Category Archives: Indian Politics

Persona over Policy — ‘India Today’ reviews ‘Staggering’ – and my response

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

Karnad’s critique of Modi’s foreign and security policies stands out as an important broadside from a prominent political commentator. By Sumit Ganguly, India Today, December 8, 2018; ISSUE DATE: December 17, 2018 This book is an insightful but uneven critique of Prime … Continue reading →

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Equal benefits for equal military action-related disability

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

(Disabled soldiers under rehabilitation) To highlight the plight of the soldier incapacitated in war and other military operations, the army chief had declared 2018 as ‘The Year of the Disabled Soldier’. The Year was marked by General Bipin Rawat frequenting … Continue reading →

Posted in civil-military relations, Culture, Decision-making, domestic politics, Indian Army, Indian democracy, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Military/military advice, society, South Asia | 3 Comments

Modi getting his comeuppance and the aftermath

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

(The leading BJP trio in state elections of Amit Shah, Adityanath and Modi) The drubbing Modi and, secondarily, the ruling BJP, was given by the Indian voter in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh is a testament to his remarkable good … Continue reading →

Posted in civil-military relations, corruption, Culture, Cyber & Space, Decision-making, Defence Industry, domestic politics, Indian Air Force, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Politics, Intelligence, Internal Security, SAARC, society, South Asia | 6 Comments

Imran has the edge on Modi

Posted on December 6, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

(Pakistan PM Imran Khan) Returned after nearly a week’s trip to the Balkans visiting Dubrovnik in Catholic Croatia, Kutar and Budwa in Russian Orthdox Montenegro and Mostar in Muslim Bosnia-Herzogovina — all former provinces of a once unified Yugoslavia that … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian geopolitics, civil-military relations, Culture, Decision-making, domestic politics, Europe, guerilla warfare, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Army, Indian democracy, Indian Politics, Intelligence, Internal Security, MEA/foreign policy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Pakistan nuclear forces, society, South Asia, Terrorism, UN, United States, US. | 10 Comments

Why India does not deserve to be Permanent Member of the UN Security Council

Posted on November 23, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

(Prime Minister Modi addressing the UN General Assembly) The Indian ambassador to the UN in New York, Syed Akbaruddin, made the predictable pitch on behalf of the so-called G-4 — India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany, at the UN General Assembly … Continue reading →

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Decisively Submissive

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

(Modi and Trump in a clinch) ———– Delhi’s compliance with Washington on Iran will let China gain influence ———— The omnibus US sanctions policy under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) targets India on two fronts. Regarding Iranian … Continue reading →

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Deconstructing India’s Global Ambition — Asia Society

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

Asia Society, Mumbai, had staged a well-attended event to discuss my book ‘Staggering Forward’ on October 30. The video link of the discussion is at  

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Downturn in Russia relations

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

[Modi and Putin in a more congenial mood in St. Petersburg] President Vladimir Putin comes hither to summit with Modi  at a time when bilateral relations are strained. This may be gleaned from the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s rather … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, Decision-making, domestic politics, Europe, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Politics, MEA/foreign policy, Military Acquisitions, Military/military advice, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Relations with Russia, Russia, russian assistance, South Asia, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, United States, US., Weapons, Western militaries | 3 Comments

Podcast (CPR) & Discussion on ‘Staggering’ at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

A CPR podcast on my new book ‘Staggering Forward is available at https://soundcloud.com/cpr_india/episode-23-staggering-forward-narendra-modi-and-indias-global-ambition ————- Taking off tonight for the US for an extended holiday coupled with a book event at the Atlantic Council, Washington DC, on Thursday Oct 4, 2018. … Continue reading →

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Why the Rafale deal, as predicted, has blown up in Modi’s face

Posted on September 22, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

[For reasons unknown, an overjoyed Modi with Hollande at the Elysee Palace in Paris] Rajiv Gandhi “paid the political price…with regard to the Bofors gun. Modi will have to carry the can for this Rafale transaction—a boondoggle in the making … Continue reading →

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