Monthly Archives: February 2012

Air Marshal on joyride or after flying bounty

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

A frontline Mirage 2000 combat aircraft piloted by Air Marshal Anil Chopra,  head of   Personnel  at Air HQrs and Commodore Commandant,  of the oldest, most pampered, unit of IAF — No. 1 Squadron, Gwalior, went down yesterday.  “Snag in the engine”was … Continue reading →

Posted in Indian Air Force | 2 Comments

Smugglers funding Jaitapur N-protest?

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

The Kudankulam nuclear complex is stuck at the pre-commissioning stage because of the protest around those parts organized by NGOs whom Manmohan Singh has identified as being funded by cash-rich American NGOs with the agenda of torpedoing the PM’s ambitious … Continue reading →

Posted in India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Nuclear Policy & Strategy | 1 Comment

Fighting terror the Babu-way

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

It is an unequal fight. On one side are the terrorists of various ideological hues from the small numbers of raging Islamist extremists stalking the cities to the equally angry and committed Maoists controlling parts of the countryside. They are … Continue reading →

Posted in Internal Security | Leave a comment

Dominoes falling to China

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Does India ever do anything on its 0wn initiative, proactively to protect its interests? Apparently not. Because almost every time you see India doing something in the extended neighborhood, it is in response to counteract what China has done. Take … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Ocean | Leave a comment

Steep Challenge

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Bharat Karnad That the Iran-Israel fight has been brought to India’s shores by whosoever wanted to spring a surprise on the Israelis  is a tragedy. The open attack on the Israeli embassy official in highly-policed Lutyens Delhi may be the … Continue reading →

Posted in India's strategic thinking and policy, indian policy -- Israel, Iran and West Asia, Internal Security | 1 Comment

Iranian Nuclear TV imagery and meaning

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Indian TV channels are carrying television coverage of Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inspecting certain nuclear installations publicly revealed for the first time. But the careful coverage was limited to showing uranium centrifuges — which the Iranian TV commentator claimed were “4th generation”, and … Continue reading →

Posted in indian policy -- Israel, Iran and West Asia | 2 Comments

Army’s “succession plan”?

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

In his letter to the Supreme Court opposing the Army Chief, General V.K. Singh’s case for relevant official records to show his correct date of birth, Attorney General Goolam Vahnavati referred to a mysterious “succession plan” that he said the … Continue reading →

Posted in civil-military relations, Indian Army, Indian Politics | 6 Comments

Unclear nuclear answers

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

At a small gathering yesterday (Feb 8) evening ostensibly called to provide the head of the French Atomic Energy Commission, Bernard Bigot, the opportunity to give safety assurances on the European Pressurised Reactor complex that the French Co., Areva, will construct at Jaitapur … Continue reading →

Posted in Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Technology transfer | Leave a comment

Art of deal-making

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

// India and the United States resemble an old, estranged, couple who are too irked by each other’s frets and foibles to stay together but aware of too many shared interests to live apart. Their relations reek of familiarity even … Continue reading →

Posted in Defence Industry, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Military Acquisitions, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer | Leave a comment