There are press reports that the home ministry is considering the deployment of National Security Guard (NSG) teams in the valley. The proposal involves deploying a unit of Black Cat Commandos in the Kashmir valley for highly specialized anti-terror operations particularly to deal with hostage situations. Presently, these tasks are being conducted by the army’s Special Forces (SF), who are […]
Based on a demand from across the nation on the need to establish our own memorial for those military personnel who laid down their lives in service of the country, the government announced the construction of a new war memorial in Oct 2015. This issue was pending for decades with every government looking for reasons to delay its decision. Even […]
The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) rose from the extra judicial killing of a young Pashtun man by a police team led by Rao Anwar in Karachi early this year. From its humble start, it has marched on and threatened the power of the most powerful institution of the country, its army. Its largest rally was in Peshawar where it drew […]
Bangladesh goes to the polls later this year. In Asia, this election will be closely watched. It will be of special interest to India and China. Politics in Bangladesh is run by two major political parties, both led by dynastic rulers. The present ruling party, the Awami League is headed by Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of the founding father of […]
The conclusion of the summit between North and South Korea was monitored across the globe. With cameras rolling it was excellently choreographed by both leaders. It indicated the setting in of a bonhomie not seen in the peninsula for decades, especially as tensions had risen to a peak in the last one year, when North Korea conducted a series of […]
The defence ministry has informed service headquarters to compile a list of obsolete military equipment and weapon systems so that they can be refurbished and gifted to friendly nations. The intention of the government appears to be to boost defence cooperation with friendly states. It also has a dual purpose of creating repair, spare parts and ammunition facilities in India, […]
Xi Jinping was the first leader whom PM Modi hosted in his home town Ahmedabad in Sept 2014 and Xi responded by hosting Modi in Xi’an, his own home town in May 15. Since then, the two have met on multiple occasions as both nations are part of multiple international organizations, where heads of state meet. Despite all tensions both […]
Twice in the last fortnight the Supreme Court has rapped the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and fined it for appealing against cases pertaining to grant of disability pensions to veterans. The MoD was appealing against the decision of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). In its judgement the Supreme Court remarked that the government must wake up to its duties and […]
Post the launch of a chemical attack on the town of Douma on 7th Apr, the west was aghast. The anger over the earlier incident of poisoning of Skripal in London had yet to recede. Trump vowed action, while Russia warned of consequences. For the US, Syria was a war where it was trapped, with almost no exit. Trump had […]
The much-touted China Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) is unlikely to either be a part of the Belt Road Initiative (BRI), nor benefit either nation to the extent it was supposed to. It would only add to financial difficulties of Pak in the long term. The CPEC moves through the Karakoram Pass, which remains closed for six months in a year, […]