StratPost’s Saurabh Joshi tries to analyze the fortnight-long controversy over intrusions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army across the Line of Actual Control into India and the larger environment between the two countries from which this flare-up has arisen.
“We probably had this round for no reason other than that it was scheduled. Otherwise this is hardly a good time to talk to China and get something substantial out of the process. There are just too many issues between us,” said one brasshat.
The Indian Army views with favor the idea of raising ‘Arunachal Scouts’ battalions to complement the existing Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police presence in Arunachal Pradesh, as they are also considered highly motivated, since they are essentially providing security for their own homes and families.
China has launched a broadside against India and come down heavily on the approval given by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan for Arunachal Pradesh, demanding the ADB go back on it, since it involves areas ‘disputed’ between India and China.
It is safe to assume that this lack of infrastructural parity on both sides of the border would give China a natural military advantage over India. It is important to recall, it was due to India’s abysmal border infrastructure, poor intelligence and shortage in military supplies, besides possibly flawed political and military leadership that enabled Mao’s China to thrash India in the India-China war of 1961. So in the event of a repeat conflict over the eastern borders could India move strategically to choke Chinese maritime movement of strategic supplies, especially petroleum?
“If we are such a weak country that we can only guard our country by refusing development to our border areas, only God can help us!”
StratPost tweeted facts about the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) and the participating aircraft last week. Here they are on a single page, for easy reference. And please feel free to add any more in the comments. They will be updated on this page.
A cost escalation of 50 percent (INR 63,000 crore, in this case) or more, requires approval again from the Ministry of Finance, before the Defense Acquisitions Council (DAC) can proceed with it. With the cost of the tender for India safely ranging from INR 83,000 crore to 1,25,000 crore, the revision of the estimated expenditure on the MMRCA would require the approval of the finance ministry.
The French Dassault fighter aircraft Rafale has been selected to be the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) of the [...]
The complete list of gallantry awardees, this Republic Day.
The following is the list of army personnel who lost their lives in service, in the past year.
Some of the stories of the courage displayed by India’s armed forces, awarded for conspicuous gallantry this Republic Day.
