Gunners Shot

In this edition of 'The Generals Talk', Lt Gen Satish Dua and I discuss the emerging situation in Afghanistan with Aadi Achint. The situation in Afghanistan is set to go into uncharted territory once USA exits from there. There will be many internal and external interest groups which will come into play. We have made an effort to identify the interest groups and how the situation is likely to evolve in future. We have also identified Indian interests and how to protect them in the dispensation post US exit from Afghanistan.      

Galwan happened last year. Lot of water has flown in Indus. Sino Indian animosity is ascendant. Beyond doubt, China is inimical to India’s interests in every respect. Chinese hatred of India was evident in the picture of a Chinese rocket at take-off besides a burning Indian pyre. China  mocked India during our grief of the second wave. It also ensured that help does not reach India on one pretext or the other. Further, China does not understand another civilisation antithetical to its own in all respects – religion, culture, practices, ethnicities and politics. A singular and homogeneous China and a heterogenous and plural India have no common ground. Indian democracy has strengths far beyond the authoritarian CCP. India is a major threat to China in ways beyond our own self depreciating and dismissive imagination. George Fernandes once said “China is India’s number one enemy”. We should treat it accordingly.            As we  move into the second year of the Chinese pandemic,  new equ

I am honoured that this article was originally published by  India Today    as part of a special DEFENDING INDIA edition @   https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/defence/story/20210621-retooling-for-war-in-super-high-altitudes-lt-gen-p-ravi-shankar-retd-1813375-2021-06-   Retooling for war in super-high altitudes  by Lt Gen. P. Ravi Shankar (Retd) The Indian Army has been on top of the threat from the plains. But it needs new technologies for operations at super-high altitudes Lt Gen. P. Ravi Shankar (Retd) June 11, 2021  ISSUE DATE: June 21, 2021 UPDATED: June 11, 2021 18:17 IST The Indian armed forces are rebalancing along the northern borders. The total number of troops in super-high altitudes (over 12,000 feet) will increase manifold. Rebalancing additional forces into super high altitudes has implications on operational efficiency, financial impact and logistic viability. Our experience of last year’s confrontation with the People’s Liberation Army of China in eastern Ladakh, more t

Please read in conjunction with these earlier articles to get a better overview Sino Indian Logjam : Aim Gone Astray  @ https://www.gunnersshot.com/2021/02/sino-indian-logjam-aim-gone-astray-by.html  and  A Plan to Retake Pak Occupied Kashmir  @  https://www.gunnersshot.com/2019/09/a-plan-to-retake-pak-occupied-kashmir_15.html?m=1 A recent call from Mr Saurabh Kumar, our ex ambassador who consistently gives us rare and valuable insights into Chinese thinking set me thinking. We spoke of many things including the situation in POK.  I told him that I had written an article about it in Sep 2019 wherein I had highlighted that military options into POK were the least preferred. I re-read the article. As I read it, a lot of strategic haze lifted and a new perspective emerged on the Sino Indian Logjam.     Ever since the intrusions in Eastern Ladakh, we have always been wondering as to why China did what it did. What was the Chinese ‘Aim’ ?  Lot of views and reasons were put forth. None have

  ‘ Come September’ was a famous blockbuster tune of the 1960’s. What will be the tune ‘Come September’ in Afghanistan? Current Status   On 01 Jun, some violent incidents occurred in Afghanistan (as marked on the map). Such violence  routinely happen on any given day in the country. Give or take a few. Daily life in Afghanistan is hardly normal. Come September, the US troops will fly out of Afghanistan and leave it to its destiny. A new deck of cards will appear on the table. A new set of players in a new game. Everyone is cognizant of this and are preparing themselves for it. There is no one more aware of this than the Afghanis themselves.  With about two months left for the drawdown,  the Taliban and the Afghan government,  the main internal actors on stage, have started talks in Doha to reach an agreement. They might reach one for the present or not. However, given the fundamental differences in each other’s outlooks, any agreement will at best be fragile with a very high chance of

  The 'Neighbourhood Watch' is beginning to become an interesting program. Even in its second edition, I have started enjoying it. There are so many interesting issues which are cropping up on our periphery.  In future we will be granulating matters  and coming up with greater clarity on our neighbours and their issues so that India can help them out. One thing is clear, wherever we go, the elephant in the room is China. Need to chase it away!  If you have a different opinion or a different issue which needs highlighting kindly let us know. We will go into it.   

The other day I was reading about our vaccination program. It was to save India from the extreme debilitation of the Chinese virus. When the time of reckoning came the cupboard of the ‘pharmacy of the world’ was found bare. I also saw an interesting article on cricket in which an Australian player said that India can produce two ‘equal’ national teams of  international calibre. Something even Cricket Australia could not produce at its heyday. This made interesting reading. On one hand we have a model of stupendous success. On the other hand we have  a stupendous failure which has made us an international laughing stock. I wondered. How is it that our tremendous vaccination potential ends up dismally and we keep rising in cricket. My mind wandered to our defense  procurement. On reflection some issues fell in place. I would like to share them for what they're worth. Draw your own conclusions.    India eradicated polio in 2011( https://www.nhp.gov.in/world-polio-day_pg  ). Each of ou