Manoj Ambat's Blog dealing with Defence, Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs and Politics

Pic courtesy- The Diplomat and Adnan Abidi The  Aam Admi  (Common Man) Party’s meteoric rise quickly became an Indian political legend and last week, in yet another plot twist, the party’s leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned. The AAP came to power on a populist anti-graft ticket; in the face of mounting opposition to its signature anti-corruption bill, Kejriwal fell on his sword. But the resignation clears the way for him to contest the national elections, due by May, and the AAP’s floundering tenure in Delhi begs the question: is its anti-establishment politics viable at the national level?........... http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/kejriwal-resignation-failure-or-strategy/

Despite its wish for a new type of relationship with the US, China will face a stronger US-Japan alliance in coming years............... http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/china-will-have-to-face-a-stronger-us-japan-alliance/

Pic courtesy- Wikimedia and the author As Chinese State Councilor and Special Representative Yang Jiechi arrives in Delhi to discuss the boundary question with his Indian counterpart, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon (it will be the 17th round of talks since 2003), China declared that it hoped to make its common border with India ‘a bridge and bond’............ http://www.indiandefencereview.com/external-news/?news_id=1854

China-Japan relations have deteriorated rapidly in the wake of China’s newly announced Air Defense Identification Zone and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.  The Diplomat ‘s Shannon Tiezzi talks with Michael Green, Senior Vice President for Asia at CSIS and a professor at Georgetown University, about the root cause of the tensions, the possibility for conflict, and strategies for repairing relations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-voS0T5iio

Since the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, more than six thousand satellites have been placed in space. The world has arguably become overly dependent on satellite technologies, for everything from communications and navigation through education to meteorology and military applications. The outer space environment has become increasingly congested, contested and competitive as a result.. http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/a-code-of-conduct-for-space/

North Korea is always the “x factor” in Northeast’s Asia regional security. In the wake of the surprising execution of Kim Jong-Un’s uncle, the potential for dangerous and unpredictable moves by the Kim regime has never been higher.  The Diplomat ‘s Shannon Tiezzi spoke with Victor Cha, the Korea Chair at CSIS and a Professor of Government at Georgetown University, about the stability of the Kim regime, North Korea’s relationship with China, and the growing threat of Pyongyang’s nuclear program....... http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/north-korea-implications-for-regional-security/

This is a landmark year for Afghanistan. After more than a decade of war, the country is set to transition into a new era, one it hopes will be less turbulent and will offer the beleaguered nation peace, stability and growth. Over the coming year, Afghanistan is scheduled to undergo a political transition, courtesy the presidential elections due in April, and a security transition (already underway), with the full withdrawal of international combat troops by the end of this year.............. http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/could-iran-and-india-be-afghanistans-plan-b/

Pic courtesy- Wikimedia and the author China Will Use EMP Weapons Against US | ASIAN DEFENCE NEWS

Image courtesy- The Wikimedia and the author UAE, Saudi Arabia Want To Get Submarines | ASIAN DEFENCE NEWS

Image courtesy-The Author Pentagon Expects China to Export J-20 and J-31 Stealthy Fighter | ASIAN DEFENCE NEWS

Pic courtesy- Mahayaga In  Hinduism ,  yajña  ( Sanskrit :  यज्ञ ;  IAST :  yajña , also transliterated  yagya  or  yadnya ) or  yagam  ( Tamil :  யாகம் ), is a  ritual  of offerings accompanied by chanting of Vedic  mantras  (also " worship ,  prayer , praise, offering and oblation, sacrifice" according to  Monier-Williams ) derived from the practice in  Vedic times. Yajna is an ancient ritual of offering and sublimating the havana sámagri (herbal preparations) in the fire. The sublime meaning of the word yajna is derived from the Sanskrit verb yaj, which has a three-fold meaning of worship of deities (devapujana), unity (saògatikaraña) and charity (dána). [1]  An essential element is the ritual fire – the divine  Agni  – into which oblations are poured, as everything that is offered into the fire is believed to reach God.  DHARMASOOYA MAHAYAGA Dharmasooya Mahayaga is performed by His Holiness Sri Tathata at Palakkad from 6.02.2014 to 12.02.2014. Today I was  blesse