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

F-35 ( Image courtesy- Wikimedia commons/ United States Navy) Japan, guided by fiery nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has  committed to purchasing  42 F-35As with the possibility of ordering more in the future. Although the F-35 has had a controversial run in the U.S. due to problems with design and manufacturing  and a history of going over budget , Japan sees  the fifth-generation fighter  as a key deterrent against the rising militancy of China. Beijing, for its part, appears to have a strong case of jet envy.  China's state owned Global Times tabloid said  the F-35 is the worst nightmare for its Liaoning aircraft carrier , according to Taiwan's Want China Times. That article was based on a claim in Canada's  Kanwa Asian Defense  that F-35s could strike the Liaoning with hard-to-intercept joint strike missiles from a safe distance of 290km. The F-35 should also be able to locate and engage China's main aircraft, the J-15, before the F-35 is even d

India's frontrunner for prime minister Narendra Modi has pledged to speed up corruption-hit defense procurement if he comes to power to ensure the country's military is better prepared for battle, AFP reports. As the nation's general election enters its final stretch, Modi said timely, cost-effective and corruption-free purchase of defense weapons and other equipment was critical for the military. "The last 10 years has seen our defense preparedness becoming weak on account of several procurement procedures mired by long delays leading to shortage of arms and equipment," Modi told the Times of India in an interview published Tuesday. "In the past, we have had a paradoxical situation where there was hardly any procurement happening in time and still serious questions of transparency have been raised." "The ideal situation is an efficient procurement system leading to timely and cost-effective procurement of quality defense equipmen

The Kim's of North Korea ( Image courtesy Wikimedia commons/ Author-J A Dee Roo) China has drawn up detailed contingency plans for the collapse of the North Korean government, suggesting that Beijing has little faith in the longevity of Kim Jong-un’s regime. Documents drawn up by planners from China’s People’s Liberation Army that were leaked to Japanese media include proposals for detaining key North Korean leaders and the creation of refugee camps on the Chinese side of the frontier in the event of an outbreak of civil unrest in the secretive state. The report calls for stepping up monitoring of China’s 879-mile border with North Korea. Any senior North Korean military or political leaders who could be the target of either rival factions or another “military power,” thought to be a reference to the United States, should be given protection, the documents state. According to Kyodo News, the Chinese report says key North Korean leaders should be detained in special

JDS Izumo (DDH-183),  Image Courtesy- Wikimedia commons/ Author- Dragoner J.P The naval strength of America’s allies in the Pacific is growing, with Japan and Australia building a fleet of massive ships designed to launch aircraft at sea. Japan already has two Hyuga Class destroyers — each able to carry up to 10 helicopters — and it will soon launch its first Izumo Class escort ship. The vessels have large landing decks that allow multiple aircraft to operate at the same time, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The 13,950-ton Hyugas are primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare missions, according to Jan Van Tol, a retired U.S. Navy captain who is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C. “The Izumos, on the other hand, have accommodations for some 400 troops, and will apparently be able to accommodate (tilt-rotor) MV-22 Ospreys and perhaps F-35B [verticle take-off and landing] aircraft,” he said. The Japanes

Guruvayoor temple ( Pic courtesy- Wikimedia commons/ Author-Arjun Theone) As a devotee, the Guruvayoor temple holds a special pride of place in my heart. One of my favorite temples, the lord Krishna has always blessed me in my hour of need, given me what ever I have achieved in life, guarded and saved me from some of the difficult movements in life. The lord Krishna Temple also hold a special place in the hearts of millions of devotees who throng the temple seeking the blessings of the lord. I dedicate this blog in the lotus feet of Lord Guruvayoorappan  Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple  ( Malayalam :  ഗുരുവായൂര്‍ ക്ഷേത്രം ,  Tamil :  குருவாயூர் கோவில் ) is a  Hindu temple  dedicated to the god  Krishna (an  avatar  of the god  Vishnu ), located in the town of  Guruvayur  in  Kerala ,  India . It is one of the most important places of worship for  Hindus  of Kerala and is often referred to as " Bhuloka Vaikunta " [2]  which translates to the "Holy Abode of Vishnu o