Gunners Shot

Authors note: all photographs are taken from the articles referred to in the main body This article can also be found @  https://sniwire.com/defence-security/2672/ The articles ‘ New High Res Satellite Imagery Suggests Balakot Airstrike a ‘Precise Miss ’’ [1] and ‘ Were India’s airstrikes in Pakistan a strategy for public approval ’ ? [2] by a set of researchers from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) have been doing the rounds . The first time I gave them a miss. The second time when they came around, I read them. I found them a bit condescending. The articles were brazenly suggestive that the IAF doesn’t know how to carry out targeting. Specially the last part when the authors say “Some militaries, such as those of the US and Australia, have spent years developing the technologies and systems that enable precision strike and employing the skills required in actual operations. But proficiency should not be taken for granted. It takes more t...

'If only we conducted airstrike after 26/11 attack’: Nirmala Sitharaman [1] Debate is raging in the political, military, diplomatic and journalistic circles regarding the Surgical Strike strategy of the current government vs the Strategic Restraint exhibited by previous governments. These strategies are either extolled or denigrated, often acrimoniously, depending upon which side of the divide one stands. Of course, Indo-Pak emotions cloud judgement and political imperatives enhance competitive nationalism. The debate degenerates to whose sari is whiter in a detergent advertisement. Articles in leading dailies of Pakistan , our proverbial “Other Side of the Hill” make things crystal clear. Pakistan, the recipient of our strategic restraint and surgical strikes, fears both! To put it in context one must have a macro view of the core issue. The economy is the real battlefield. The perspective becomes clearer when one compares the GDPs of India and Pakistan as sho...

The Pinaka is a multi-barreled rocket launcher capable of firing twelve 210 mm rockets in 44 seconds at a range of 38 km. In 2015, an Extended Range Unguided Pinaka Rocket was fired to a range of 55km using case bonded propellants. The rockets fell more than 500 m away from the intended target. Not good at all. It seemed like another failure. However, the Rocket was steady and impressive. ARDE had done a good developmental job. It was clear that that a guidance mechanism was mandatory to increase accuracy. We had to succeed. Indian Army’s Artillery Directorate approached RCI, Hyderabad to fit a guidance kit on the Rocket. Even a low-end guidance would do to improve accuracy.  Within a month a meeting was held between Indian Army, RCI & ARDE. RCI established feasibility of mounting a top end guidance kit on the existing rocket without modifying the basic design. A team was put together and work commenced. It was insisted that Arty Directorate take the lead and drive the ...

This article was originally published at the Bharat Shakti website Editor’s Note Is the CPEC faltering? What is the extent to which it has been pruned down already? Why are more and more countries getting apprehensive about Chinese funding? Has it got anything to do with Hambantota unfolding – the Chinese garnering a 99 years lease on the loss making huge port and logistics facility that Sri Lankans’ thought would transform the region? Instead, it would serve Chinese strategic objectives much more. The author attempts to remove the covers that hide Chinese intent and Pakistani apprehensions.  His previous articles on CPEC  and a few more quoted in the text of this article, provide the backdrop for the conclusions that this article projects. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – Failure Looming Ahead Halcyon Days Image Courtesy: The News CPEC was to be the harbinger of change in Pakistani fortunes. It was the flagship of Chinese mega ambition...

Dawn - Seventeen years after first banning militant groups,  Pakistan is once again at a crossroads. ( https://www.dawn.com/news/1468717/renewed-campaign ) If in seventeen years a nation does not know that it took a wrong turn then,   the likelihood of taking the right turn are bleak. Pakistan should stop cheating itself.   Chessboards The Indo-Pak chessboard changed dramatically when India struck at Balakot. The madman theory was tested. Rationality- irrationality theories were discussed. International tension was palpable and thick. With the return of Abhinandan, de-escalation took place. Then, suddenly the situation deflated. Today there are two chess boards being played out. The Indian Chessboard, in which the pieces are elections, ghatbandans, Ayodhya mediation, Modi (Nirav Baba) and the Rafale of course. The Pakistani Chessboard pieces are FATF, Action against Proscribed groups, Anti India Anti Modi coalescence to stymie India and Nobel pr...