Category Archives: Geopolitics

Preempting Danger

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

If a graph were drawn with Pakistan government’s bluff, bluster, and threats of nuclear weapons use on one axis and the growth of its nuclear arsenal on the other axis, what you’d trace is actually a line that has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Missiles, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Terrorism, United States, US., Western militaries | 5 Comments

Nuclear Correctness

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

National Security Adviser (NSA) Shiv Shankar Menon was at an Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) meet on August 27 to launch a revived Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan for nuclear disarmament. In his speech, he teased the audience with his … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Strategic Forces Command | 18 Comments

China respects hard power

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Shyam Saran, the former foreign secretary and Chinese language speaker, the other day delivered in New Delhi a most insightful and enlightening public lecture on China. Equally, there has not been a more damning indictment of India’s China outlook, approach, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy | 7 Comments

Marginalizing the army

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

It is a mystery why we don’t imitate the Chinese: act nice, talk peace, trade and  challenge China when it steps on our toes Gen. Bikram Singh, Chief of the Army Staff, is bringing in as his Principal Staff Officers … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Pakistan, Pakistan military | 10 Comments

Managing Indian nuclear forces

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Secured a copy of Vice Admiral Verghese Koithara’s book — ‘Managing India’s Nuclear Forces’. The only original stuff — and the core of the book — is in the penultimate two chapters dealing with nuclear force management and operationalization. His  implication, … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Defence Industry, DRDO, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's strategic thinking and policy, Missiles, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, United States, US. | 12 Comments

Hand in the Hornets Nest

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Considering there are some 170-180 million Muslims in India and about 25-30 percent of this population are shias, the country’s West Asia policy, not unreasonably, has walked on eggshells. It has refused to tilt the majority sunni or the minority … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, civil-military relations, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, indian policy -- Israel, Iran and West Asia, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Pakistan, Terrorism, United States, US. | 12 Comments

Surely, you jest Mr. Tharoor!

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

The frightfully talented Shashi Tharoor, the Congress Party MP from Thiruvananthapuram, cannot be accused of lacking in ambition or drive. From chief public relations officer, United Nations, to seeking the Secretary-Generalship of this body, to winning a Lok Sabha seat … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, civil-military relations, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Politics | 3 Comments

Fork in the road to defence ties

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

In the past several years India has dashed headlong into military acquisitions without thinking through their implications. This is par for the course for the Indian government wedded to ad hoc policies and decisions concerning the most serious aspects of … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, China, Defence Industry, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Military Acquisitions, Missiles, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Relations with Russia, United States | 34 Comments

Folly of Pakistan’s Taliban Logic

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

Pakistan is “the sick man of Asia”. In the early 21st Century, our neighbour to the west deserves that appellation as, ironically, Turkey-Ottoman Empire did in the 19th century. Turkey, if you recall, was the model of the army-run state … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, Asian geopolitics, civil-military relations, Geopolitics, India's Pakistan Policy, Indian Army, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Pakistan, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Terrorism | 7 Comments

Sanya analogue on Andhra Coast

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Bharat Karnad

The story in today’s ‘Sunday Express’ about the Chinese hackers penetrating the Eastern Navala Command’s communications hub and planting bugs to relay any info or communication involving the Arihant SSBN, etc.  China’s strategic concerns understandably revolve around the deployment patterns of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East | 3 Comments