Countering the Menace of Ransomware US has undertaken a number of initiatives on cybersecurity, specifically ransomware, one of them being the Counter-Ransomware Initiative Meeting held in October 2021. Whether this attempt by the US to mobilise a larger group of countries to discuss ransomware will lead to real outcomes, or is just meant to endorse its actions, remains to be seen. Cherian Samuel October 22, 2021 IDSA Comments
What Beijing’s Growing Polar Silk Road Means to India? Beijing’s intent to incorporate the polar regions within China’s greater maritime strategy, explore their resources and subsequently emerge as a polar great power is quite evident in its initiatives like the Polar Silk Road. In light of growing global ambition and resource needs, the Arctic could become another theatre of India–China competition. Mayuri Banerjee October 21, 2021 IDSA Comments
Land Warfare in the Eastern Theatre: 1971 Indo-Pak War The formation of Bangladesh resulted from the military operations undertaken in erstwhile East Pakistan by the Indian Armed Forces. The Indian Air Force established air superiority in the first few days which enabled land operations to be executed smoothly. The Indian Army outclassed the Pakistan Army by avoiding capture of towns and built-up areas. They headed for the capital Dacca which was the centre of gravity of the operations. The operations were preceded by detailed planning, logistics build up and war gaming which led to outclassing the enemy in the field. P.K. Chakravorty October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
India’s Politico-Military Strategy for the 1971 India–Pakistan War India displayed its firm political resolve, robust military capability and deliberate decision-making process in the 1971 India–Pakistan War to achieve significant strategic success. The politico-military strategy evolved progressively from a cautious response to a firm decision to employ the Armed Forces at an appropriate time as the last instrument. India adroitly calibrated an indigenous freedom movement led by Mukti Bahini and concurrently launched a diplomatic outreach campaign to shape the environment in its favour. J.S. Cheema October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
1971, the War as I Saw It Introduction Shamsher M. Chowdhury October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
The Battle of Garibpur The ‘Lightning Campaign’ to liberate Bangladesh during the 1971 IndoPak War was one of the finest moments in Indian history. The ‘Battle of Garibpur’ fought on 21–22 November 1971, before the Indo-Pak War was officially declared on 3 December 1971, was a key battle in East Pakistan where a single infantry battalion, 14 Punjab (Nabha Akal) supported by a squadron of armour and intimate artillery support, successfully fought a Pakistani attack by infantry and armour. Vijay Yeshvant Gidh October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
Politics in Pakistan and the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971 The Partition of India in August 1947 was a colossal man-made catastrophe resulting in the formation of Pakistan, with its east and west wings.Jinnah’s two-nation theory ignored the diverse culture and geographical settings. East Pakistan got its first political shock when Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy—a popular mass leader—did not become the chief minister of East Pakistan. Further, in the initial period of state formation, there was forceful imposition of Perso-Arabic culture and Urdu language by the leadership of Pakistan, consisting majorly of Punjabis and Pathans from West Pakistan. Guru Saday Batabyal October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
Malhama Tactical: Now Jihadists for Hire A conglomerate of elite jihadists called Malhama Tactical, a commercial enterprise driven by a for-profit agenda and not constrained by a specific ideology and defined enemies, has emerged as a serious threat as it can potentially connect and facilitate terrorist organisations worldwide. Saman Ayesha Kidwai October 14, 2021 IDSA Comments
The Curious Case of Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir The recent statement by the former Amirs (chiefs) of Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, which was banned in 2019, seems to be a tactical move by the leadership to save the organisational structure from any kind of damage and to continue Islamisation of the society at the grassroots level. Manzoor Ahmad October 14, 2021 IDSA Comments
Did Pakistan Learn from its Bangladesh Experience? This article seeks to re-analyse the pattern of Pakistani response to the demands from East Bengal as a federating unit with distinct linguistic and regional identity, which led to eventual vivisection of Pakistan, and examine whether in the post-1971 years Pakistan learnt any lesson from its Bangladesh experience and used it to deal with similar assertions at ethnic and regional levels. Ashok K. Behuria October–December 2021 Journal of Defence Studies
