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

JF-17 Thunder ( Image source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Milborneone) Source- Asean Military Defense Review Author- Miki Catama Myanmar could become the first overseas buyer of the JF-17 Thunder or FC-1 Xiaolong multirole fighter jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group of China, according to China's official newswire Xinhua on June 28. Li Yuhai, the deputy general manager of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said three Thunder fighters from the Pakistan Air Force were displayed at the Paris Air Show between June 15-21. A number of countries including Myanmar, Bangladesh, Argentina, Bulgaria, Nigeria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and the Philippines reportedly expressed interest in purchasing the fighter from Pakistan. Air Commodore Syed Muhammad Ali, spokesperson for the Pakistan Air Force told Agence France-Presse that one of the aforementioned nations had made a final decision to buy the fighter. An earlier

Image source- Wikimedia Commons / Credits- United States Department of State Source- Strategic Culture Foundation Author- Augusto Soto Washington's strategic pressure over Beijing assertiveness in the South China Sea, including measures such as US military reconnaissance activities and political and military coordination with China’s neighbours, adds additional threats in Asia Pacific in the broader context of bilateral ties discussed last week in Washington during the annual U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue. Conflict risks Washington has bolstered its Asia Pacific monitoring systems, including closer political and military cooperation with Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Australia. Beijing, meanwhile, declared by mid-June that it had concluded dredging enormous amounts of sand from around the Mischief Reef to build up land mass in South China Sea’s Spratly Islands during six months, according to the Pentagon. This in principle is the reason for

Image credits- BBC World / Farahnaz Hesarmal Source- The Diplomat Author- Brian M. Parkins According to a recent Pentagon report, the Islamic State’s (IS) activities in Afghanistan remain exploratory, with limited recruiting efforts. Although the capabilities of the Islamic State’s recently minted Khorasan Province may be limited, the group is clearly attempting to gain a toehold in Afghanistan. IS has dominated headlines in Afghan media for the past several weeks, with multiple reports of the group clashing with Taliban fighters in Nangarhar and a Taliban letter warning IS to stay out of Afghanistan. There is speculation that the Afghan government is exaggerating the IS threat to draw increased foreign aid, but the group’s presence is undeniable, and the worsening security situation could pave the way for IS to enhance its operations The Islamic State’s motives in Afghanistan remain ambiguous, and it is unclear if the group is capable of holding swaths of territory w

PLAN Type- 39 Song Class Submarine ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- SteKrrueBe) This news in Indian media was long coming. A Chinese submarine docked in Karachi port creeping close to the Indian territory and covering the entire length of the Indian coast from east to the west. It was a signal to all those concerned the PLAN has come of age and it is a power to be reckoned with and should not be under estimated. People's Liberation Army Navy is the official naval wing of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. For the  greater part of their history, PLAN was a brown water navy, meaning that  it was primed for coastal security and did not possess the capability for power projection outside their realm. But with the massive economic liberalisation, China finally had the resources to build up on their navy. China also attained the capability for mass production that ensured that they could field more ships in lesser time than any other navy in the world. China developed th