Military Affairs

About Centre

The Centre for Military Affairs comprises of a mix of serving officers of the Indian Armed Forces and civilian experts. The Centre adopts an inter-disciplinary approach to various issues that impinge upon India’s national security in general and the armed forces in particular. Its research focus is on issues that impact upon national security and capacity-building of the Indian armed forces. Specific areas of focus include: emerging contemporary challenges in warfare, jointness, defence co-operation, maritime security, and military training needs. In addition, the Centre also addresses China- and Pakistan-related issues with a bearing on their interface with Indian security. The Centre closely interacts with military establishments in India and abroad and contributes to policy making by conducting research in areas of significance for the armed forces.

Fighting Falcon: The End of an Era?

Is the termination of an unprecedented 40-year production run of the F-16 an indication of the beginning of the end for this versatile combat aircraft?

Nigerian Air Force and COIN Operations

The Nigerian Air Force’s impending acquisition of the JF-17 is a cautionary tale of the need for armed forces everywhere to assess their respective operational environment in a realistic manner and then devise an appropriate equipment procurement strategy.

Compact Fusion: Are the Energy Equations About to Change?

Advanced technologies and supercomputing have accelerated the pace of research and development in the field of nuclear fusion.

Atul Pant
January 10, 2018
IDSA Comments

Post Doklam, India needs to watch China’s bullish economics led cultural embrace of South Asia

Doklam brought into perspective the fractured relationship between India and China on the global stage and increased fears of China’s growing unilateralism as it inexorably broadens its interests and sphere of influence, especially in South Asia.

Shruti Pandalai
January 01, 2018
Issue Brief

Aerial Refuelling of Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft

To truly exploit this newly tested operational capability, IAF will have to augment its fleet of in-flight refuellers and train an adequate number of aircrew, mission commanders, fighter controllers and systems operators.

Weapons are the Combat Differentiators: The BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile

“Weapons differentiate between Air Forces and Flying Clubs” is an often heard adage. Weapons capability is an integral part of an Air Power matrix. In the last three months, a number of successful indigenous weapons trials in India indicate a positive move in the right direction even if a little late in certain cases and after multiple failures in others. India’s dependence on foreign vendors for weapons and weapon platforms is well known and it is the largest importer of weaponry.

The Indian Air Force’s Declining Squadron Strength – Options and Challenges

The IAF is not without options, all of which are currently at some stage of realization. What is lacking is a sense of urgency on the part of all the parties concerned.

Sanjay Badri-Maharaj
November 03, 2017
Issue Brief

EMP Weapons and the New Equation of War

Besides military targets, a number of strategic civilian targets, like urban data and communication centres, stock exchanges, factories and other centres of gravity could also be attacked by e-bombs.

Atul Pant
October 13, 2017
IDSA Comments

Defence Reforms: Why is it Critical to Bite the Proverbial Bullet?

This policy brief attempts to suggest six critical policy imperatives that must act as guidelines for the ongoing attempt at defence reforms.

Vivek Chadha
September 11, 2017
Policy Brief

Has the Time Come to Replace Manned Combat Aircraft With Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles?

A quantum jump in the operational role of UAVs can be expected only with a breakthrough in Artificial Intelligence. Until that happens, their will increase gradually to reach about 50 per cent of combat operations over the next three decades.