The Geopolitics of Cyber Espionage
There is an intricate relationship between the methods of cyber espionage and the evolution of information and communications technology, of which information security is a key aspect. This article is an attempt to establish forward and backward linkages of cyber espionage. It examines the geopolitics, methods, role of information security technology and, most importantly, how the future of cyber espionage is being shaped by emerging technologies such as supercomputing, quantum computing and ‘big data’, from an Indian perspective.
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Impact of the Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Defence (15th Lok Sabha) on the Defence Budget
The examination of the detailed demands for grant (DDGs) of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by the Standing Committee on Defence of the 14th Lok Sabha (2004–05 to 2008–09) and recommendations made by the committee had little impact on the country’s defence budget. While the examination was generally perfunctory, the recommendations were either too general or too impractical to be implemented by MoD. This is the second of two articles that examines how the Standing Committee on Defence of the 15th Lok Sabha (2009–10 to 2013–14) followed the same pattern.
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Hindu Nationalism and the Evolution of Contemporary Indian Security by Chris Ogden
The 2014 Indian elections gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a clear mandate to form the government. In nearly more than a decade of coalition politics, it is perhaps the first time the leading party of the coalition is not dependent on its partners for the government’s functioning. The mandate it received in the election led the BJP to become the single-largest party in the government and the Parliament, for the first time in over thirty years.
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Strategy: Key Thinkers by Thomas M. Kane
Illuminated by the work of strategic classics, Thomas Kane shows that the link between military power and political goals has always been complex and continues to be so. This is because the use of armed force to achieve political objectives (the essence of military strategy) is fraught with serious consequences for nation-states and for the people inhabiting them. Many perceptive minds have tried to unravel these complexities to better understand how and why societies engage in war as well as to guide future strategists to wage them more effectively.
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Science and Technology in China: Implications and Lessons for India, edited by Maharajakrishna Rasgotra
China is India’s largest and most developed neighbour. Following the reform and opening-up policy adopted by the Chinese leadership in 1978, the country has developed at breath-taking speed. Today, the Chinese economy is the second largest in the world (in terms of Gross Domestic Product [GDP]), with a large amount of American treasury bonds in its possession. This economic growth has also extended to the Chinese military and security aspects.
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When Counterinsurgency Wins: Sri Lanka’s Defeat of the Tamil Tigers by Ahmed S. Hashim
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-led insurgency in Sri Lanka was amongst the fiercest and most bloody low-intensity conflicts fought during the last two decades of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st century. This ethnic conflict became known for not only the fighting prowess and ruthlessness of the LTTE, but also the equally brutal manner in which it was finally ended by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA).
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Climate Change and Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean Region
Climate change is likely to influence maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The growing unpredictability in climate and weather patterns is having a disproportionate impact over the region. Not only is the IOR predicted to bear the brunt of future climatic changes, it is also likely to face strong constraints in meeting the coming threats. The effect of climate change on human security in the IOR is only likely to be matched by the impact of extreme weather conditions on naval operations and the security of maritime assets.
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Enhancing Jointness in Indian Armed Forces: Case for Unified Commands
The nature of warfare has undergone a major change over the last few decades, brought about by rapid advancement in technologies combined with changes in doctrines and organisational concepts. This has resulted in enhanced focus on integrated and joint operations. Unified structures have been put in place by all major militaries in the world to optimise their defence capabilities. India appears to be reluctant to adapt wholeheartedly to the changing nature of war-fighting despite facing a wide variety of threats to its internal and external security.
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