While the Cuban armed forces are but a shadow of their former self with unserviceable equipment and massive reductions in personnel strength, the country still retains combat capabilities far in excess of any of its Caribbean neighbours.
With some innovative thinking, on-line arrangements with suppliers, including the Canteen Stores Department, could reduce the cost of storage and distribution and, more importantly, help in maintaining a high satisfaction level among troops.
Decommissioned Military Hardware can be gainfully be used as “gifts” in order to forge greater ties with recipient countries and potentially, make way for possible purchases of military hardware from India in the future.
The Security Council resolution on international judicial cooperation, adopted in December 2016, is a significant development in countering the scourge of terrorism.
A standalone visit to Israel will not only be in line with Modi’s engagement with the Middle East but would also send a powerful message to the international community that India is no longer apologetic about befriending Israel.
Higher Defence Management, Civil-military relations and force modernisation were three critical areas in which there was little or no movement in the year gone by.
The partial cease-fire brokered and imposed by Russia and Turkey, with Iran’s concurrence, on Assad and the ‘moderates’, might mark a turning point in Syria’s tortuous journey since 2011.
