Comment & Briefs

The systems and procedures for capital acquisitions, introduced by the MoD in 2001-02, provide a decisive, if not the final, say to the Services, including the Indian Coast Guard.

The second Chinese BMD test has a message for India: propel the development of long-range (exo-atmospheric) interception capabilities to mitigate the possibility of further asymmetry on strategic forces.

The key to success in fighting urban terrorism lies in obtaining accurate intelligence about impending attacks and the neutralisation of the terrorists before they can launch their planned attacks.

The current decline in US emissions should not make us forget about climate change; a renewed push is necessary to discuss actions and policies that mitigate the complex issue of climate change.

India should grasp the opportunities which are discernible in the political horizon in Bangladesh and deepen relations through engagement at the track two tier involving India’s political parties as well as by involving West Bengal as a major partner.

Although PNEs were surrounded by ambiguity of intent from the very onset, retroactive measures after May 1974 have ensured that an underground nuclear test could be ‘peaceful’ only when conducted by or with the assistance of the superpowers.

The government should instead aim to create a single Security Group consisting of a training establishment specializing in security issues and a number of units to meet different areas of security as per the requirement.

The Prachanda faction has made an ideological shift from being a revolutionary outfit to a parliamentary party with emphasis on republicanism, and has signalled its friendly posture towards India by discarding the previously ritualistic reference to India as an enemy.

The state governments may consider projecting their claims before the FFC for a Central devolution to fund their SRE expenditure, and the FFC should respond favourably and institutionalise this process.

Despite nearly a hundred persons having immolated themselves over the last few years, these events have passed by without much notice, let alone reaction.