Gunners Shot

With the Ukrainian war locked in a static mode, Aadi and I discuss the contours of the Indo Pacific towards which the focus must shift.   

Originally Published @ Bharatshakti.in   Xi Jinping At Cross-Roads: Politico-Military Victory Against Taiwan Or India Unattainable May 07, 2022 ; By:  Lt Gen PR Shankar (Retd)          Print   Email Editors Note :- With the Chinese incursions in Eastern Ladakh now into its third year, at Bharatshakti.in we decided to ask a few professionals to pen their assessments on issues that are relevant for Xi Jinping to consider before he launches the People Liberation Army to achieve his (Chinese) ambitions. The author analyses that the chances of the Chinese attempting a landing across the Taiwan Strait as too tall a task. That leaves India as its other option!  ……………………..……………………………. It has been two years since the current phase of Chinese aggression in Eastern Ladakh started. The PLA and Indian Armed Forces remain deployed along the LAC in high altitudes. From all available reports, China is making extensive infrastructure upgrades including the construction of new airfields, extension of ru

Russia’s eastern offensive commenced on 18 Apr22. It has made very little headway. In over two weeks, Russia has been able to expand its area of control only marginally. It has carried out many air/misile/rocket strikes across the length and breadth of the country  to degrade / destroy  Ukraine’s military capability and other infrastructure which it considers crucial to its campaign. Despite the incessant strikes,  the Ukrainian forces are fighting it out with gusto. Kramatorsk which is critical to the offensive is still holding out. Overall the offensive seems to have stalled. From hereon outright Russian victory or defeat of Ukrainian forces seems inconceivable.  What is predictable is that Ukraine has been destroyed and broken. The ramifications for the future are looming large.     In Feb 1943, Von Manstein executed the famous ‘Back Hand’ plan.  He drew in the Russian counter offensive into the Dnieper Bend in South Ukraine. He then hit the Soviets in the North on the ‘Back Hand’ t

  Earlier articles on China:- https://www.gunnersshot.com/2022/02/wuhan-chinas-chernobyl-by-lt-gen-pr.html https://www.gunnersshot.com/2021/12/a-peek-into-everyday-china-drivers-and.html https://www.gunnersshot.com/2022/01/china-middle-kingdom-to-mother-earth-by.html   When the Ukrainian war broke out, the conventional wisdom said that there is only one country that stands to emerge victorious : China. Two months into the war and with the resurgence of the Wuhan Virus, that is very uncertain. The Virus and Ukraine seem to be having their last laugh on our aspiring superpower China. To put things in perspective, Encyclopaedia Britannica defines a superpower as  a state that possesses military or economic might, or both, and general influence vastly superior to that of other states. It cannot be ignored on the world stage and without whose cooperation no world problem can be solved . When examined against these metrics, is China a superpower?  Though it is an economic powerhouse, it has

 Gen Dua, Aadi and I had a flowing discussion on the scenarios likely to evolve in Pakistan 

Aadi and I discuss the evolving situation in China as its home grown virus is sweeping across the country and is playing catch up...  

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP ON MY ARTICLE   EVOLVING SECURITY DIMENSIONS IN THE INDO PACIFIC  Also published @ CENJOWS   The Indo US Strategic Partnership has come under some stress due to the differing perceptions on the Russo Ukrainian war. It even led the US President to comment that India was a ‘shaky’ partner. Additionally, many US officials have conveyed that they view India’s ‘neutral’ stance on the Russo Ukrainian war as ‘explicit strategic alignment’ with Russia. They have also indicated there would be long-term consequences as a result of the stance. The overall tone was coercive and threatening. It resulted in a hue and cry in both India and USA. However many of those mis-perceptions were cleared in the 2+2 dialogue held on 11 Apr. Significantly the dialogue was preceded by a virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joseph Biden. The joint statement coming out of the dialogue also indicated a reaffirmation of the partnership and reemphasized the need to co