Introduction Although mercenaries have existed as long as the history of warfare itself, the 20th Century saw the resurgence of mercenary groups when states in the aftermath of WW2 and in the background of the Cold War were skeptical to get their hands dirty in smaller conflicts. The emergence of a lot of newly independentContinue reading “War for Sale: Private Military Companies and International Relations”
Category Archives: Security
Drones – Security, Sovereignty and Identities
Drone attacks entered the mainstream news and gained prominence around the very beginning of the 2010s decade their increased usage by the Obama administration, even though it wasn’t the first time drones were used in the role. The use of drone strikes to eliminate supposed terrorist elements hurting the American War on Terror in AfghanistanContinue reading “Drones – Security, Sovereignty and Identities”
Does India Need a Long-Range Bomber?
A saying that was allegedly unpopular with fighter pilots is that there are only two types of pilots, those that drop bombs and those who support them. While fighter flying has attained a type of romantic image of the rakish cur with goggles and a devil-may-care attitude, the bomber has created a more sinister imageContinue reading “Does India Need a Long-Range Bomber?”
People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force – A Comprehensive Look
Red Echo, a hacker group affiliated with the Chinese government, repeatedly targeted the control rooms that manage India’s critical power grids in a massive campaign that could have caused widespread blackouts. The Chinese hackers, however, failed to break into the systems, and no data breach was detected because of the attacks, India’s power ministry saidContinue reading “People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force – A Comprehensive Look”
The MiG 29 ‘Baaz’ Story By A Young Defence Enthusiast
It was in the 1970s-80s that the Indian Air Force was turning a new page and a lot of major acquisition programs were initiated during the period to replace the older fleet making the air force practically brand new. These were done in the aftermath of one of the most influential aircraft deals by theContinue reading “The MiG 29 ‘Baaz’ Story By A Young Defence Enthusiast”
Change of Guard in the US and Indo-Pacific Strategy – A View
The US declassified a Secret 10-page document titled, “US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific” (Framework), on 12th January, 2021 (US EST). This document would not normally have been due for public release until the year 2043. The Framework also had an attached statement by Robert C. O’Brien, Assistant to the President for National Security, datedContinue reading “Change of Guard in the US and Indo-Pacific Strategy – A View”
The Air War of 1971: Memories of a Teenager
In January 1971 I entered my final year of school. Already there were rumblings in the media of serious events in East Pakistan, which was to become Bangladesh by the end of the year. In March 1971 after the Dhaka University massacre by the Pakistan Army, refugees started pouring into India and war clouds beganContinue reading “The Air War of 1971: Memories of a Teenager”
Strategic Balance in the Indo-Pacific – Implications India
“Only air power can defeat air power. The actual elimination or even stalemating of an attacking air force can be achieved only by a superior air force.” —Alexander P. de Seversky “Indo-Pacific is a region with 50 per cent of the world’s population, and enormous diversity of religions, culture, languages, history and political and economicContinue reading “Strategic Balance in the Indo-Pacific – Implications India”
India’s Neighbourhood – Pakistan The Fountainhead of World Terrorism
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the world’s fifth-most populous country with a population of around 212 million. It has the world’s second-largest Muslim population. It is the 33rd-largest country by area, spanning 881,913 square kilometres. Pakistan has a 1,046-kilometre coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south and is borderedContinue reading “India’s Neighbourhood – Pakistan The Fountainhead of World Terrorism”
Unified Combatant Command – India
India’s newly minted Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat has been driving quick changes to Indian military structures. The Kargil Review Committee set up immediately after the Kargil war had made many recommendations. Among them were issues related to National Security Council, intelligence, counter-terrorist operations, border management, defence budget and modernisation, National Security ManagementContinue reading “Unified Combatant Command – India”
Air Power Asia 