Deep State Continuum in Pakistan and Implications for India: Jyoti M. Pathania, New Delhi, KW Publishers, 2022 In a country like Pakistan, where none of its Prime Ministers could ever complete a full five-year term in office, the role of the so-called ‘deep State’ — a term used as a euphemism for its Army—in exercising disproportionate control over the affairs of the country—has often been highlighted. Adil Rasheed | January-February 2023 | Strategic Analysis
India as Kingmaker: Status Quo or Revisionist Power: Michael O. Slobodchikoff and Aakriti A. Tandon, Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, 2022 The two authors of the book under review are academics at separate campuses in the United States, with the first having to his credit previously published books in international and strategic affairs. In their collaborative effort, the authors have chosen to draw attention to the perceived challenge being posed to the existing world order—a creation of the Western alliance led by the United States. Important members of the alliance—Britain, France, Germany and Japan—favour continuity of the existing order. They have been labelled as status quo powers. Sunil Khatri | January-February 2023 | Strategic Analysis
Innovate to Dominate: The Rise of the Chinese Techno-Security State: Tai Ming Cheung, Ithaca and London, Cornell University Press, 2022 The outcome of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, held in October 2022, was on predictable lines. It was no surprise that President Xi Jinping was chosen CPC supremo for an unprecedented third time, defying the two-term limit set by Deng Xiaoping to prevent a single person from gaining absolute and autocratic power like Mao Zedong. Xi, considered the most powerful leader in China since Mao, is determined to put China on the ‘rejuvenation’ path and attain superpower status for the Middle Kingdom by mid-century. Laxman Kumar Behera | January-February 2023 | Strategic Analysis
China’s Bagamoyo Port Project: Geo-economic and Geo-political Imperatives for India Tanzania is a strategically located country on the eastern coast of Africa. It is an important node of China’s Maritime Silk Road project and constitutes a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Under the BRI, China had envisaged that Bagamoyo would be the largest port in all of Africa, supplemented by a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), and a trans-continental railway line, making Tanzania a hub of commerce in East Africa. Sibapada Rath | January-March 2023 | Journal of Defence Studies
Understanding China–Russia Cooperation in the Arctic The Ukraine crisis, shifting geopolitical alliances in the Indo-Pacific and Western-imposed economic sanctions on Russia have strengthened China–Russia cooperation in the Arctic. Bipandeep Sharma , Uttam Kumar Sinha | January 10, 2023 | Issue Brief
Concordia Discors: Deployment of Central Armed Forces in the Federal Units of India India is a classic case of a ‘quasi-federal’ country. There is a plethora of literature available separately on the Indian armed forces and Indian federalism. However, the deployment of India’s Central Armed Forces in its federal units (States) is one of the most understudied and unexplained areas of research. To avert any grave disorder in the country, the Centre constitutionally enjoys power regarding the deployment of its armed forces in the federal units. However, in practice, there are various factors that come into play during the deployment. N. Manoharan , Niharika Singh Rana | January-March 2023 | Journal of Defence Studies
Geo-economic Implications of the Conflict in Ukraine An unusual, multi-dimensional conflict is underway in Europe. One dimension of this conflict is that Ukraine and Russia are engaged in seemingly endless conventional military battles on the ground in Ukraine. The other dimension is that United States (US) led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance is arming and funding Ukraine for these battles. The alliance is also pursuing an all-out economic war against Russia through trade and financial sanctions against Russia, and Russians. Rajan Katoch | January-March 2023 | Journal of Defence Studies
Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti Traditionally, Kautilya or Vishnugupta, is considered the author of Arthashastra. He is also known as Chanakya, the scholar and chief minister who ‘destroyed the power of the Nandas and placed Chandragupta Maurya on the throne of Magadha’ in the 4th century bc. By the name of Chanakya, he had also authored a text known as Chanakya Niti. However, there is no proper understanding in the general public about the seminal work authored by Kautilya such as the Arthashastra and Chanakya Niti. P. K. Gautam | January-March 2023 | Journal of Defence Studies
Two to Tango: Xi Jinping’s Visit to Riyadh Xi’s visit to Riyadh builds on the strong economic engagements between China and Saudi Arabia. Md. Muddassir Quamar | January 05, 2023 | Issue Brief
Wars and War-Tactics in Ancient India by Uma Prasad Thapliyal The history of mankind is replete with devastating wars since the beginning of civilisation. The Indian history also witnessed many wars. The earliest wars in India appear to have been fought by the people of the Indus Valley civilisation. Their expertise in building forts to defend themselves confirms this theory. Subsequently, the Aryans waged wars against the natives of the land (p. 18). The battles depicted in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata further provide valuable information about the warfare mechanism of the ancient period. Narender Yadav | January-March 2023 | Journal of Defence Studies
