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

Kilo Class Submarine ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Ria Novosti) Source- The Want China Times With an attacking range of 280 kilometers, the Vietnamese navy's 3M-14E Klub-S submarine-launched ballistic missile can be used against China's Hainan and Guangdong provinces when launched from southern Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay, military analyst Andrei Chang, also known as Pinkov, wrote in an article for the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada. The purchase of 3M-14E ballistic missiles from Russia makes Vietnam's six Kilo-class 636MV submarines more powerful than their Chinese counterparts. Pinkov said the 3M-14E is only allowed to be exported to Algeria, India and Vietnam. It is not allowed to be installed aboard China's Kilo-class MV submarines yet. In a war between China and Vietnam, the Vietnamese navy is very likely to use the submarines in the vanguard against the PLA Navy. The Vietnamese subs have also u

Mahendra Rajapakse ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ SriLanka Presidential Secretariat Source- The Eurasia review Author- By Col, R. Hariharan Any narrative on Sri Lanka would be incomplete if India’s overwhelming influence in Sri Lanka is not considered. It comes from India’s huge geographic size, economic strength and global political influence from times immemorial. After the British colonial power exited from South Asia, independent India’s dominance gave rise to anxiety among sections of Sri Lankans, particularly among the Sinhala Buddhist majority who saw their country as Theravada Buddhism’s last sanctuary. The sense of anxiety gave way to a feeling of insecurity across Sri Lanka particularly after India’s massive political and military intervention from 1987 to 90 to ensure the state redressed the grievances of Tamil minority population. Though the Tamil minority question is still unresolved, Indian intervention had a positive, but cathartic effect to impa

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ United States DOD)  Source- The Eurasia Review / Institute of South Asia Studies Author- Shahid Javed Burki On December 16, 2014, the Taliban attacked an army school in Peshawar and killed 132 children. In all 145 persons died. Seven terrorists – among them three Arabs, two Afghans and one Chechen – dressed in military uniform penetrated the well-guarded perimeter of the school and opened fire on the students and school personnel. By assembling an international force, the Taliban sent a powerful signal that their campaign against the Pakistani state and the country’s military had wide support. According to a statement issued to the press by Muhammad Khorasani, the Taliban spokesman, the attackers were ordered to kill only those children who were from army families. “Our shura decided to target these enemies of Islam right in their homes so they can feel the pain of losing their children.” The Peshawar attack may prove to be a turn

Image credits- Flickr/ Narendra Modi Official  Source- The National Interest Author-  Danielle Rajendram The U.S.-India-Japan trilateral took place in New Delhi this past week, capping off a big year in foreign policy for India’s new government. With an eye on China, India has in recent years made a concerted effort to carve out a more serious role for itself in the Asia-Pacific. Under Modi, India has invested particular effort in strengthening ties with its East and Southeast Asian partners. Last week’s trilateral is a clear example of India’s growing role in the evolving strategic dynamics of the Asia-Pacific. Despite the preelection assumption that the BJP government would prioritize domestic reform, Prime Minister Modi has devoted an unexpected level of attention to foreign policy. Achieving an outright parliamentary majority, the 2014 elections delivered the BJP the largest electoral mandate of any Indian government since 1984. This parliamentary strength will gi

INS Arihant ( Image credits- DRDO/ Indian Navy) Source- The Russia & India Report Author- Rakesh Krishnan Simha In June 2012 a nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Russian Navy quietly entered the Gulf of Mexico. Armed with long-range nuclear cruise missiles, the Akula class vessel operated undetected for several weeks and its movement in strategic US waters was only confirmed after it left the area. The silent  Akula  left a lot of red faces in the American defence establishment in its wake. In November 2013 Russia  launched  its advanced stealth diesel-electric Novorossiysk . The Project 636 submarine is said to be virtually undetectable when submerged. “Our potential opponents call it the ‘Black Hole’ due to the very low noise emission and visibility of the submarine,” Konstantin Tabachny, the captain of the  Novorossiysk , told the media. “To be undetectable is the main quality for a submarine. And this whole project really fits its purpose.” After deca

PLAN Type 52 D Destroyer CNS Kunming ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Hiaphong Pioneer) Source- The National Interest Author- Kyle Mizokami Modern China has finally achieved a long-held dream: secure land borders. The Mongols, western colonial empires and the Japanese have all carved out significant portions of the country in the past. Although China could never be truly conquered, such disruptions caused considerable loss of life and property and halted Chinese political and economic progress. China is now free to develop however it wishes. Part of China’s new direction is the creation of a modern, world-class navy. The protection of Chinese interests, which are now global, the support of Chinese territorial claims and the ability, if necessary, to keep the Americans at bay are key goals. To support those goals, China is building everything from new patrol boats to aircraft carriers. With that in mind, here are three of China’s most lethal weapons of war o

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Jhosimar Source- Wikipedia Author- Kanchi Gupta India hosted the 4th India-Arab Partnership Conference late last month as part of the Modi administration’s efforts to elevate the level of engagement between the two sides. The conference, organized by the MEA in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the League of Arab States (LAS), was inaugurated by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. Sitharaman emphasized the importance of Arab public and private sector investments in India and stated that “the Indian growth story would be incomplete without the participation of friends like the Arab League.” The movement of wealth and economic power from West to East is essential to tap “unexplored potentialities” of these markets and there are numerous opportunities in the areas of pharmaceutical and healthcare, manufacturing and infrastructure, wind and sol

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons Source- The National Interest Author- Rebecca Liao Amidst misguided campaigns to make the world safe for Western liberal democracy, the global community has forgotten that authoritarian countries, too, are guilty of hegemony. Soon after Russia’s October Revolution, the Comintern billed itself as the savior of post-colonial societies looking to emerge into modernity from the yoke of Western exploitation. The price for such delivery? Adopting a Soviet system of government. China is in danger of reviving that tradition of exporting its take on authoritarianism. Granted, its methods are much more subtle. In place of the Soviet demand for twinning, China requires loyalty in matters of foreign affairs, which often means foregoing true democracy. The country has (sincerely) insisted that, unlike the West, it is opposed to interference in the internal affairs of others.  However, a bet that China will succeed in bringing about true multilatera