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

In the intervening hours on the night of 28'th and 29'th, something dramatic had happened. In revenge of the recent Poonch attack on an Indian army camp, Indian Special Forces took out surgical strikes inside POK in terrorist camps and launch pads killing many terrorists in the process. This is a marked departure from the established norm of self restraint. India has awaken to the fact that the path of appeasement will not work with Pakistan and sometimes you will need to wield the big stick to beat the hell out of Pakistan. Now India is sending out the message to Pakistan that India will not lie low if India is again targeted by Pakistan or their cronies. In a strategic level, Pakistan's bluff of nuclear retaliation is exposed. India now is showing that it will not be cowed down by nuclear blackmail. Pakistan had breached the threshold in recent days when they stepped up terrorist activities inside India. It was in a way a desperate move by Pakista

Indo-Iranian Chabahar Port ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Amirhossein Nikroo) Source- Eurasia Review Author- Mehraveh Kharazmi Iran and India are going through a new stage in their bilateral relations. The two countries, which have maintained cordial relations characterized by low tension in the past centuries, are now opening a new chapter, whose impact can even transcend the limits of their bilateral ties. Iran’s relations with India, which had become restricted to import of non-essential goods from India in return for selling Iran’s crude to Indian oil companies due to anti-Iran sanctions and because Tehran did not have much of an option, have now entered a totally different phase. This is true because following the endorsement and implementation of Iran’s nuclear deal with the P5+1 group of countries, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has now more options for the establishment of political and economic relations with various coun

Image credits- Indian Navy Source- The Diplomat Author- Abhijit Singh Ever since it was signed late last month, India’s logistics agreement with the United States has been a contested issue in India’s strategic circles. The pact has attracted some criticism from a section of India’s political and strategic elite who feel it restricts India’s freedom of military action. The critics appear convinced the pact does not benefit India strategically in the same way as it advantages the U.S. military. As a leading Indian defense analyst put it, “the government seems to have been guided more by the fear of being accused of succumbing to pressure from Washington and less by an evaluation of whether this might benefit India’s military.” As a result, Indian defense ministry officials find themselves under pressure to explain why they believe an agreement with the United States on military logistics is in India’s best interests. Meanwhile, supporters of the pact claim that it only

PLA Ground Forces ( Image credits- VOA) Source- The National Interest Author-  Liang Xiaojun For a great power to lead the world there are a few qualities that it should bring to the table. These include, but are not limited to, material strength, an aspiration for recognition, and sufficient international support. Does China currently possess these qualities? Material strength is the idea that a great power can survive a natural disaster or a man-made catastrophe by virtue of its geographical advantage or large population. Russia, for instance, was able to hold back Napoleon’s ambitions and, later on, undermine Hitler’s aggression. The United States also had enough material strength to play a dominant role in rebuilding the world after the devastation of World War II. And, more recently, China’s material strength led it to dominate the regional response to the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 global financial crisis..... ( Now read on )

Wishing all our readers a Happy and a Prosperous Onam

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Jacob Jose Source- Eurasia Review Authors- Tan Ming Hui and Lee YingHui Responding to both domestic and external pressures, China sends a strong signal by raising tensions in the East China Sea. Japan is likely to continue engagement of Southeast Asia to balance the perceived Chinese provocation. Can China and Japan explore conciliatory options to avoid a worsening security situation in the region? ..........( Now read on )

Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / USN Source- The National Interest Author- Abhijit Singh China is waging a relentless propaganda campaign against its opponents in the South China Sea. Following the Hague arbitral tribunal’s verdict rejecting Beijing’s historical rights within the nine-dash line, China’s publicity managers have raised their game with devastating effect. With well-timed reports suggesting a plan for a Chinese ADIZ in the South China Sea, the fresh reclamation of reefs and shoals in the Spratly group of islands and even reports of military aircraft patrols over the disputed islands, they’ve managed to convince many regional watchers that China has emerged as a dominant maritime power in the Asia–Pacific.( Now read on .........)