Role of Military Culture and Traditions in Building Ethics, Morals and Combat Effectiveness in Fighting Units Developing culture and traditions is one of the pragmatic ways of breeding ethics and moral standards in the military. These moral issues are profoundly linked to the military’s way of life and ethos, which includes discipline and esprit de corps. Although issues like developing a sense of belonging may be the theme while creating cultures, the ultimate aim is to influence a soldier into becoming an ethical team player as an instrument for winning wars. The creation and pursuit of culture establishes common values and a sense of ownership amongst the troops. V. Mahalingam | April 2013 | Journal of Defence Studies
Changing Socio-economic Norms and its Impact on India’s Armed Forces The Indian Army remains rooted in an outdated, British-inherited system that is struggling to cope with the combination of challenges posed by demands of modern warfare and a society that is undergoing a great churn. The greatest challenge has been to the famous officer–men relationship in the Indian armed forces. In the past decade, the armed forces have faced a new problem: increasing incidents of indiscipline, suicides and fratricide. Are these incidents happening because the traditional bond between officers and men, the bedrock on which the military functions, is fraying at the edges? Nitin A. Gokhale | April 2013 | Journal of Defence Studies
Institutional Challenges Confronting the Indian Armed Forces: The Moral and Ethical Dimension The phenomenon of the apparent lowering of both personal and institutional moral and ethical standards in the armed forces is not limited to India. What is missing is an open debate on the complexities that drive the modern day profession of arms and the need for a mutually supporting relationship between the armed forces and the institutions of a democracy, especially at a time when newer forms of security threats are emerging. B D Jayal | April 2013 | Journal of Defence Studies
Role of Morals, Ethics and Motivation in a Counter-insurgency Environment Morals, ethics and motivation are the bedrock of the Indian Army, since it is considered more than a profession: a way of life. These qualities are put to test under most conditions of soldiering; however, there cannot be a more difficult environment than involvement of an army in protracted counter-insurgency (CI) operations. The conditions faced pose peculiar challenges, which force a soldier to adapt. This adaptation can potentially become a morally corrupting influence unless the ethical standards of a force and its moral bearings continue to guide actions. Vivek Chadha | April 2013 | Journal of Defence Studies
BRICS comes of age at Durban BRICS is not challenging the existing world order. It is seeking a place in the sun for developing countries. It is looking at alternative approaches but there is no desire to seek confrontation with the West. Arvind Gupta | April 01, 2013 | IDSA Comments
Democracy in Pakistan a Distant Dream Like all its predecessors, the government that just completed its tenure miserably failed to promote what a democratic state is supposed to first and foremost, namely, foster the multi-faceted development of all its citizens. Jagdish N Singh | April 01, 2013 | IDSA Comments
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir: Under the Jackboot Publisher: Genesis Publications ISBN: 81-7020-680-4 Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), which is the territory which Pakistan had acquired through aggression way back in 1947, remains as a no-man's-land which the world community seems to have forgotten. Comprising of nearly one-third of the original sovereign state of Jammu and Kashmir, it represents one of the biggest human tragedies of the contemporary political map of the world. E-Copy available Jasjit Singh | | Book
The Changing Face of International Media in Africa Making a breakthrough in the complicated arena of news media broadcasting requires more than a generous dosage of money and technology, especially if it involves diminishing the influence of traditional players in the media-scape of the continent. Sneha Bhura | April 2013 | Africa Trends
Perspectives on Crisis in Central African Republic The Central African Republic's political crisis is driven by international politics and resource competition. Ahana Banerjee | April 2013 | Africa Trends
Crisis in Eastern Congo and the Role of External Actors The crisis in eastern DRC cannot be resolved by merely accusing countries like Rwanda and Uganda of interference; Kinshasa has to review its response to the crisis. Keerthi Sampath Kumar | April 2013 | Africa Trends