Both army chief General Bipin Rawat and vice chief of the army, General Sarath Chand, have through various platforms expressed frustration over money allocated in the union budget to the defence sector. The army generals have complained that the allocation hardly leaves anything for modernization and upkeep of the forces. In fact, it did not even cater for inflationary growth. […]
The army chief, General Bipin Rawat, stated in a seminar recently that the army plays a significant role in nation building. He added that a reasonable part of the defence budget is employed for development and providing facilities in remote areas. In most border regions, it is the army alone, which is closer to the locals living there, hence provides […]
President Ashraf Ghani recently gave a call for talks with the Taliban, while addressing an international conference in Kabul. In his call, he offered to allow the Taliban to establish itself as a political party as also work to removing sanctions against them in addition to other incentives. There have been mixed reports following the President’s call. One report stated […]
The recent decision to give Pak time till May to provide its action plans prior to placing it under the ‘grey or black list’ by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was not unexpected, despite China and Saudi Arabia’s initial support to Pak. In fact, the seeds for warning Pak were sowed by their own army chief, General Javed Bajwa, […]
It has been two weeks since the army chief named political parties in a seminar on the North East, yet the controversy over those remarks continues to simmer. Even earlier his comments on Kashmir and seeking Bharat Ratna for Field Marshall Cariappa have come in for criticism. He speaks as a true soldier would, direct and to the point, informing […]
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris last month concluded with a demand for Pakistan to submit its action plan by May on stopping the flow of funds to terror groups as also curbing their activities. If it does not accept Pak’s proposal, which is very likely, it could be placed in the ‘grey or black’ list, the […]
Recent reports indicate that China is moving at a fast pace to annex Pakistan as one of its provinces. In other countries where China has invested, and the nations have been unable to pay, they have had to hand over strategic assets to China for prolonged durations, Sri Lanka and Myanmar being examples. In the case of Pakistan, China already […]
In recent times questions are being raised on reasons behind increasing number of youth picking the gun in lieu of the pen in Kashmir. The most common reasons being given are radicalization, highhandedness of security forces, lack of employment opportunities and poor governance. The most dominating factor mentioned by all is radicalization. Security experts claim the current tipping point in […]
At a seminar in Delhi last week, on the North East, the army chief, General Rawat spoke about the impact illegal immigration has had in the region. He commented on the phenomenal growth of a predominantly Moslem party, AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front). He even went on to compare this party with the Jan Sangh of the eighties. This […]
Speaking at a national seminar in Delhi on the North East, entitled ‘bridging gaps and securing borders’ on 21st Feb, the army chief, General Bipin Rawat, raised a few relevant issues. Some issues he raised were amalgamation of the residents of the region into our society, illegal immigration from Bangladesh and development of the area. His statement, “There is a […]