Op Sindoor, misuse of the defence rupee, how to become atmnirbhar in armaments

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Bharat Karnad

संवाद # 250: India MUST’ve punished Pak by taking back Skardu, Haji Pir sailent | Bharat Karnad

A bunch of issues tackled in the Vaad podcast; may be of interest to ‘Security Wise’ followers, taped 3 days ago

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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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25 Responses to Op Sindoor, misuse of the defence rupee, how to become atmnirbhar in armaments

  1. futuristically365ae7e3c0's avatar futuristically365ae7e3c0 says:
    May 12, 2025 at 10:04 am

    @BharatKarnad

    greetings professor karnad I have been following your books and blogs for the past 1-2 years.

    professor I think more people in India need to know about your policies and recommendation.I consider you and a few more handfull people as credible sources for strategic developments in india.

    please take it as a suggestion after you are done with your new book can’t you make a youtube channel or social media accounts to connect with a wider audience

    Reply
  2. Deepak's avatar Deepak says:
    May 12, 2025 at 7:11 pm

    Dear Sir, I think India is not interested in capturing Skardu or Haji pir pass. We are always into tactical solution rather than strategic solution.

    Modi is not interested in getting dragged into war to capture parts of pok and GB. I feel reasons could be possible nuclear exchange, western sanctions, diplomatic isolation from muslim countries, china may open another front, hostile local population who may add more headache to managing it after capturing it,entire focus of government will be shifted to managing these territories rather t.

    I think right now tactical solution to handle pak army using terrorists to fight India is to eliminate them periodically whenever they attack(like pest control) and target pak army military infrastructure if they respond to surgical strikes.

    what is your opinion on this Sir?

    Reply
  3. V.Ganesh's avatar V.Ganesh says:
    May 12, 2025 at 8:35 pm

    @BharatKarnad The Government of India [GOI] at the highest level through the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi’s just concluded televised address to the nation and the world has said that the only talks with Pakistan will be for the return of the Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir [POJ&K].

    Is the Government of India [GOI] and Narendra Modi baiting Pakistan knowing that Pakistan will never return Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir [POJ&K] on its own and therefore setting a case for a next stage of Operation Sindoor extending to war, knowing Pakistan will fail?

    Also, is the Government of India [GOI] and Narendra Modi by-passing the Parliament of India which has passed a resolution to retrieve Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir [POJ&K] by making it incumbent on Pakistan to return Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir [POJ&K] and thereby nullifying and invalidating the Parliament of India’s resolution to retrieve Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir [POJ&K]?

    Reply
  4. V.Ganesh's avatar V.Ganesh says:
    May 12, 2025 at 8:52 pm

    @BharatKarnad Like during the 2019 Balakot air strike, when the Indian Air Force [IAF] was said to have less number of AEW&C/AWACS in comparison to the Pakistani Air Force [PAF], was that the case during Operation Sindoor too?

    Are the Indian Air Force [IAF]’s Soviet Union/USSR/Russian-origin Beriev A-50 and Brazilian-origin ERJ-145 Nethra AEW&C/AWAC aircraft inferior in comparison to the Pakistani Air Force [PAF]’s Swedish-origin Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C/AWAC aircraft?

    During the Galwan conflict with China, the Indian Navy [IN]’s Boeing P-8I Neptune Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft [MPRA] was used. Today, there was news that the Indian Navy [IN] wanted to participate in Operation Sindoor and accordingly presented plans for the same. But, during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Navy [IN] only maintained a deterrent posture as per Vice-Admiral, A. N. Pramod, the Director-General of Naval Operations [DGNO] of the Indian Navy [IN]. So, do you think the Indian Navy [IN]’s Boeing P-8I Neptune Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft [MRPA] was used?

    Reply
    • Bharat Karnad's avatar Bharat Karnad says:
      May 13, 2025 at 12:08 pm

      The Pak Navy expected IN to come into action. Because they rapidly castled their surface combatants within the Karachi harbour and quickly deployed its submarines out to sea to prevent any attempt by IN to impose a blockade.

      Reply
  5. V.Ganesh's avatar V.Ganesh says:
    May 12, 2025 at 9:11 pm

    @BharatKarnad Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in his televised address to the nation and the world spoke about the use of Made In India systems in Operation Sindoor? So, is he denying the use of the Russian S-400 Triumf missile system and the French Dassault Rafale fighter jets in Operation Sindoor?

    Reply
  6. V.Ganesh's avatar V.Ganesh says:
    May 12, 2025 at 9:14 pm

    @BharatKarnad Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in his televised address to the nation and the world repeated his “this is not the age of war” remark which he told to the President of Ukraine, Volodymr Zelensky and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

    Yet, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ordered Operation Sindoor. Doesn’t it make him and India look hypocritical and reduce his and India’s stature in the world in view of his and India’s aspiration to become a superpower?

    Reply
  7. Muhammad Izadi's avatar Muhammad Izadi says:
    May 12, 2025 at 10:32 pm

    Greetings,

    Sir, given the scholarly stature of yours, I am sure you have contacts in the higher echelons of Indian military.

    Please inquire where the Pakistani ground forces are at the moment.

    They are sitting several kilometers on the Indian side.

    The picture is somewhat as follows:

    Sialkot sector (Working Boundary) – 5km

    Narowal sector (Working Boundary) – 3km

    Sheikhupura sector (International Border) – 2km

    Bahawalpur sector (International Border) – 4km

    LOC:

    5 to 7 km inside Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir.

    The advances were made around the areas of Leepa valley, Haji Pir, Nakyal, Poonch, Kupwara, Khuiratta (probably near Poonch highway).

    Indian DGMO requested his counterpart to withdraw to the pre-conflict positions. However, the request was denied.

    Of course, here, these things are not being officially disseminated/boasted so as to keep the levels of political pressure on the other side on a manageable scale. Perhaps, this is the understanding that has been reached among Pakistan, India, and the US.

    Let’s see how things develop from here.

    Regards

    Reply
  8. typhoonmaximum254b0f9a4f's avatar typhoonmaximum254b0f9a4f says:
    May 12, 2025 at 10:49 pm

    Dear Dr Karnad , MK Bhadrakumar with whom you may be familiar with, argues that the present skirmish between India and Pakistan points towards India is currently transforming into a national security state like Israel and Pakistan from being a civilizational state like China , US, Russia etc. You seem to support this view in this interview of yours. Am I correct here?

    Reply
    • Bharat Karnad's avatar Bharat Karnad says:
      May 13, 2025 at 12:02 pm

      Well, India, a civilizational state, that cannot adequately mind its security, has problems.

      Reply
    • ecstaticdac23e117f's avatar ecstaticdac23e117f says:
      May 19, 2025 at 5:06 pm

      typhoon@ — How is India a security state and the US a civilizational state, when the percentage of the GDP spent on the military in India is far LESS than in the US?

      Reply
  9. Mo's avatar Mo says:
    May 13, 2025 at 11:17 am

    Sir please increase you’re YouTube and twitter presence. Unless you’re heard you won’t be debated and unless you’re debated you won’t be considered seriously. The best way to make someone irrelevant is ignore them and you make it very easy. For mother India’s safety you need to have a better online presence .🙏🏽

    Reply
    • Aditya Mishra's avatar aditya mishra says:
      May 13, 2025 at 2:02 pm

      @BharatKarnad

      i agree the audiences on this blog channel comprises of only military people and defense enthusiast it would be absolutely great if a more wider audience gets to know the realist strategies and geostrategies that professor advocates specially the teenagers who aspire to be policy makers someday.

      professor please give it a consideration

      also your podcast on vaad was a delight to watch

      Reply
  10. Gab Singh's avatar Gab Singh says:
    May 13, 2025 at 1:28 pm

    Bharatji,

    Is it correct to say that France and nuclear submarine is responsible for delay in development and induction of Tejas fighter ?

    Reply
  11. primeargument's avatar primeargument says:
    May 13, 2025 at 3:11 pm

    Claims by PAF Air Marshal Masood Akhtar in an interview about the PAF air warfare with J10Cs during Operation Sindoor with details of Chinese weapons used like PL15 and CM400 . Accepts damage to 1 PAF AEW&C.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfcMrba6uDg

    Reply
  12. Deepak's avatar Deepak says:
    May 13, 2025 at 6:23 pm

    Dear Sir, many unconfirmed reports saying pak asked for immediate ceasefire after getting hit in kirana hills which is officially denied by India. Many stories about alleged radiation leakage also doing the rounds in social media. Any reliable info to confirm India hitting alleged pak nuclear weapons storage in kirana hills ?

    Reply
  13. Aditya Mishra's avatar aditya mishra says:
    May 13, 2025 at 8:59 pm

    @BharatKarnad

    Professor i have a question . In the American nuclear command (STRATCOM) the commander regularly asks the scientists to prove the efficiency and reliability of the American nuclear weapons and delivery system . He does so as to instill confidence into the minds of the forces who will be the end users of these weapons god forbid if nuclear exchange happens. Basically they are allowed to ask questions from the establishment.

    Why don’t the officers of strategic forces command(SFC) question the government on the dud S1 device of 1998 blasts. Has any commander of SFC ever said to the government that we want tested proven credible thermonuclear weapons specially against China are they even allowed to question?

    Reply
  14. typhoonmaximum254b0f9a4f's avatar typhoonmaximum254b0f9a4f says:
    May 14, 2025 at 5:52 am

    Dr Karnad, with the PKK surrendering their armed struggle, Kurdish separatism in Turkey comes to the end. Will the BLA, which is inspired by the PKK , now will have to do the same ?

    Reply

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