Japan’s Lost Moment in Osaka While Japan envisions its role as a leading promoter of rules-based liberal international order, the G20 tested Japan’s leadership in championing the cause of trade liberalisation and resisting protectionism. Titli Basu | July 12, 2019 | IDSA Comments
Kargil to Balakot: The Tumultuous Journey of Indian Air Power The conceptual and capability changes in a kinetic force remain intertwined with the prevailing and emerging security scenarios. Air power, a key kinetic capability, being technology dependent, needs continuous re-equipping and up gradation. The force structure and organisation too need to adapt to ensure optimal exploitation of available capability. Indian air power has transformed in the last two decades and expanded its capability in all critical facets. Kishore Kumar Khera | July-September 2019 | Journal of Defence Studies
No Further Increase in Defence Outlay: Need to Move On It would be nice to see the defence ministry setting up a task force and submitting actionable recommendations which could be considered by the finance minister while deciding the defence outlay next year. Amit Cowshish | July 10, 2019 | IDSA Comments
India’s Defence Budget 2019-20 With the latest Union budget keeping the MoD interim allocation unchanged, the MoD has an uphill task in managing its resources and in funding its modernisation programmes. Laxman Kumar Behera | July 08, 2019 | Issue Brief
The West Asian Crisis and Oil Price Expectations As concerns over a potential conflict in the region grow, the pressing issue of what a conflict would mean for the price of international crude oil needs to be addressed urgently. Shebonti Ray Dadwal , G. Balachandran | July 04, 2019 | IDSA Comments
The Line of Control: Travelling with Indian and Pakistani Armies, by Happymon Jacob India–Pakistan relations have become more complicated in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack that took place in February 2019, on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the most volatile territory of India, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). That the diplomatic ties between the two countries are arguably decided by what happens in the state has never been understated—precisely why Kashmir has remained the focus of study for experts on the topic. Shrabana Barua | July-September 2019 | Journal of Defence Studies
Everything Under the Heavens: How the Past Helps Shape China’s Push for Global Power The reformist and open policy which Beijing adopted in late 1978 has transformed the overall structure of Chinese economy, society as well as its military. It is because of the success of this that China moved from an agrarian under-developed country to become the world’s factory. Its growth has made China the second largest global economy. The economic transformation has entailed significant investments in military modernisation and pursuit of advanced defence technology. Gunjan Singh | July 2019 | Strategic Analysis
Pakistan Adrift: Navigating Troubled Waters There is no dearth of literature emphasizing the role of domestic and international factors for the predominance of the military over civilian institutions in Pakistan. Some scholars relate it to military’s growing economic interests, while others attribute it to military’s ‘Guardians of the Nation’ complex involving a militarily superior India, unsettled borders and irredentist claims from Afghanistan that make external security a high priority. Syeda Sumaya Mehdi | July 2019 | Strategic Analysis
Why Terrorist Groups Form International Alliances The menace of terrorism has existed for centuries, but its modern, transnational version has ‘metastasized’ to the extent of threatening global peace and security. In 1975, security expert Brian Jenkins observed: ‘Terrorists want a lot of people watching and not a lot of people dead.’ Adil Rasheed | July 2019 | Strategic Analysis
Xi Jinping’s China There are several significant events which preceded China’s constitutional amendment of March 2018 that removed the presidential term limit boosting Xi Jinping’s standing as China’s prospective leader-for-life. Born to a revolutionary leader, Xi Zhongxun, Xi Jinping spent most of his life serving the government, gradually working his way up the hierarchy. His precedence in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and authority over all political institutions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have arguably placed him at par with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Atmaja Gohain Baruah | July 2019 | Strategic Analysis
