Video of ‘Staggering’ launch

The two separate (or two-part) videos of the panel discussion at the launch on Thursday, Aug 30 at the India International Centre, of my newest book, ‘Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India’s Global Ambition’, published by Penguin, followed by a Question & Answer period, may be found on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn8q2EGUuXQ&feature=youtu.be and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75N0x6Pb2UY&feature=youtu.be .

During the panel discussion something entirely unprecedented happened. For the first time ever (as far as I know) a military man, Admiral Arun Prakash, publicly challenged a politician (Jairam Ramesh). He held politicians responsible for not having the requisite vision and drive and for turning the country into an arms dependency, and denied that military is in any way to blame. Indeed, the Admiral — as you will see — even shushed Jairam up when the politician tried to intervene when he was talking.

Watch these videos — revealing in many respects.

About Bharat Karnad

Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, he was Member of the (1st) National Security Advisory Board and the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, and author, among other books of, 'Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy', 'India's Nuclear Policy' and most recently, 'Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet)'. Educated at the University of California (undergrad and grad), he was Visiting Scholar at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies, and Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington, DC.

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6 Responses to Video of ‘Staggering’ launch

Rupam says:

September 6, 2018 at 1:28 am

Awesome launch, one simple thing that is crystal clear from this is that we have the brains, the resources, everything. Only the leeway of import for the Armed forces need to be blocked completely and the market should be properly opened for the local manufacturers to get in. As you have mentioned before, keep the market competition driven and lo and behold you will have within a term booming industries that not only produce arms for the country but can also bring in foreign revenue via sales.

Shankara says:

September 6, 2018 at 10:35 am

You did not speak about COMCASA in the launch??

- Bharat Karnad says:
  
  September 6, 2018 at 2:03 pm
  
  Time constraints and the fact COMCASA was not brought up for discussion by the moderator.
  
  - Shankara says:
    
    September 6, 2018 at 5:21 pm
    
    India signed comcasa
    We desh bhakts are fooled by all parties all are silent
    😣😣
    
    https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-us-sign-landmark-comcasa-deal/article24881277.ece/amp/
Rupam says:

September 7, 2018 at 2:34 am

Bharat ji what is your view on the govt. rejecting the Russian offer of joint manufacture of AK-series rifles with Adani?

- Bharat Karnad says:
  
  September 8, 2018 at 9:16 am
  
  Because of the charge of crony capitalism GOI, with Modi’s alleged intimacy with the Adani Group in mind, has vetoed the Adani group as the partner chosen by the Kalashnikov group. But the famed Russian company is free to choose another Indian firm to produce its assault weapons in India.