Other 2011 Issues

How to Minimise The Proliferation Impact of Nuclear Deterrence

Spring 2011

Summer 2011

Monsoon 2011

Nuclear deterrence has come to be recognised as possibly the only, if somewhat shaky, defence against the threat and use of nuclear weapons. Hence, most countries have sought to justify their acquisition of nuclear weapons as critical to their security, mostly from nuclear armed countries, but also from the large conventional forces of the perceived adversary. In other words, here lies the critical source of nuclear proliferation. Professor Sverre Lodgaard, one of the world’s leading experts in this field, in his excellent essay, has explored how the negative impact of nuclear weapons for security can be reduced, leading to minimising the impact on greater proliferation.

Patterns of Insurgency : Strategies and Doctrines

Insurgency is a term often mixed up with terrorism, militancy and other societal violence. These have existed for centuries though the means and methods employed have undergone marked changes. But the most important aspect—as, indeed, in the case of regular force  on-force warfare—in understanding the phenomena and dealing with them, emerges from the doctrines and strategies of insurgencies which vary in time and space. Group Captain A. V. Chandrasekaran has tried to unravel the patterns of insurgency, based on exactly these factors. Those involved in counter-insurgency would need to pay particular attention to the doctrines and strategies that differentiate various insurgencies and even provide the insights to changes in ongoing insurgencies.

Effect of Weather and Terrain on Airlift Operations

Airlift operations are subject to numerous adverse and favourable factors that air power in general experiences. The effect of weather and terrain would inevitably require attention in planning and executing air operations in general and airlift operations in particular. Group Captain A. K. Chordia has examined both these factors at some length in the present study which would be useful for operators and planners since India presents a wide variation (and even unpredictability) in both weather as well as terrain.

Training Future Environment Leaders

Every type of environment requires leadership of somewhat different qualities and characteristics as much as the challenges and responses that the leaders must address would be different, at least in the details and nature. Group Captain Manoj Kumar has objectively explored these challenges and suggested the approach to master them for the designated task and objective.

Political Islam, Democracy and Arab Spring

The last year has been witness to substantive political and ideological developments in the countries across Northern Africa though these developments have acquired the title of “Arab Spring.” Most of the countries affected by the recent turmoil were ruled by an authoritarian  system headed by dictators; and, inevitably, the overthrow of these was interpreted as a desire for democracy. Commodore M. R. Khan, an expert in Islam and the Arab region, has analysed the relationship of Islam and democracy with the political upheaval where even NATO air forces took sides in supporting the rebels in their violent struggle against the rule of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

Nuclear Doctrine and Deterrence : A Chinese Perspective

China acquired nuclear weapons and carried out the first test in 1964 when it also broadly declared that it would not be the first to use them, a posture that it has maintained over the decades. But, except in very recent times, in all this period, China has not been involved in any public discussion about its view of its doctrine or about deterrence which obviously exercised its government for decades, especially against both the superpowers, with the huge size and quality of nuclear arsenals. S. Rajasimman examines the Chinese perspectives on the issues connected with nuclear doctrines and deterrence.

The Rise of China and South Korea's Strategic Flexibility

T he phenomenal rise of China, with its two-digit economic growth over nearly three decades and its massive military modernisation especially since 1993, when it started to access Russian modern military technology, has naturally raised interest and even strategic uncertainty on how China would use its newly acquired power. Inevitably, these issues have far greater salience for the Asian neighbours of China. Ms. Yeon Jung Ji examines the rise of China and the degree and direction of flexibility available/possible to South Korea, especially given China’s support for the Communist dictatorial regime in North Korea.

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