Journal of Defence Studies

Sino-Myanmar Military Cooperation and its Implications for India

China is emerging as the closest strategic partner of Myanmar. This has been advanced by politico-military assistance followed by economic and energy cooperation. Besides, Myanmar is becoming strategically significant for India for strengthening its economic links with South East Asia; for acquiring energy resources and from the security perspective. The Sino-Myanmar military cooperation which started with the negotiation of purchase of arms including jet fighters, armoured vehicles and naval vessels has gone much deeper.

China and India: Maritime Commonalities and Divergences

When a nation embarks upon the process of shifting from an “inward-leaning economy” to an “outward-leaning economy,” the arena of national security concerns begins to move to the oceans . The expanding economies and ever increasing demand for natural resources has rekindled the maritime vision of these growing nations. The rediscovery of a maritime vision leading to increased inroads in the maritime domain by both these nations could be viewed as being based on maritime commonalities. Along with the commonalities there are divergences in strategic thought and approach.

China’s Strategic Culture and Sino-US Military Relations: A Re-view

China’s strategic culture professes both peace and aggression, but is also marked by ruse and deception. Military power is a necessary ingredient of great power status and China’s current rise includes hi-tech military modernisation that can challenge the only contender it has in the Asia-Pacific, the United States.

Soft Way to Consolidate Hard Power: China’s New ‘Low Profile’ Strategy Orientation

China learnt in 2010 that continued strategic tension with the United States provides less advantage to China’s vital interests. For consolidating a peaceful development environment, China began to reshape its rising strategy of “Low Profile with a new identity of an emerging power”. China might not satisfy the US hegemony profile, however, China is not certain nowadays that it can overcome its strategic limits and diplomatic isolation in East Asia.

The Military Confidence Building Measures Strategy Across the Taiwan Strait

On December 31, 2008, the President of China, Hu Jintao, gave an important speech
on the eve of the 30th anniversary of “A letter to the Taiwan compatriots” dated
January 1, 1979, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

China’s Strategic Vision and the PLA’s Rise

The aim of this paper is to examine the rising power of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in China’s strategic vision. Since the founding of new China in 1949, there have been instances of PLA leaders challenging the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership. But on each instance the Party prevailed emphatically. The dictum “The Party commands the gun, and the army protects the Party” is still very much in place. In the last two decades, however, the relationship between the Party and the PLA has undergone some significant changes.

Chinese Anti Access Strategy: Conceptualising and Contextualising an Indian Version

The asymmetric military balance prevailing between India and China is likely to get accentuated overtime if effective political and military steps are not taken by to address the same. The paper looks upon the need to develop an asymmetric strategy by India to prevent domination by inimical or hostile adversaries. This paper attempts to examine the principles of the Chinese Anti Access Strategy and use that as a model to develop the contours of an Indian ‘Grand Strategy that entails developing military capabilities capable of inflicting damage and raising the cost of intervention.

Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics

While China’s interest in Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) dates back to the mid-1980s, the Western hi-tech precision military action in the 1991 Gulf War; the 1999 Kosovo war; the 2003 Iraq war and the continuing Afghan campaign have all convinced it to opt for the RMA, albeit within the limits of Chinese technology, organisation, and defence budget.

India’s Defence Preparedness to Face Chinese Challenges

It will not be an exaggeration to say that China poses the major challenge to India’s foreign policy and defence policy – which does not necessarily mean that a potential threat from China is imminent. Far from this, the Sino-Indian border of 3488 kms is by and large peaceful and tranquil, excepting occasional reports of border incursions. There are institutional mechanisms in place to meet any untoward incident on the border. Nevertheless, the security of the country, its territorial integrity and sovereignty warrant military preparedness to cope with any kind of eventualities.

Deradicalisation in Bangladesh: Challenges Ahead

The Sheikh Hasina government has been able to crack down on militant outfits by initiating a process of de-radicalisation ever since it came to power in 2009. This has been evident from the fact that since 2009 the violent activities of the Islamic extremists have been curtailed with relatively little bloodshed. And the same has been the case with the left wing extremists in the country. The Sheikh Hasina regime is more determined, than any government since the formation of Bangladesh to de-radicalise the political as well as the social structure of Bangladesh.