Defence Archives - Page 4 of 6

British Reforms to Its Higher Defence Organisation: Lessons for India

All is not right with the Indian Higher Defence Organisation (HDO) became public knowledge, perhaps for the first time, after the Kargil War in 1999. There have been significant changes in the geo-strategic situation and the nature of threat faced by India over the years and yet little has changed in the higher defence management and the HDO of the country.

Nanotechnology: Current Global Trends and Future Military Applications for ‘Soldier as a System’

The last decade has witnessed unprecedented developments in the discovery of novel materials and their radically different properties at nano scales. Global efforts in research and development (R&D)in nanotechnology are being undertaken by many countries due to far-reaching benefits encompassing the entire arena of science and technology. The field of defence is likely to profit immensely by nanotechnology-enabled applications.

Japan’s white paper on defence: An overview

The dominant challenges for Japan apart from China remain North Korea. The document expresses concerns on the launching of multiple ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan along with the possibility, for the first time, that the North Koreans may have acquired nuclear warheads.

Naval Jagota
September 01, 2014
IDSA Comments

Defence Reforms – Agenda for the New Government

A country’s response to external threats and internal security challenges is based on its defence preparedness, advance planning for contingencies and the political will. The new government will have to make key decisions on different aspects of defence reforms. This Policy Brief puts forward some suggestions.

Moving on with the Defence & Security of India

Ministry of Defence which accounts for 13-14 per cent of the central government expenditure, if one also takes into account the expenditure on defence pensions, could come under some pressure to prepare an action plan as the outcome of what it does is often intangible, undisclosable, or simply unmeasurable. The author puts forward some suggestions.

Foreign Direct Investment Policy 2014: Status Quo for the Defence Sector

One of the provisions in the policy is that in the Information & Broadcasting and the Defence sectors, where the sectoral cap is less than 49 per cent, the company would need to be ‘owned and controlled’ by resident Indian citizens and Indian companies, which, in turn, are owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens. This is a virtual impossibility.

Amit Cowshish
April 23, 2014
IDSA Comments

China’s Defense White Paper: An Assessment

The latest White Paper differs from previous documents in notable ways. It has little to offer by way of greater transparency related to numbers and policies. The document suggests a more confident China positioning for greater activism in global affairs.

Rukmani Gupta
April 22, 2013
IDSA Comments

Understanding Diverse Global Thoughts on Air Power

Air power has gone through a lot over the last two decades—from being a decisive tool of war fighting during Operation Desert Storm and operations over Kosovo, to a more sobering period in the first decade of this century when it faced intense criticism over its use in Lebanon, Iraq and Af-Pak.

Japan’s Defence White Paper 2012 and China’s Critical Response

Like in the 2011 edition of the Defence White Paper, this year too, the report warns that China’s military movements are “a matter of concern” for the Asian region and the international community, and “should require prudent analysis.”

Stealth and Counter-stealth Some Emerging Thoughts and Continuing Debates

If there is one dimension in the air attack–air defence continuum that is riding high on the wings of enabling edge technologies, it is the use of stealth, both in the offensive and defensive domains.