Cluttering the air space   Salute India magazine Aug-Sep 17

Cluttering the air space Salute India magazine Aug-Sep 17

Employment of air power for close air support missions in operations necessitated planning and coordination in air space management between various agencies. Air defence, artillery guns and rockets, attack and reconnaissance helicopters as also close air support aircraft operated simultaneously in the same limited air space, possibly with different height zones, however a risk of being shot by friendly fire […]

Why downgrading the military will hit the Modi government hard Daily O 14 Oct 17

Why downgrading the military will hit the Modi government hard Daily O 14 Oct 17

Lowering the status of the army has been an ongoing process since Independence. At the time of independence, there was mutual dislike between the polity and the army, which was exploited by the civil services. The army had been a tool with the British to curb the freedom struggle, in which all political leaders of post-Independence had been a part. […]

Suicides and Fratricides: Indian army takes care of its soldiers, stop maligning it Daily O 17 Oct 17

Suicides and Fratricides: Indian army takes care of its soldiers, stop maligning it Daily O 17 Oct 17

A recent article published on First Post, authored by Parth Satam, quoted figures of suicides in army units, from where he deduced that the army does not care for its soldiers. The article entitled, ‘Menial Jobs, poor rations affect jawans, but army does little to boost morale, says 2007 internal report’ ( http://www.firstpost.com/india/exclusive-menial-jobs-poor-rations-affect-jawans-but-army-does-little-to-boost-morale-says-2007-internal-report-4140977.html) was based on half-truths and complete misinterpretation […]

Pak heading for military rule  The Excelsior 12 Oct 17

Pak heading for military rule The Excelsior 12 Oct 17

The recent statement, post the meeting between the Pak foreign minister, Khawaja Asif and the US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, included a comment indicating concerns about the future of Pakistan’s government. This announcement was made after inputs began flowing of a growing rift between the polity and the army, which holds sway over the country. The statement aimed to […]

Dignity is what the military seeks  The Statesman 10 Oct 17

Dignity is what the military seeks The Statesman 10 Oct 17

There has been rising discontent within the armed forces on reports of likely degradation in their status as against other central services. There are fears of it being downgraded to Group B services, rather than the Group A service, it presently is. Over decades, governments under influence of a powerful bureaucracy, have been lowering the status of the armed forces, […]

Pakistan can’t blame India or US for its failures in Afghanistan Daily O 08 Oct 17

Pakistan can’t blame India or US for its failures in Afghanistan Daily O 08 Oct 17

The increasing trust deficit between Kabul and Islamabad (read Rawalpindi) has been evident in recent times. The address to the UN General Assembly by the Afghan President, Ashraf Ghani, was clearly directed towards Pakistan, compelling Pak to take recourse to the ‘right to respond’. Similar were his comments during his recent visit to India. India and Afghanistan signed, amongst a […]

Pakistan can lie, but truth would always emerge Defence News India 07 Oct 17

Pakistan can lie, but truth would always emerge Defence News India 07 Oct 17

I had written an article in ‘The Wire’ on 07Jan 17, entitled, “India, Pakistan and a tale of two army chiefs”, (https://thewire.in/97846/bipin-rawat-qamar-javed-bajwa-india-pakistan/) in which I had stated that the Indian army chief controls only the Assam Rifles, while the Pak army chief controls all para military forces within the country. Thus, the Indian army chief controls forces deployed to ensure […]