Saving India-U.S. Partnership

India-US Relationship is required to be moved forward. There is always some 'catch' in this progress. India does not like to be dictated much, whereas the US likes to have say in matters. India wishes to build relationship on plain and simple grounds based on world order & equity with each given its due, the US somehow likes to play a 'master card'. Indian thoughts are mostly guided by 'spiritual values' and 'respect-for-others', the US tends to be more 'me-in-the-lead' and 'business-driven or materialistic'. There is a meeting ground and possibility of a 'win-win' provided we address each other's concerns 'wisely'.

Dr. Thomas Mathew, Deputy Director General, of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, in his Article 'Saving India-U.S. Partnership' puts his views rather candidly, and in a straight forward manner. These need to be valuated in true sense of any partnership in Indo-US Relations, diplomatic rhetoric apart. Pse read the full Article on http://idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/ThomasMathew190709.htm

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: In Arrangement with the IDSA, http://www.idsa.in/, A Think Tank of India on Matters Defence.

A Dynamic Model Needs to be Developed for Determining the Type of Civil- Military Relations in India

Indian Military has remained loyal and apolitical since Independence. It appears to have faced ‘not-so-pleasant’ handling in our system, reasons are many. Has resulted in ‘grouses’, at the levels of officers and men which are amply seen lately. As a ‘maturing democracy’, we all need to be careful. We can not afford to let the professionalism of the Indian Military erode in view of challenges & commitments that the nation has.

It is time that we develop a ‘dynamic model’ for a better understanding of the type of civil-military relations which could dominate the country’s political life. The creation of a multi-factorial model is therefore needed. This model ought to be a composite one. The following issues could be considered:

Firstly. The military institution itself. A close observation to the size of the military institution, the social background and the level of professionalism of its members, their political ideology, their level of cohesion and unity as well as that of their desire to protect their corporate interest(s), could offer us a better chance for comprehending the relations.

Secondly, the model should take into consideration the effect of the domestic social, economic and the political environment in which the military institution lives and functions. Special attention ought to be paid to the political factors since it is this which will greatly determine whether the process of democratisation has established strong roots in the nations’ military and the country.

Thirdly, the role of the international factor and more specifically the influence which the major foreign powers could exercise upon both the military establishments, and the country’s para-military forces in their routine interactions.

Lastly, the past and the present role of the military institutions in the evolution of civil-military relations. A small rider below should be added here.

Most studies of civil-military relations are greatly concerned with the 'military factor' only after an intervention occurs. The role of these institutions in domestic policy-making process in situations where the military does not rule, is often neglected or under-estimated. Although most of research anywhere focuses on the immediate factors leading to the military intervention, they forget that the military organization as "a system of continuous purposive activity of specified kind" functions within the society long before the pre-intervention stage. It is said that "the direct control of govt. by officers or military junta is only a crude indication of the role that the armed forces may be playing at a given moment, for men in uniform have sundry ways of making their will felt".

The phenomenon needs a continuous study. May be institutions like IDSA could help in regular profiling of Civil-Military Relations in India. The relations are ‘not very diligently’ handled presently, to say the least.


Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: NATO Study on Turkey & Greece.

IDSA: TWIR ( Jul 06 - Jul 12, 2009)

The Week in Review (TWIR) is IDSA’s Newsletter containing a brief analysis of important events. It covers issues in the following categories:

-Country Review: South Asia, East and Southeast Asia, and West Asia.
-Missiles, Space, Nuclear and Defence Review.
-Energy Security Review.
-International Terrorism Review.
-Internal Security Review.
-Please Click the Link below to read TWIR(s):

July 6-12, 7(2), 2009

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh

http://www.svipja.com/

(A Global Solution for Offsets)

Credit: In Arrangement with the IDSA, http://www.idsa.in/ , A Think Tank of India on Matters Defence.

IDSA: Pakistan Urdu Press(Jul 06 to Jul 12, 2009)

It is always interesting to know how Pakistan moves forward in the world order, tackles its internal issues, and views India & the World through its 'scope'. Pakistan does impact global 'environments' in its own way.

Pakistan Urdu Press is IDSA's weekly newsletter containing selected translations from Pakistan's leading Urdu dailies. It contains editorial excerpts, opinion columns and selected news items. You could read the Issue(s) by clicking: July 6-12, 2009

Could help military thinkers, and those who 'care' for Pakistan.

Brigadier( Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: In Arrangement with the IDSA, http://www.idsa.in/ , A Think Tank of India on Matters Defence.

The Central Debate in India’s Civil-Military Relations

Civil-Military are the two sides of the same coin. We need to spread this message in our System. We have very professional, reliable, and trustworthy Armed Forces. We must create conditions that no one feels 'left out' in policy formulation, strategic defence planning and execution. We all Indians are working towards a common goal--' to see India emerging as a potent nation'. It also does not mean that the Govt. must 'walk on the line' drawn by the Armed Forces. Military-Civil relations need to be developed and seen in this perspective. Any one who feels or acts otherwise including politicians harms the Nation, knowingly or without concern for any strategic thought.

Military is a parallel administration available to the Govt. when everything else fails. Civil-Military should weld at each level, District-State-Nation. Our Academies should convey this unequivocally. Of course, both have their roles cut in the Indian democracy with their 'professional expertise' delivered at its best to meet the national aspirations. The country expects it.

Ali Ahmed's Article on the issue states "Critics have it that the last bout of reforms in India’s defence sector in the wake of Kargil has not been taken to its logical conclusion. There are two key areas over which there is considerable debate. One is the continuing absence of a Chief of Defence Staff, and the second is the cosmetic integration between the Ministry of Defence and the Service Headquarters. It is asserted that the latter is the result of bureaucrats protecting their turf in a perverse interpretation of civil control. While the military prefers political control exercised by politicians, the intervening bureaucratic layer between the brass and the political leadership results in bureaucratic control ".

Coming from a scholar of the Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses (IDSA) , New Delhi, has its own nuances, but is well articulated. Projects a balanced view. Pse click to read the full article : http://www.idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/AliAhmed060709.htm

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)

Credit: In Arrangement with IDSA, New Delhi, http://www.idsa.in/ , A think Tank of India on Matters Defence.

New Age Leadership

We need to change with times. New Age Leadership needs to be sensitive to the needs of individuals and organisations with equal passion. Military Leadership needs to be 'refined' further in keeping with 'sentiments' of soldiers. 'What is the Goal of an Individual ?' and 'How He Wishes to Achieve it?' sums up his behavioural pattern in a System.

An Article 'Meet the New Leader' is a step in the direction of treating an 'individual individually', and well worth trying as a Leader. Is an efficient way of managing 'routine' affairs, military leadership in 'war' apart. Paratroopers' motto ' Men Apart Every Man an Emperor' is apt & in line with this thought.

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
(A Global Solution for Offsets)
Credit: TOI

Humour in Uniform: A Touching Moment !

Prosperity in Punjab and A Touching Moment !

Sukhi

Neighborhood: Is Pakistan a Failing State?

In recent months the international media has focused on the issue of Pakistan becoming a failed state soon. A top US counter terrorism expert David Kilcullen who advised David Petreaus in Iraq on counter terrorism strategy has opined that Pakistan may fail within six months. Concerns about stability in Pakistan became more acute when Taliban began their advance out of Swat towards Punjab earlier this year. The media highlighted the fragility of Pakistan by pointing out that the Taliban had come within 100 miles of Islamabad. Since then the Pakistan army has launched massive military operations and recaptured Swat and a few towns that had been taken over by the Taliban earlier.

President Zardari has repeatedly said that Pakistan is facing an existential threat from the radicals. He wants Western countries to recognise that Pakistan is fighting to make the world safe. He wants more Western assistance to fight radicalism. He has warned that Pakistan is not a failed state but may become one if the West does not help, though he has discounted the possibility that Pakistan will fail immediately. He says that a 170-million strong nation cannot be defeated by a few thousand radicals.

As I see it, Pakistan is in genuine difficulty. Internal turmoils are always difficult to handle and have complex dynamics. Pakistan should therefore be helped as much as possible within our foreign policy constraints. There is no doubt that India's security is well protected any day by a stable Pakistan with democratic ethos.

Click to read the full Article: http://www.idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/ArvindGupta160609.htm

Brigadier(Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
Credit: The IDSA, http://www.idsa.in/, A Think Tank of India on Matters Defence. An Article by Dr. Arvind Gupta who holds the Lal Bahadur Shastri Chair at the IDSA, New Delhi. The views expressed here are his own.

Strategy: The First EU-Pakistan Summit

The European Union (EU) is going to have its first-ever summit with Pakistan on June 17 in Brussels. In Asia the EU has only three strategic partners, namely China, India and Japan, with whom it holds standard annual and occasionally half-yearly summits. Britain is the only country in Europe that holds annual summits with Pakistan. However, even these purportedly annual summits are irregular and have often been mired in controversy whenever a terrorist attack takes place in the UK or terrorist plots are unraveled and foiled by British agencies. Thus, the first summit between the EU and Pakistan is bound to generate interest in South Asia as well as in Europe.

The EU is hosting a summit neither with a country that is a strategic partner nor of significant economic importance. The newly announced EU-Pakistan Summit stems from the urgent concern of security, and more precisely counter-terrorism. The summit would be held under the aegis of the incumbent Czech presidency.

Please read the full Article by Alok Rashmi Mukhopadhyay on : http://www.idsa.in/publications/stratcomments/AlokMukhopadhyay120609.htm

Brigadier Sukhwindar Singh
www.svipja.com

Credit: The IDSA, www.idsa.in, A Think Tank of India on Matters Defence.

Entrepreneurship: QPrize™ Business Plan Competition

QPrize™ is a business plan competition sponsored by Qualcomm Ventures with a goal of providing early stage funding to a select number of start-ups.

Competition Overview

Qualcomm Venture's QPrize™ competition is open to entrepreneurs in China, Europe, India and North America and will provide US$550,000 in total seed funding to help entrepreneurs transform their innovative business plans into reality. Each region will host their own semi-finals event in September, 2009 with the winner in each region securing $100,000 (USD) in funding. The four regional finalists will then be invited to San Diego to compete for the Grand Prize, an additional $150,000 (USD) in funding.

Additional details on candidate eligibility and submission guidelines are available at http://www.qprize2009.com/

Timelines

*July 31st, 2009 : Deadline for submitting completed business plans.

*September, 2009 : Regional semi-finals.

*November, 2009 : Finals in San Diego, CA

Please visit http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe2515727262017f711c77&ls=fe2d107076640778701179&m=feff1771716503&l=fef5177976670c&s=fe5317787c67017b7d16&jb=ffcf14&t= for more details on dates for your region.

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/

Strategy: Security and Surveillance

Security-Surveillance-Surveillance-Security !

Learn from Us - vulnerable all the Time!!

Sukhi
Credit: Minter Ellison, National Geographic.

Strategy: Emerging Dynamics in the Asian Region

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) represents a major development in the strategic landscape of the Central Asian region. The inclusion of India, Iran and Pakistan as observer states in the SCO mechanism suggests that it is gradually expanding into the wider South Asian region. In the next SCO summit meeting in Russia it is expected that Sri Lanka and Belarus will become dialogue partners of the SCO.

The Bishkek Summit in 2007 was important, where leaders from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan pledged to work more closely to develop energy resources and boost security efforts within the SCO framework. The Dushanbe summit in 2008 was held against the backdrop of Georgian crisis and speculations about the start of a ‘new cold war’ between Russia and the US.

Power Play in the Euroasia, and the Central Asia is probably aimed at not to accept the American presence in the Region where both Russia and China have great influence.

Read the full Article on http://www.idsa.in/reports/SCOafghanistan040609.html

Brigadier (Retired) Sukhwindar Singh
http://www.svipja.com/
Credit: http://www.idsa.in/ , A Think Tank of India in Matters Defence.