an understudied subject. Wilkinson’s book breaks new ground by giving the reader a distinct assessment of the evolution of civil-military relations in India vis-à-vis those in Pakistan. Kartik Bommakanti July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Emerging India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership India and Indonesia recently upgraded bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a move that comes on the eve of 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. This deeper engagement serves to highlight the importance of the Indo-Pacific for both countries. India and Indonesia have recently witnessed some intensive engagement in the political, strategic, defence, security, and economic spheres. Udai Bhanu Singh July-September 2018 Journal of Defence Studies
Africa and the G20 An increased level of engagement of the G20 with Africa could be significant as it could activate the existing G20 initiatives. It is also significant because it proposes to venture into new and critical areas such as skill development of women and rural youth, as well as a focus on renewable energy which are fundamental to capitalise on increased private investment. Arpita Anant July-December 2018 Africa Trends
“…if the people in Rwanda ever needed help, now was the time…” The media, visual and means of mass communication have often been criticised for presenting a biased and skewed viewpoint on the conflict. However, the power of documentaries like the Ghosts of Rwanda which present before the audiences the unpalatable realities of the world, compels the international community to ponder, discuss and accept the need for change in its institutions and their ways of working. The release of the documentary became a moment of unfolding of the pristine rubric of United Nations, especially of its peacekeeping mandates, which were discriminatory and caught in power struggles. Priyal Pandey July-December 2018 Africa Trends
India’s Economic Diplomacy with Ethiopia Several international players are competing to finance projects in African countries, and New Delhi will be at a disadvantage if it does not proactively engage in strengthening development partnerships. As an emerging power that is actively pushing South-South Cooperation (SSC), India has to convince its partners the advantage of Indian development assistance, which adheres to principles of horizontal cooperation and mutual benefit. Chithra Purushothaman July-December 2018 Africa Trends
Turkey’s growing strategic inroads in Africa In many ways Turkey is reviving its historic relations with Africa with an eye to strengthen economic ties and gain strategic depth, but for some this is a reminder of the bitter past and represents neo-Ottomanism. Md. Muddassir Quamar July-December 2018 Africa Trends
