The Battle of Imphal: March–July 1944 The year 2014 is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Imphal. To mark the occasion, this article looks at who fought it; how and where the fighting unfolded in Manipur; how it was a battle fought in the air as well; and the link with the INA and the Chindits. It also notes the many reminders of the Second World War in Manipur today and concludes with a brief overview of the state’s overall experience of the war. The article aims, in effect, to introduce the reader to the Battle of Imphal, an extraordinary event in India’s history that has received little to no attention till date. Hemant Singh Katoch | July 2014 | Journal of Defence Studies
Countering Terrorism: Psychological Strategies, edited by Updesh Kumar and Manas K. Mandal, New Delhi: Sage, 2012, pp. 444, INR 850 The book is a collection of 18 research essays authored by 27 international personalities from various countries (including four from India). It is devoted to understanding ‘Causes of Terrorism and How to Counter It’. These essays have been edited by two scientists of the Defence and Research Laboratories, India, who have been working on same subject. Y.M. Bammi | July 2014 | Journal of Defence Studies
Internal Armed Conflict in India: Forging a Joint Civil–Military Approach, by Rostum K. Nanavatty, New Delhi: Pentagon Press, 2013, pp. 246, INR 595 Though the Indian Army has been committed to counterinsurgency operations for the past 60 years, Indian policymakers are yet to formulate a joint civil–military doctrine for resolution of internal armed conflicts. The lack of the same is evident from the internal security situation obtaining in the country. Vijai Singh Rana | July 2014 | Journal of Defence Studies
Reviewing Defence Offset Guidelines: A Recap The Guidelines of 2012 have been under review for some time. While a drastic shift in the policy is unlikely, some changes in the policy, clarity about some of the existing provisions and simplification of the procedure seem necessary to make the policy work better. Amit Cowshish | July 17, 2014 | IDSA Comments
Saga of Chemical Weapons in Syrian Civil War 23 July 2012 was an important landmark in the Syrian conflict as on that date the Syrian Government officially acknowledged possessing chemical weapons. However, the spokesperson, Jihad Mikdassi, said that… Continue reading Saga of Chemical Weapons in Syrian Civil War Zaki Zaidi | July-December 2014 | CBW Magazine
China’s Maritime Silk Route: Implications for India China’s announcement of a 10 billion Yuan ($1.6 billion) fund to finance the “maritime silk road plan” is a clear sign that it is serious about moving ahead with its stated plans. For India, it is instructive that the sales pitch of shared economic gains does not conceal the MSR’s real purpose: ensuring the security of sea lines of communications (SLOCs) in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Abhijit Singh | July 16, 2014 | IDSA Comments
Ebola Threat: Global Challenge and India’s Preparedness Ebola virus has been spreading exponentially. As of October 23, 2014, the total number of confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola infection stood at 10,141 including 4,922 reported deaths.1… Continue reading Ebola Threat: Global Challenge and India’s Preparedness Reshmi Kazi | July-December 2014 | CBW Magazine
Distortions in the Discourse on Modernization of Armed Forces The strategic discourse on defence and security matters in India revolves around familiar themes and sub-themes, ranging from larger issues such as the absence of a clearly articulated national security policy to somewhat fractious issues such as the higher defence management, civil-military relations and modernization of the armed forces. Amit Cowshish | July 2014 | Journal of Defence Studies
Iraq crisis: Lessons for India Given India’s vulnerability to a rise in global crude oil prices as a result of its 75-80 per cent of its crude import dependency, the Iraq crisis could widen its current account deficit, while putting pressure on exchange rate, impeding government’s fiscal consolidation goal and putting off any nudge on interest rates by the Reserve Bank of India. Manish Vaid , Tushar Shah | July 16, 2014 | IDSA Comments
Egypt under Sisi: The Troubled Transition Continues The aspirations of the youth who protested at the Tahrir Square, the next course of action for the Muslim Brotherhood, the participation of other Islamists in the forthcoming elections and the role of military in the Sisi regime are some of the important issues which need to be resolved for the stability of the country. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan | July-September 2014 | Africa Trends
