Category Archives: Indian Politics

People’s visceral antipathy

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

The everyday experience of the average citizen is that he faces the “pay up the bribe or wait forever/face-the-music” situations at every turn. In this milieu of an exasperated and beaten citizenry, it is surprising that an Anna Hazare has … Continue reading →

Posted in Indian Politics, Internal Security | Leave a comment

Peas in a pod

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

It is curious that India and the United States – the two most important democracies in the world today, have in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barrack Obama, chief executives who, it turns out, share traits that the Washington … Continue reading →

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MMRCA or Bust?

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

The Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, worth some $11 billion, is currently the biggest military deal on the block.  There are two prongs to the deal: providing the Indian Air Force with a so-called “4.5 generation” multi-mission aircraft and securing transfer … Continue reading →

Posted in Indian Air Force, Indian Politics, Military Acquisitions, Relations with Russia, Strategic Relations with the US & West | Leave a comment

Special Command

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

Special Forces (SF) are the stuff of legend and military lore. Their derring-do and nerveless actions in the field have time and again rescued the losing side and turned the course of wars. Because the SF are geared to attaining … Continue reading →

Posted in India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Special Forces | 1 Comment

Can India say “Don’t Mess with us”?

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

The significant thing about the successful effort to locate and kill Osama bin Laden, the global symbol of Islamic extremism and head of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, is its doggedness. Stretching out over three Administrations and some ten years, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Power imperatives, India's Pakistan Policy, Indian Politics, Internal Security | Leave a comment

Rethinking Pakistan

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

“Cricket diplomacy” and the meeting of the Indian and Pakistan Home Secretaries are important because these were approved through the back channel maintained by Delhi with the Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani – the hub of power … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Army, Indian Politics | Leave a comment

Lurking Opportunity

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

The one thing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, instinctively, gets right every time is what next to do with Pakistan.  The execution of Osama bin Laden, the iconic al-Qaeda leader, has put General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and his Corps Commanders strung … Continue reading →

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Legacy as lasting nightmare

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

The near 9-Richter earthquake, tsunami, disrupted coolant systems, the consequent partial core meltdown in the nuclear reactors, and spreading radioactivity around the Fukushima Daiichi complex constitute the perfect disaster, and could not have been foreseen. But certain nuclear aspects of … Continue reading →

Posted in India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Politics, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Strategic Relations with the US & West | Leave a comment

Gandhian Guerilla

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

‘‘ ‘Twas in truth an hour Of universal ferment; mildest men”, wrote William Wordsworth in his moving poem on the French Revolution, “Were agitated; and Commotions, strife, Of passions and opinion fill’d the walls Of peaceful houses with unquiet sounds … Continue reading →

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Weak PM, Limp Policy

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Bharat Karnad

Dr. Manmohan Singh, by his own reckoning, is “an accidental prime minister”. That he has no leadership credentials worth talking about, is not a surprise. Install a career economic bureaucrat — he has been successively adviser to the commerce minister, … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Power imperatives, India's Pakistan Policy, Indian Army, Indian Politics, Internal Security, Military Acquisitions | Leave a comment