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

Karakoram Highway ( Image credits- Internet Image) Source- Eurasia Review Author- D.S Rajan China’s leader Xi Jinping seems to have shifted the focus of his regime’s foreign policy including that towards South Asia from core interests to economic interests. Xi’s statement that China is prepared to sign friendship treaties with the country’s neighbors and the PRC’s willingness to adopt a ‘trilateral’ ( i.e China, India and the concerned South Asian country) approach towards tackling issues in South Asia , signal Beijing’s new conciliatory thinking. Nonetheless, in terms of strategy, China under Xi Jinping shows no sign of any change – balancing India by supporting Pakistan appears to be the corner stone of Xi’s regional policy; suggesting it, is the China- Pakistan agreement on the need to have a ‘strategic balance’ in South Asia. In a broader sense, through his regional initiatives, Xi seems to be conveying a firm message to Asian nations- China will use its increasing

Image credits- Janes Defence  Source- The National Interest Author- Andrew S. Erickson Never underestimate Chinese engineering. First the Great Wall, then the Grand Canal, and now the Great Wall of Sand. China is rapidly augmenting features in the South China Sea (SCS) on industrial scale—hundreds of acres (more than 4 square km)—that even its neighbors combined cannot match. “Features,” is the key word here, because many were previously small rocks or reefs not legally considered “islands.” Then China used some of the world’s largest dredgers to build up some of the most pristine coral reefs above water with hundreds of tons of sand, coral cuttings, and concrete. U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Harry Harris aptly terms China’s creation a “Great Wall of Sand.” But it’s what China is constructing atop its reclamation that most concerns its neighbors and the United States: militarily relevant facilities, including runways that could allow Beijing to exert incre

Indian relief work in Nepal ( Image credits- Flickr / MEA Official photo gallery, Government of India) Source- The Diplomat Author- Ankit Panda As Nepal continues to wrangle with the immediate aftermath of a devastating magnitude 8.1 earthquake that took place on Saturday and has claimed nearly 2,500 lives, its two large neighbors—India and China—are sending assistance to stave off a broader humanitarian crisis in the country. Nepal, though a small country, is of strategic significance for both New Delhi and Beijing. On Sunday, China sent a 62-member International Search and Rescue team to Nepal to assist in the humanitarian relief effort following the earthquake. According to Xinhua, the team includes “6 sniffer dogs and relevant rescue and medical equipment.” 40 members of the rescue team are from the 38th Group Army of the People’s Liberation Army. China President Xi Jinxing expressed his condolences to Nepalese President Ram Baran Yada on Saturday, noting that

USS Iowa Battle ship  ( Image source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- United States Navy by PH1 Jeff Hilton) Source- The National Interest Author- Robert Farley The idea of a ship class, a series of vessels constructed to essentially the same design, is a hallmark of the industrial age of naval warfare.  Prior to the emergence of the industrial age, individual ships represented the craftsmanship of different yards, and the relationship between design and construction allowed specific builders a great deal of latitude.  As the industrial revolution overtook naval architecture, it became easier to create a specific template for the construction of a series of ships that would have effectively the same capabilities, regardless of which shipyard they emerged from or what time they entered service. This article focuses on five of the most lethal classes of warship to sail the seas.  The list concentrates on the first half of the 20th century, a period which saw the two most de

T-14 Russian MBT ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Vitaly V. Kuzmin) Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz Stefan- Gady The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has for the first time officially revealed the Russian Ground Forces’ most advanced armored fighting vehicles, including a brand new main-battle tank, self-propelled artillery, and new armored personnel carrier, ahead of the May 9 Moscow Victory Day Parade (see: “‘Arma Virumque Cano’ – Parades and Militarism in Asia”). It is important to not that the recently published photos on the Russian MoD’s website revealed prospective military hardware not yet commissioned into the Russian Armed Forces. Additionally, the vehicles displayed on the images have all their their weapon systems covered, which makes the initial analysis of the equipment highly speculative. “During the May 9 parade in Blagoveshchensk we will be showcasing for the first time the latest types of arms and military hardware the Eastern Military