Author Archives: Bharat Karnad

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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.

Selling the rope that will hang you — US’ China policy

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

Specialist sites yesterday reported that the PLA General Fan Changlong will be hosted by the US military, taken around sensitive military installations and weapons platforms for a week, including the CVN USS Ronald Reagan, Naval Station North Island, the recruiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Defence Industry, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, Russia, United States, US. | Leave a comment

Taking out NSCN killers in Myanmar

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

From the sketchy info available that the media has put out, what is known about the Northeast insurgent movements, and about the safe havens in northern Mayanmar the NSCN factions use with impunity, secure in the belief they’d not be … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, Bhutan, China military, civil-military relations, domestic politics, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, guerilla warfare, India's China Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Myanmar, society, South Asia, South East Asia, Special Forces, Terrorism | Tagged | 2 Comments

Contested Waters: China and India Adrift on a Sea of Animus

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

The World Oceans Day celebrates the seas as a boon for mankind. It may soon turn out to be a bane for Sino-Indian relations. The problems are many and centre around the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) defined by the United … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Missiles, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Pakistan nuclear forces, society, South Asia, South East Asia, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Technology transfer, Vietnam | Tagged | 4 Comments

Reliance traipsing around Moscow

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

The story about a team from Reliance hotfooting it to Moscow seeking transfer of technology for nuclear-powered submarines was startling both in its direct “go get” attitude and its naivete. The Soviet Union has been dead awhile, but the closed … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, Asian geopolitics, Defence Industry, domestic politics, Geopolitics, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Indian Politics, Russia, russian assistance, russian military, society, South Asia, Technology transfer, Weapons | 2 Comments

G’Bye New Indian Express

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

Received a “Dear John” letter from the New Indian Express to day afternoon! My last column was published this morning in this paper and uploaded to this blog. The e-letter from the person running the op-ed page ran thus: Dear … Continue reading →

Posted in Indian Army | 6 Comments

US Defence Bait is Potent But Impractical Symbolism

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

The American defence secretary Ashton Carter drops into Delhi next week bearing ideas for joint military projects and things to sell in government-to-government (G2G) deals—Foreign Military Sales (FMS) in Pentagonese. The apparent absence of middlemen and corruption makes G2G/FMS the … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Defence Industry, domestic politics, Europe, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Army, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Military Acquisitions, Missiles, nuclear industry, nuclear power, society, South Asia, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, United States, US., Weapons, Western militaries | 7 Comments

China preparing for distant ops

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

With the Indian Government and military unable to think, strategize, plan and operationalize their views, policies, and postures beyond the country’s territorial borders, the document “China’s Military Strategy” issued by Beijing on May 26, 2015 (and accessible at http://en.people.cn/n/2015/0526/c90785-8897779.html ) … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Cyber & Space, Defence Industry, domestic politics, Europe, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, guerilla warfare, India's China Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Japan, Military Acquisitions, nuclear industry, Nuclear Weapons, satellites, society, South Asia, South East Asia, Strategic Forces Command, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, Terrorism, Tibet, United States, Weapons | Leave a comment

India’s Defence Sector is Looking for a Visionary Modi

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

A Chinese commentator scornfully, or in praise (it is not clear which), called Narendra Modi “a pragmatist, not a visionary”. Pragmatism in the context of the over-bureaucratized Indian state translates into the Prime Minister being led by his nose by … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Defence Industry, domestic politics, DRDO, Europe, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian democracy, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Politics, Military Acquisitions, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Relations with Russia, Russia, russian assistance, russian military, society, South Asia, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Technology transfer, United States, US., Weapons, Western militaries | 5 Comments

In Earthquake Zone, Jaitapur Nuclear Plant Could Be Courting Calamity

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

One disaster is terrible enough, but two are truly catastrophic. There are two types of disasters that strike in us an elemental fear. One is when the earth shakes violently. Buildings, bridges, and built-up structures sway before toppling, roads crack … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Japan, Northeast Asia, nuclear industry, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, nuclear power, society, South Asia, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer | 1 Comment

Electric Modi decision & short circuit in China

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Bharat Karnad

At the end of the formal meeting between PM Modi and Premier Li Keqiang, the FS K. Jaishankar held a press conference and informed reporters that there was no decision on e-visas for Chinese nationals. Less than two hours later, … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Cyber & Space, Defence Industry, disarmament, DRDO, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Internal Security, Iran and West Asia, Military Acquisitions, Missiles, nonproliferation, Northeast Asia, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Pakistan nuclear forces, society, South Asia, South East Asia, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, Tibet, United States, US., Weapons | 1 Comment