Comment & Briefs

In recent years the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing a series of transformations at various levels in keeping with its changed military doctrine which emphasises upon fighting `local wars under conditions of informationalisation`.

The India-China defence dialogue assumes significance in the context of the military build-up across the border and the persistence of the security dilemma between the two countries.

The Indian Army can be expected to deliver on the strategic challenges it faces, although how it does this depends on how it measures up to internal change.

The Indian Army can be expected to deliver on the strategic challenges it faces, although how it does this depends on how it measures up to internal change.

Though the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) has been received well by the Karbi people, there are certain obstacles towards its implementation.

The people of Yeonpyeong Island remember with trepidation the devastating attack of November 2010. Since the Cheonan incident in March 2010 and chastened by the attack last year, South Korea has beefed up its military arsenal and strengthened its defence preparedness.

Kishanji’s demise would put to rest any possibility of negotiations between the Maoists and the government in West Bengal. His killing in an encounter, no doubt a serious blow, does not practically undermine the Maoists’ capabilities either in West Bengal or at the pan-India level. However, his unique organizational ability shall be missed.

Presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei tweeted that ‘Tear gas with nerve agent has been used against the Tahrir Square demonstrators’. This raises the suspicion of use of chemical weapons in the ongoing struggle for democracy in West Asia. This commentary analyses the relevance of chemical weapons in the Arab Spring.

Coming close on the heels of the Chinese decision to build two nuclear power plants at Karachi as well as the continued assistance to the construction of nuclear reactors at Chashma, Xun Wang’s case raises the worrying spectre of spotty Chinese implementation of and compliance with international export control regulations.

International economic circumstances are propitious for India and Indian defence companies to strike deals that would help reduce dependence on foreign sources for defence needs.