Journal of Defence Studies

India’s Geostrategy and China: Mackinder versus Mahan?

Two recent events exemplify India’s geopolitical dilemma. In early April 2013, it was reported that Chinese submarines had been conducting forays in the Indian Ocean that were apparently picked up by US Navy sonar.1 A few weeks later, there was a Chinese intrusion in the western sector where a platoon of Chinese troops entered the Depsang Valley area of eastern Ladakh.2 While the status quo ante was peacefully attained, the Ladakh incident is a vivid reminder of the abiding implications of an unresolved Himalayan dispute.

Chinese Intrusion into Ladakh: An Analysis

The intrusion by the Chinese Army in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was first reported by the media on 15 April 2013. Initial reports indicated that about 30–40 armed soldiers of the Chinese Army had set up three to four tents in the area of Depsang Bulge, south east of Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO). Subsequently, media reports indicated that the Government had accepted this intrusion to be 19 km from the LAC, inside Indian territory.

The Arrest of Argentine Warship ‘ARA Libertad’: Revisiting International Law Governing Warships, Sovereign Immunity, and Naval Diplomatic Roles

The ARA Libertad Case (Argentina v. Ghana) is the first instance where the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Hamburg, Germany considered the issue of the release of a warship which was detained in a foreign port contrary to the principles of sovereign immunity of warships. The Argentinian warship was detained based on a commercial case filed by an American hedge fund against Argentina in the Ghanaian Court.

Restraining Kargil: Nuclear Caution in the Shadow of Kashmir

The debate surrounding the stability of nuclear weapons has been a critical issue for the last half century. On the one hand, realists like Kenneth Waltz argue that the proliferation of nuclear weapons will foster greater stability due to the intrinsic deterrent logic associated with these weapons. The nuclear pessimists, on the other hand, argue that the accidental use of nuclear weapons and unstable regime types are a greater concern for the outbreak of nuclear war.

From Protection of Shipping to Protection of Citizens and National Economies: Current Changes in Maritime Security

This article analyses the alteration of the referent object for maritime security from protection of shipping and port facilities to protection of citizens and national economies. It presents a tentative answer on the extent and consequences of this alteration applied by states in a global perspective, and focuses on validating four explanatory factors on why the alteration has occurred. The time period of study is between 1991 and 2013.

The Soldier and the State in India by Ayesha Ray

The Indian armed forces were inherited from the British on attaining Independence. The Indian soldier, who forms a part of the three services, has been involved in combat right from the time the nation was formed. He has always followed Field Marshal Philip Chetwode’s motto which states that the honour, safety and welfare of the country comes first always and every time; the honour, safety and welfare of the men you command comes next; and your own comfort comes last always and every time.

Effectiveness of Quality Assurance in Army Procurements

A closed loop feedback system for ensuring the quality of the Army equipment exists. Notwithstanding this, a number of Army equipment show a high failure rate at crucial times and are, therefore, a matter of great concern. These failed equipment have resulted in a number of avoidable casualties as well as restricted operational planning by tactical commanders in the field due to the non-availability of equipment for deployment, which results from their low reliability or high rates of failure.

Confronting the State: ULFA’s Quest for Sovereignty by Nani Gopal Mahanta

India’s nation and state building project faces challenges in the NorthEast because of the simplistic, linear, and development-centric approach that has been guiding it so far. This neglects the mind set and the psyche that is sustaining insurgency and violence in the region. The Indian Union has, undeniably, won the war against the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), and its support base has also reduced to a large extent.

Learning by Doing: The PLA Trains at Home and Abroad by Roy Kamphausen, David Lai and Travis Tanner

Learning by Doing: The PLA Trains at Home and Abroad analyses the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) training exercises and its joint international drills after the year 2000. Drawing on assorted media reports and other sources, the book has created a much-needed structured narrative on the subject. Media coverage, such as that by PLA Daily (China Military Online), has drawn attention to technological developments in PLA’s training exercises, their expanded time, and geographical span over the past decade. The PLA’s joint international drills have also been widely covered.

The Maoist Threat

As a nation, we have a tendency to react once a crisis overtakes us. This holds good in the case of natural disasters like the annual floods in the North-East, earthquakes, the tsunami, the most recent calamity in Uttarkhand or national security threats like Kargil, 26/11 in Mumbai, and the Chinese intrusion in Eastern Ladakh in April 2013. To this list can be added the chimera of Maoism or Left-wing Extremism (LWE).