ThePrint | Modi 3.0 must improve civil-military relations. Bring NSS, relieve CDS of extra duties

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the results have certainly strengthened India’s democratic credentials. The future course charted by the central government, led for the third time by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be revealed through its policies and actions, indicating the extent of acceptance of the broad political contours of the electoral verdict, albeit subjectively interpreted. Read the full article here.

Indian Express | Agnipath 2.0: A solution for armed forces and applicants

The future of the Agnipath scheme is a pressing concern for the new government at the Centre. The narrative that this scheme dampened the NDA’s prospects gained momentum during the election campaign. The spokesperson of the JD(U), a key NDA partner, has publicly stated that the scheme upset some sections and needs to be modified. Despite these political rumblings, there is a noticeable lack of specific alternatives to address the original problems that led to the crafting of the Agnipath scheme. This article proposes an “inverse induction model” as a solution to make Agnipath 2.0 meet its operational, political, and fiscal objectives. Read the full article here.

Indian Express | Chinese armed forces have been upgrading. India must keep up

As part of the reforms in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since 2015, China has focussed on preparing for combat keeping conditions of the “Information Age” in mind. It is doing so by integrating its services, arms and systems into a joint, network-centric fighting force. The PLA Western Theater Command (WTC) has played a proactive role in securing China’s southern and southwestern borders, preparing for conventional and non-conventional warfighting, and acclimatising its personnel to the rough terrains and harsh altitudes of Xinjiang and Tibet. India is one of the principal operational directions in which the WTC is mandated to act. India needs to assess the WTC’s operational structure, training mandates and warfighting priorities, especially the theatre’s “multi-domain integrated joint operations” (MDIJO) efforts. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Even if Agnipath is scrapped, India needs tough reforms to cut ballooning defence pensions

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s letter to President Droupadi Murmu on the “discriminatory” Agnipath scheme shows its importance in this Lok Sabha election. The BJP government introduced the scheme in 2022, where soldiers enrolled for four years are christened as Agniveers. Political parties across the spectrum have held differing postures on the scheme.

The Congress’ election manifesto stated that the party would “abolish the Agnipath programme and direct the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard) to resume normal recruitment to achieve the full sanctioned strength”. The BJP manifesto, on the other hand, maintains that the four-year enlistment programme will benefit a large section of the young and employable population. It has also stated that it is open to changes in the scheme after a review conducted by the Services. In the psychological framework of the electoral campaign, the issue is dovetailed within the larger issue of significant unemployment at the national level. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Army caught between religious & constitutional values. Defend secular, apolitical nature

Since Independence, the Indian Armed Forces – particularly the Indian Army – have had to navigate the socio-cultural minefields thrown up by the vagaries of domestic politics and religions. The Constitution provided the beacon that illuminated the path ahead. A beacon designed on the belief that maintaining an apolitical institutional character and secular outlook would sustain and defend India’s integrity. The foundation of this secular outlook was rooted in the embracement of the encultured notion that the military institution had no religion and the equivalent of its holy book was the Constitution. But such an institutional belief was subject to being shaken by the crosswinds of India’s religious diversity. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | What are China’s intentions in building Shaksgam Valley road? Not security, look to politics

China’s road-building capability and intentions in the Himalayas were highlighted recently through a post on X by researcher Nature Desai. Utilising satellite imagery, he argued that China has built a road across the Aghil Pass, located at a height of 4,805 m, and entered the lower Shaksgam Valley. The roadhead is now less than 30 miles from the Siachen Glacier. This triggered speculation in the Indian media about China’s intentions and capabilities regarding the potential collusive threat posed by China and Pakistan to India’s defences in the Siachen Glacier region. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Successful Agni-5 test just one step. India needs to prepare an airborne command post

India’s recent successful test of MIRVs, Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicles, delivered by the AGNI-5 missiles marks the success of its efforts to counter the Ballistic Missile Defense Systems of potential adversaries, China and Pakistan. The implications of MIRVs being included in the existing nuclear arsenal were covered earlier in ThePrint. This article attempts to utilise the limelight of the MIRV success, to highlight a critical issue that requires to be addressed post-haste. It relates to the survivability of India’s Nuclear Command and Control System. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Why some Navy veterans are opposed to the introduction of kurta-pyjama in the dress code

The kurta and pyjama, Central Asian in origin, have for centuries been popular in South Asia. It made its entry this month as an add-on to the list of the existing informal dresses in the Indian Naval officers’ messes and sailors’ institutes. Earlier in December, the Navy introduced new epaulettes which was publicised as being part of PM Modi’s political call for virasat par garv, pride in our heritage, and shedding ghulami ki mansikta, slave mentality. This article attempts to examine the military’s cultural value chain and identify the reasons for adverse reactions, especially on WhatsApp groups, the change in attire received from veterans in particular and civilians in general. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | India can be a major drone hub—if it learns to take risks, accept losses

The multiplicity of roles that drones can undertake has been battle-tested and their utility has been convincingly established. Depending on the role, drones come in various sizes. At the higher end of lethality are the American MQ 9-Reaper and at the lower end of surveillance is the Black Hornet weighing less than 1.2 ounces. India is in the process of acquiring 31 higher-end MQ9B Predator armed drones from the United States at an approximate cost of Rs 2.5 lakh crore. The deal was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in 2023. The Navy already operates two unarmed Predator drones, which are on lease, at the Rajali naval air station in Tamil Nadu. The new acquisitions will be apportioned to the three Services with the Navy getting the majority share. Apart from the political message of reliance on the US for major weapon systems, it also signals that Atmanirbharta is not currently feasible in this class of weapon systems. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Poonch incident should encourage military justice review. Bring one law for three Services

The frequency of terrorist violence in the Rajouri-Poonch districts in the Jammu division of Jammu & Kashmir has remained a cause for concern for over two years. This is in contrast to the decline of terrorism in the Kashmir valley during the same period. A combination of mountainous terrain, jungles and contiguity with the Line of Control makes the area suitable for hit and run attacks. Pakistan’s hand is obvious and the time period also overlaps with the thinning out of the Rashtriya Rifles, a counter-terrorism force, post China’s aggressive manoeuvres in Ladakh in 2020. Read the full article here.

ThePrint | Ex-service chiefs have no place at Ram Temple inauguration. They must guard military values

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is supposedly inviting about 8,000 people for the Ram Mandir opening ceremony on 22 January 2024. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani, the list includes prominent figures from varied fields as well as families of 50 ‘Kar Sevaks’ and a representative each from 50 countries. The invitation has also gone out to former chiefs of the armed forces, a step worth recounting in the broader framework of civil-military relations. It is verified that a flag rank veteran called up the former chiefs, seeking to ascertain their inclination to attend the function. It is understood that most of them declined. Those who indicated their willingness or did not directly turn down the invite have received a formal invitation. In terms of civil-military relations, the question that arises is an ethical one: How will the attendance of former chiefs at the 22 January event impact the secular and apolitical foundations of India’s military institution? Read the full article here.

Har Ghar Tiranga is a good idea, but not every Indian has the means to follow Flag Code

In the 75th year of India’s Independence, the Indian citizen has formally and finally been entrusted with the individual responsibility to honour and preserve the dignity of the National Flag. Though the right to fly the flag was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2002, two recent amendments to the Flag Code have expanded its scope in terms of time and availability. Earlier, it was only allowed to be hoisted between sunrise and sunset and had to be made of khadi. Now, the flag can be flown at any time and can be machine made of cotton, polyester, wool or silk.

AFSPA wives’ SC petition is embarrassing for Modi govt. MoD, Army must get their act together

A setback happened in December 2021, when 13 innocent civilian lives were lost in a counter-insurgency operation by a detachment led by a Major of 21 Para (Special Forces) in the Mon district of Nagaland. Justice has been awaiting deliverance. On 20 July, the Supreme Court, after hearing a petition filed by the wives of the army personnel, stayed all further legal proceedings that were based on the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state police. It evoked a legal necessity enshrined in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that prosecution can be carried out only with the Central government’s sanction. Such a sanction was requested by Nagaland in April 2022 but has, thus far, met with silence from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Agnipath, a chance to transform India’s defense management

Now that India’s government has chosen the four-year tour of duty model as the way to respond to its budget constraint, the policy challenge is to ensure that it achieves the desired objectives, mitigates the downsides and pre-empts unintended consequences. Essentially, it is about understanding who might join the armed forces given these employment conditions, and how this new demographic will change the defence services and Indian society at large.

Choice pool for CDS shouldn’t have been expanded. Unless it’s about finding a loyal follower

Earlier this month, the Narendra Modi government amended the Army, Navy and Air Force Service Regulations to change the framework for eligibility to the post of Chief of Defence Staff. The earlier amendment of 28 December 2019 had restricted the eligibility to serving Chiefs of the three Services.  With the recent amendment, the catchment area of eligibility has been technically widened from three to at least around 180. Now, all serving three-star and retired three-star officers who would not reach 62 years of age on the date of appointment are eligible for the post of CDS. While the initial amendment sufficed to appoint General Bipin Rawat as the first CDS, it appears that there has been a reconsideration and acceptance that a widened base would serve the selection process better.

Only dialogue, not Army, can stop targeting of Kashmiri Pandits. But make J&K a state first

The targeting of Kashmiri Pandits in the last few weeks would not seem to be part of the campaign against ‘outsiders’. But in reality, it is connected to it. The aim is not only to stall the ongoing measures for the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits and land restoration but also to portray the inability of the Indian government to protect them. Such portrayal operates to debunk the notion of ‘normality’ and serves to increase the numbers of ‘outsiders’ in terms of the Armed Police Forces that may be expected to fuel alienation by their sheer presence if not by their actions undertaken to curb violence.

Protracted war has damaged global military supply systems. Time for India to step up

Nine weeks into the Ukraine War, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the war-ravaged suburbs of Kyiv and stated that war is an absurdity in the 21st century. Reality can be expected to remain deaf to such expressions of anguish as the war enters its tenth week.  Worse, the course of this war is bringing NATO closer to direct involvement with Russia through stepped up supplies of military hardware to Ukraine—which includes artillery and armoured vehicles besides anti-armour, anti-air, air-defence and cyber capabilities.

Should India insist on large warships after sinking of Russia’s Moskva? The lesson not to take

On 14 April, Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, sank off the coast of Ukraine, in the Black Sea. A controversy immediately surfaced regarding the causes of the loss. The Russians attributed the loss to an accidental fire on board while Ukraine claimed that two of its Neptune Missiles had struck the vessel. US officials have backed Ukraine’s claims. Time should reveal the truth. But for now, the controversy is the poster for the escalation of the Ukraine war that suggests that the war is expanding in its reach, both physically and psychologically. The challenge in judging escalation is that while physical factors can be measured, the intangible nature of the psychological part is mystifying and debatable.

Merit Must be the Benchmark For Armed Forces’ Hiring, not Recruitable Male Population Index

In 2014, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL alleging that the Army recruitment policy was discriminatory and based on caste, religion and region. The court accepted the Army’s justification regarding the existence of certain regiments that are based on classification related to social, cultural and linguistic homogeneity. The contention was that such homogeneity is considered to be a force multiplier, as a battle-winning factor. The assertion was accepted without challenge. Since 2018, and more recently in March 2022, some Ahir community leaders from South Haryana have been using the Army’s logic to demand the institution of an Ahir Regiment.

Defence ministry’s Preferential Market Access policy Is Protectionism. Indian-Made Arms Need Export Market

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat on 12 May 2020. He said that self-reliance was the only path to fulfil the dream of building a 21st century India in the post-Covid world. Modi made a distinction between self-reliance and being self-centred in a globalised world, observing how “local manufacturing, market and supply chains” had helped India mitigate its Covid-19 crisis. He emphasised that we had to be more “vocal about local products and help them become global.”