The Chinese leadership's exhortation to the PLA to improve its capability sufficiently to win local wars must be a wake-up call to India's military strategists and operations planners.
Preliminary Air India 171 crash report is tantalizingly open-ended and leaves unanswered questions
One has to bear in mind that the two pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, and First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, were very familiar with the aircraft. Captain Sabharwal had logged approximately 15,600 flight hours, including nearly 8,600 hours on the Boeing 787 and Kunder had around 3,400 flight hours, with over 1,100 hours on the 787. It is impossible to imagine that either of them was not fully knowledgeable that turning off and turning on fuel switches is a function that requires deliberate physical action.
Playing with the Constitution: India's Ruling BJP's Misdirected Priorities
While it is true that “socialist” and “secular” were inserted in the preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act during the Emergency, which remains a dark chapter in the history of free India, it is not true that the values go against the grain or the spirit of the constitution. These are effectively the only parts of the amendment that sit today 50 years down the line.
Tharoor - caught between two stools
However, a point will come soon when he has to make a choice and that choice is not necessarily the BJP even in the unlikely event of him being offered the position of India’s foreign minister in place of Subramanyam Jaishankar. The choice is also not necessarily leaving the Congress Party even if it means being treated cavalierly. The problem with him is that his entire appeal comes from his seemingly defiant equidistance from both the main parties.
The Dalai Lama: A Global Beacon of Peace and Compassion
What stands out amidst this global indifference is the Dalai Lama’s unwavering grace. He harbours no ill will—not even towards China. In a world increasingly defined by conflict, coercion, and fractured diplomacy, the Dalai Lama remains an embodiment of moral strength and compassion, committed to the principles of non-violence and interfaith harmony.
More on Perspective
Biden’s putdown of Pakistan: More to it than meets the eye
The fact that the bulk of whatever aid goes to Pakistan is grabbed by the military and used for terrorism is of little consequence to the US, as is the fact that it was Pakistan that engineered the humiliating withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
Canada on a suicidal course: Giving a free run to South Asian separatists and terrorists could boomerang
The Canadian government is doing a very big mistake by thinking that such separatists and terrorist groups operating in Canada will not harm Canada but only other countries.
The population myth, prejudice and dangers of a misguided policy
It is possible to use the numbers to argue in many ways but what should be reasonable to note is that there is no conspiracy among a certain set of people to grow their numbers. Demographics tells us that as the level of education (particularly of the woman) and the standard of living of the family moves up, the number of children per woman generally comes down.
How the battle against insurgency was won in Tripura
A mere look at the map of Tripura showed that the insurgents were operating from the hills where there was no police presence as all the police stations and posts were on the main roads. I was convinced that we should move into the hills.
He crossed boundaries for India's freedom: Musings at the feet of Gandhi in London
The statue has cost substantial money but is fully funded by the public through a charitable trust managed by a number of Indians residing in the UK. The chair of an advisory group that oversaw the project was former Pakistani-origin mayor and minister Sajid Javed.
Right to free food: India will need to carefully do the cost-benefit analysis
An increase in support of free food means cutting back on maybe health, education, infrastructure, military or pension benefits. The government cannot escape these difficult fiscal tradeoffs.
Gandhi remains as relevant today as in his time
Thus the mantra of development should be spirituality with high technology. Both these things allow us to reduce our greed for resources and live in harmony with nature – something that Gandhi preached intuitively all his life.
A paean to Mahatma Gandhi and his inclusive philosophy
But for Gandhi, India's political destiny would have been vastly different and her moral stature vastly inferior.
The long road to the ‘Right to Health’ in India
Clearer commitments and standards on access and quality, making oversight and redressal mechanisms more participatory, and allocating adequate financial resources alone would make the right to healthcare to all citizens a reality.
How India won the race to Siachen
The book is a must-read for all policymakers, diplomats, academics and civil and military personnel who have an interest in Siachen.
India needs to be more open to free trade
In a world slowing down due to a recession, even if our share of trade goes up from 3 to 4 per cent, that would be a huge boost for the Indian economy. And that is eminently feasible only if we are less afraid of open and free trade.
Recalling a 'black chapter' in Punjab's history: Flawed decision-making that proved costly for India
The book, in many ways, is the last word on the tragic and defining years of Punjab’s turmoil that took a large number of lives.
Unique military-industry cooperation boosting Indian Navy’s warship production
There are currently 41 ships and submarines under construction, 39 are being built in Indian shipyards, while in-principle approval is there from the Defence Ministry for 47 ships to be built in India.
Is war an inevitability? How prepared should India be?
The author’s prognosis of a major contestation in the not-so-distant future is situated in the South China Sea. The compelling logic portends China’s proclivity to fight one or possibly two major wars before 2035, either with Taiwan or India before the major US-China war.
