Global Affairs

Army Chief, General Manoj Pande; on Friday began a 2 day visit to Bhutan, days after new satellite images emerged indicating construction of a Chinese village east of Doklam, on Bhutanese side which is considered to be the strategic location for India. General Pande is scheduled to meet King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Jigme Singye Wangchuk. He will also be holding talks with his counterpart in the Royal Bhutanese Army. General Pande will begin his visit by paying homage at the National Memorial at Thimphu. This visit will further enhance the unique bi-lateral relationship, he will also be having an meeting with his counterpart to exchange views on taking forward the strong cultural and professional bonds between both the armies. After the satellite images came out, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India keeps a constant watch on all the development on National Security and takes necessary measures to safe-guard its interests. 73 DAYS LONG DOKLAM STAND-OFF The PLA and ...

 As India braces itself for a Taliban-dominated regime in Afghanistan , India's role in Kabul needs to be very well crafted and decisive. It also needs to keep in mind the role of Pakistan and its ISI and their deep-rooted connections in Afghanistan.  New Delhi is deeply concerned about the unfavorable conditions in Afghanistan due to the hasty pull out of the US Government and the NATO Forces. It is very much evident in External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's recent visit to Russia and Iran. The Indian Government and its foreign minister, busy convincing its neighbors and their allies to explain the importance of the region and the entity which holds the major deciding power in Afghanistan. Though the Taliban administration has assured the Indian authorities that the Taliban respects India and its sovereignty but India is worried about the fact that Pakistan has its deep roots embedded within the Taliban and its contacts. The worry is that the ISI can recruit Talibani fight...

  Though New Delhi has always enjoyed cordial diplomatic and trade relations with Saudi Arabia, there has been negligible interaction between the militaries of the two countries. But with the Indian Army Chief, Gen MM Naravane visiting Saudi Arabia is a development that clearly indicates that New Delhi and Riyadh are both anxious to establish a far more comprehensive relationship between the two countries. This is certainly a positive sign. The timing of the Indian Army Chief’s visit assumes greater importance as it comes at a time when Saudi Arabia’s ties with Islamabad aren’t as affable as before. And for this, Islamabad has nobody but itself to blame, because despite being one of the biggest beneficiaries of Saudi financial aid, it still decided to shift allegiance to Turkey, which is openly challenging Riyadh’s supremacy in the community of Islamic nations (OIC). Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi went to the extent of threatening Riyadh by saying that if it didn’t ...

 Last year when the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman visited Pakistan on a 4-day diplomatic tour he was escorted by the PM of Pakistan Imran Khan who turned a chauffeur for the Prince to the place where the latter was going to reside. Looking at that moment the Twitterati army went crazy by both criticizing and a few praising the moment. Many experts believed that this photo was proof for the deepening ties between the two countries who are also powerful members of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) and even the Saudis maintained good relations with Pakistan since the South Asian country has a minority of Shiites. But all the claims of deep ties came to a still recently when Riyadh asked Islamabad to repay some of the amounts of loan which was given to them .   The  loan  was part of a USD 6.2  billion  package announced by  Saudi  Arabia in November 2018, which included a total of USD 3  billion  in  loans  a...

It is very evident now and from the past actions of China that it is expanding its military might and trading not only in the South China Sea but around the globe and especially in the Indian Ocean through its 'Debt Trap Diplomacy' and 'String of Pearls' strategy which posed a great threat directly to India and indirectly to the whole world. What is China's String of Pearls? It is an attempt by China to encircle India through maintaining and developing its strategic bases in countries around India, such as at Karachi (Gwadar Port) Pakistan, Chittagong (Bangladesh), at Colombo and Hambantota  (both in Sri Lanka), the Maldives, Myanmar, and some other small island nations which will help in confining India to its own land and limiting its influence on the neighboring countries. This will provide China easy access and control over the vast Indian Ocean. This String of Pearls phenomena in the background of recent Chinese 'One Belt One Road' or the OBOR and CPE...

China’s Intention to Become a Great Power by 2049 Since assuming power in 2012, President Xi Jinping has clearly articulated his vision of the “Chinese dream” which seeks to achieve the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Xi has vowed to “restore” China’s historical influence and status by transforming China into a moderately prosperous state by 2020 and a rich, strong, and fully-developed great power by 2049. A major component of the Chinese dream includes the strengthening and expansion of China’s military capabilities. Beijing has specifically tasked the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to complete military reform and modernization by 2035 and to become a world-class military by 2050. In order to achieve these ambitious goals, the Chinese government has undertaken significant measures both at home and abroad . A Little Dig into the History During the Cold War era, which was taking place between the United States of America and Russia, every major country got affect...