Gunners Shot

  Discussion with Aadi Achint on the subject.  Also published in First Post The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict is a truly modern multi domain operation in progress which opened with a Russian multi-pronged offside into Ukraine.  The first cycle of the war is over. As the kinetic conflict enters the next cycle, Russian initial thrusts and enclaves formed thereof are as shown in the map below. Apparently Russia is making a bid to reach Kyiv to topple the current Government and install its own. Simultaneously it is also consolidating its hold over Crimea and Russian dominated Donbas areas. Initially we were treated to the shock and awe of the Russian blitz. Many predicted that it was game, set and match to Russia. Ukrainians have thought otherwise. The steel and the power of the underdog is showing though. There is a lot ahead. While one can analyse this situation geopolitically and hazard a guess as to where this  conflict is headed, I am headed elsewhere. What is there for us in India

  Discussion with Aadi Achint on the subject.  Also published in First Post The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict is a truly modern multi domain operation in progress which opened with a Russian multi-pronged offside into Ukraine.  The first cycle of the war is over. As the kinetic conflict enters the next cycle, Russian initial thrusts and enclaves formed thereof are as shown in the map below. Apparently Russia is making a bid to reach Kyiv to topple the current Government and install its own. Simultaneously it is also consolidating its hold over Crimea and Russian dominated Donbas areas. Initially we were treated to the shock and awe of the Russian blitz. Many predicted that it was game, set and match to Russia. Ukrainians have thought otherwise. The steel and the power of the underdog is showing though. There is a lot ahead. While one can analyse this situation geopolitically and hazard a guess as to where this  conflict is headed, I am headed elsewhere. What is there for us in India

 Also published @ Financial Express  Video of the presentation given during the Webinar Introduction A webinar on ‘Aatmanirbharta In Defence - Call To Action’ was held on 25 Feb 22 in which those who matter and deal with Defence in the Government and Industry gave their views, and exchanged them with others. There were four themes under deliberation during separate breakout sessions as under :- Progressive Increase In The Capital Procurement Budget For Domestic Industry – (Opportunities & Challenges) Developing All Round Defence R&D Ecosystem In The Country Meeting    Wide Ranging Testing And Certification Requirements - Setting Up An Independent Nodal Umbrella Body SPVs By Industries With DRDO And Other Organisations   The webinar was a follow up on budget proposals which were presented by the FM early in    month in the parliament.    The objective was to brainstorm the issues involved in order to formulate a plan to convert the proposals into  actionable points . The highlig

One of my articles and  associated video , posted on social media was not getting normal traction and views. The other day the  posts  of a prominent writer on strategic affairs and national security were disappearing. Not surprisingly, both articles were critical of China. We came to know what was happening by chance when we compared notes. I nosed around. There seems to be a clear case where articles critical of China are being suppressed systematically even on international social media like Twitter, WhatsApp, and You Tube.  On the other hand, articles favoring China manage to reach me at hypersonic speeds!  It might sound strange, but to me, a sophisticated operation where information is being suppressed or propagated to influence and condition minds is underway. I thought to myself - welcome to the dark world of Chinese Information and Influence operations which India is being subjected to 24x7x365.   Information operations are powerful tools in hybrid conflicts and ideal for gray

This is the recording of a talk I gave on China's Civil Military Fusion on 16 Jan 22 as part of the Institutional Dialogue at Chennai Centre for China Studies. The Q&A session of the talk was very interesting and thought provoking.  The talk is based on an Article I had written earlier @ Civil Military Fusion an Indian Necessity  .  This talk also puts in perspective the gap between China and India in terms of Defence development, production, acquisitions and management. My article The Army Needs a Serious Rethink is specifically contextual in this environment.  Strictly speaking, the larger national security and defence establishment needs a serious rethink.     

In this episode Aadi and I discuss the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and its various hues. We also discuss as to how we can help the Island Nation out so that it understands that India is a friend indeed as against China which is a fair weather friend.       Visit Gunner Shot Website https://www.gunnershoot.com/home

My Note    I came across this essay written by a Pakistani film maker in the DAWN today and I started reading it casually. It gripped me. It explains the cultural moorings of Pakistan to everyone in a way which is far different from our popular imagination. From these cultural moorings spring the behaviour of the State and its actors.  It made me understand why Pakistan behaves the way it does internally and externally. It explains how extremism started in Pakistan and the course it has chartered. It also tells you about the psyche of the average Pakistani male whether he is a terrorist or its prime minister. Both seem to be living in a deluded reality of similar kind but under varied conditions. When we talk of Pakistan as a failed state, we need to understand that States fail because some thing in the people fails/changes. That something is called culture. In this essay, I found a credible explanation/understanding  of Pakistani failure. However as far as a Pakistani is concerned, he