Gunners Shot

As per reports the government is set to finalise the ‘Agnipath’ nee ‘Tour of Duty’ recruitment scheme, under which youth can enlist in the Army for three /five years and be known as ‘Agnivirs’. It is being envisaged that 25% of them would serve for three years and 25% for five years, the remaining 50% would serve for the full term till they reach the retirement age. This major reform is expected to significantly reduce the age profile of the Armed forces. This reform will also result  in significant reduction of pensions. It will curb the ballooning salary and pension bills that are adversely impacting military modernization. Under this arrangement, after completing 3 or 5 years of service, the Army will help the soldier/officer to be recruited in other services. The soldiers would be given a pay-out along with priority in recruitment to certain government jobs, including the central armed police forces. An effort is also on to nudge corporate India into hiring such ex-ToD recruits for

Ukraine has taught many lessons for many militaries. However there are many lessons which are evident and relatable to PLA and our situation. Lessons from Ukraine are very important for our MOD which is contemplating the Agniveer concept.  

As a new dispensation comes into power in Pakistan, we discuss the future as we can see it. Its not rosy at all.   

Took part in a panel discussion of the Military Literature Festival, Chandigarh on the Emerging Lessons of the Russo-Ukraine War. It was an eminent panel and an informed and focussd discussion.   

In an earlier  article I had mentioned that the Russo Ukrainian Conflict had important lessons to make our  ‘Neighbourhood  First’ policy a success and left it at that. I was asked by a reader to dilate upon them. This article dilates upon the whole idea and is a central lesson of the war as far as India is concerned...       India is rising, but through challenging times. The shadows cast by the Pandemic and the Ukrainian conflict are conflated and are posing peculiar problems by throwing up issues in the immediate neighborhood and the extra regional environment. The Ukrainian Conflict, in particular portends global geopolitical uncertainty and economic turmoil. The conflict has caused India to do a tight rope walk to strike a balance between the trans-Atlantic consolidation of the West and the emerging Russia-China axis. In the immediate vicinity one sees turmoil in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Myanmar. While each country has a different problem, the common extra regional d

Had a very lively discussion on issues concerning Pakistan and China in the backdrop of the Russo Ukrainian War  VISIT THE GUNNERS SHOT WEBSITE CLICK ON PICTURE BELOW

  See clip of Shanghai under lockdown @  https://youtu.be/7vOvHcS6Egg  and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ngYxAi86gU   In May 2020, China Declared  Victory over the Coronavirus. It was a rebuttal to all critics of the Communist Party and its system of governance. That was at a time when the rest of the world was beleaguered. What was happening in China seemed a miracle. Within a year reports surfaced of people having pool parties without masks. It made everyone envy China. As days passed, it was evident that  China’s Zero Covid Policy was not sustainable. It was only kicking the can down the road. That is coming true. Slowly and steadily the Virus is extracting its revenge on China. As recently as Jan 2022 I had written in an  article  that ‘ Mass testing and tracing, strict quarantines, extensive lockdowns, travel restrictions and border closings have been the cornerstones of China’s Zero Covid policy. While the rest of the world started living with the virus, an authoritarian Chin