Category Archives: Technology transfer

Timid, timid India and Taiwan

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Bharat Karnad

A piece of American street wisdom says “to deter a bully on the block, punch him in the mouth.” There are two ways of hitting Beijng in the face with tremendous effect — pass on the most lethal strategic hardware … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Culture, Cyber & Space, Decision-making, disarmament, DRDO, Geopolitics, Great Power imperatives, India's China Policy, India's Pakistan Policy, India's strategic thinking and policy, Indian Air Force, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, Indian Ocean, indian policy -- Israel, Indian Politics, Intelligence, Japan, MEA/foreign policy, Military Acquisitions, Military/military advice, Missiles, nonproliferation, Northeast Asia, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, SAARC, society, South Asia, Strategic Forces Command, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Taiwan, Technology transfer, United States, US., Weapons | 10 Comments

A Liability Called Rafale

Posted on January 12, 2019 by Bharat Karnad

A fully loaded Rafale is only as capable as the Su-30, MiG-29 and Mirage 2000. The talk of Su-30/Rafale for distant nuclear delivery against China is a joke. [Published as the ‘Up Front’ column in India Today, January 11, 2019 ISSUE … Continue reading →

Posted in arms exports, asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific, Asian geopolitics, China, China military, civil-military relations, Culture, Decision-making, 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 ecobomic situation, Indian Politics, MEA/foreign policy, Military Acquisitions, Military/military advice, Missiles, Nuclear Policy & Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Relations with Russia, Russia, russian assistance, SAARC, society, South Asia, Strategic Forces Command, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, United States, US., Weapons | 26 Comments

India’s Net Loss In 2018 From Geopolitical Shifts

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

Published in my ‘Realpolitik’ column in Bloombergquint.com December 29 2018, at https://www.bloombergquint.com/opinion/indias-net-loss-in-2018-from-geopolitical-shifts  ——————- Geopolitical developments are a double-edged sword. These can be seen as opportunities to capitalise on with a view to strengthening a relationship or turning an adversary into a … Continue reading →

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India not walking Modi’s big talk

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

[Modi at the 10th East Asia Summit] The recent G-20 Summit offered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the occasion he has frequently used to bolster his political standing at home. Except, while the domestic audience lapped up the Indian media … Continue reading →

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Going into 2019, India’s defence challenges are shocking

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

India’s military is woefully underprepared to fight future wars and there’s little focus on equipping our armed forces with cutting-edge tech   The Indian armed forces, by habit, prepare to fight yesterday’s wars. Not one of the services has a forward-looking … 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  

Posted in arms exports, asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific, Asian geopolitics, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Central Asia, China, China military, civil-military relations, corruption, Culture, Decision-making, 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 ecobomic situation, Indian Navy, indian policy -- Israel, Iran and West Asia, Indian Politics, Iran and West Asia, Japan, Maldives, MEA/foreign policy, Military Acquisitions, Military/military advice, Missiles, Myanmar, Nepal, nonproliferation, North Korea, Northeast Asia, NRIs, nuclear industry, Nuclear Weapons, Pakistan, Pakistan military, Relations with Russia, Russia, SAARC, society, South Asia, South East Asia, Sri Lanka, Strategic Relations with South East Asia & Far East, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, United States, US., Vietnam, Weapons | 3 Comments

Armaments and sovereignty

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Bharat Karnad

[World leaders in Paris to mark the 100th anniversary of the ending of WWI; Indian Vice President  Venkaiah Naidu and spouse can be seen in the middle of the second line from front] —— The sombre marking of the 100th … Continue reading →

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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 →

Posted in arms exports, asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific, Asian geopolitics, Australia, civil-military relations, corruption, Culture, Decision-making, Defence Industry, domestic politics, DRDO, Europe, Geopolitics, Indian Air Force, Indian democracy, Indian ecobomic situation, Indian Politics, MEA/foreign policy, Military Acquisitions, Military/military advice, Missiles, SAARC, society, Strategic Relations with the US & West, Technology transfer, Weapons | 10 Comments