With ambitious generals knowing that political patronage might be rewarded, a worrying era of politicisation of the military looms ahead, observes retired Colonel Ajai Shukla who has known Generals Rawat, Bakshi and Hariz for a long time.
The Indian Army is also focussing on artificial intelligence and has begun a process in this direction.
In a startling revelation, an Army intelligence report had recently claimed that Jammu and Kashmir was facing a clear threat from groups of Kashmiri youths, who have been trained by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir to carry out terror activities on Indian soil.
The dust has barely settled after General VK Singh's Supreme Court battle to be army chief for another year when another senior general is approaching the court with a petition which, if accepted, could make him the next army chief, instead of Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, the eastern army commander who is currently in line.
Army chief General M M Naravane on Tuesday hoped for an amicable resolution of the military standoff with China in Ladakh through talks based on 'mutual and equal security' even as he said India will have to be prepared to deal with a 'two-front' threat scenario due to the potent and collusive threat from China and Pakistan.
Thousands of tourists have begun leaving Kashmir after a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, prompting authorities to arrange for their safe return. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed concern over the exodus, while the Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered airlines to ensure there are no fare hikes and to offer extra flights from Srinagar. While many tourists are leaving, some are choosing to stay, citing the presence of security forces and their feeling of safety.
De-centralised execution should drive the operational concept and support military strategy, under a unified command architecture. Enablers and technology need to be positioned first for such an activity to be undertaken, recommends Lieutenant General Anil Chait (retd).
The Indian Army has conceptualised a three-phased programme, which would see a steady flow of talent from 2010 onwards in 10 different sports disciplines.
Pakistan's new Army Chief has begun setting the stage to act against groups like LeT and JeM
Over 30 suspects have been questioned during the past few days and several of them have been released.
The result is a big blow to the military establishment, revealing the limits of 'political engineering'. It reflected the anger of the electorate, especially its younger voters, who have spoken decisively against the persistent harassment and victimisation of Imran Khan's political party, asserts Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
India will showcase its military prowess and rich cultural heritage on Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26 to mark the 76th Republic Day. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest at the event, which will also see the participation of a marching contingent and a band contingent from Indonesia. The theme of the parade is 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas', focusing on the platinum jubilee of the enactment of the Constitution. The parade will feature a number of cutting-edge defense platforms, including BrahMos, Pinaka and Akash, as well as the Army's Battle Surveillance System 'Sanjay' and DRDO's surface-to-surface tactical missile 'Pralay'.
'We are an inherently Maritime Nation -- with the sea on three sides and high mountains on the fourth. It is but natural that the oceans would play a vital role in India's growth and prosperity,'
He noted that the primary responsibility of the Indian Army is to maintain operational readiness of the "highest order".
"These elements profess no ideology or respect for civil norms and no quarter should be shown to them as they represent the face of gun-and-violence culture," it says.
The Congress and the Left on Sunday questioned the appointment of the new army chief by superseding two officers, saying every appointment by the government has become controversial.
Gen K M Cariappa was the first Indian Army chief to be decorated with the title in 1950.
"Defence Minister Abdullah Habibi and Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim stepped down with immediate effect," the Khaama Press quoted the Office of the President, ARGPalace, as saying on Monday.
Former vice chief of Indian Air Force Air Marshal P K Barbora (retd), known to be an outstanding air warrior who was instrumental in reactivation of the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) air strip in eastern Ladakh, passed away at a military hospital in New Delhi on Monday. He was 72.
India as a sovereign democratic republic completed 75 years of its eventful journey on Sunday, with the stage set at the Kartavya Path in New Delhi for the ceremonial parade during which the country will showcase its military prowess and rich cultural heritage.
What some of our leaders were up to on over the weekend.
Kiyani is a non-controversial officer, who had in the past not come to notice for any dubious association with the Taliban or Al Qaeda or any of Pakistan's fundamentalist organisations.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, an expert in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir affairs, on Tuesday took over as Pakistan's new army chief succeeding General Raheel Sharif and promised to improve the tense situation at the Line of Control soon.
China does not have to give up what it took in 2020, it will never give up its claim to Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and other areas, and it has all the time now to plan its next surprise, points out Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).
Around $20 million were spent over eight years on the development of the tank.
General Rawat also sent a tough message to Pakistan, saying if Islamabad continues to support cross-border terrorism, then the Indian Army can resort to "other actions" too.
'Already, there is talk of a possible extension for Raheel Sharif in the context of his perceived sterling, but incomplete work in the war against terror, as also the cleansing of crime and extortion networks in Karachi,' says Rana Banerji.
Noting that the increase in such unnatural deaths was a cause of concern, Pattabhiraman said army as well as the ministry was awaiting reports of high-level committee probing this new trend.
In the confrontation in Doklam, where Indian and Chinese soldiers were lined up eyeball-to-eyeball, senior Indian commanders recount they could sense the uncertainty in the Chinese. While Indian soldiers had to be restrained from pushing the Chinese troops back, our chief interpreter heard the Chinese officers threatening to open fire on PLA soldiers who wavered or withdrew, reveals Ajai Shukla.
'A six month extension, if not extended further, would make General Bajwa a lame duck chief, altering the balance of his equations with the senior peer group of lieutenant generals,' says Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
Chief of Army Staff General N C Vij said his troops were ready to face any eventuality.
The Indian Army on Friday celebrated the Army Day in recognition of Lieutenant General (later Field Marshal) K M Cariappa's taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the force from General Sir Francis Butcher -- the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on January 15, 1949.
The army is fully prepared to defend its borders along China and would ensure that a situation like that of 1962 is not repeated in the event of any military engagement with that country, Chief of Army Staff Gen J J Singh said on Friday.
The latest diplomatic row between India and Canada will not impact bilateral military engagement and the Canadian Army will take part in the conclave of the Indo-Pacific army chiefs in Delhi next week, a senior Indian Army official said on Wednesday.
Glimpses of the solemn ceremony Shaurya Sandhya ahead of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas, which commemorates India's victory in the 1999 Kargil War at the Kargil War Memorial, Dras, in Kargil, Ladakh.
The soldier, manning a forward post, was killed in the firing from across the border in Shahpur-Kerni area of Poonch sector, an Army official said.
Ahead of Republic Day, the Indian Army announced on Thursday the addition of two new features to this year's parade: battlefield surveillance systems and a Defebce Research and Development Organisation tableau showcasing Pralay, short-range ballistic missiles.
The Delhi high court on Monday refused to stay the trial court's summons to three Army officers on Lieutenant General (Retired) Tejinder Singh's criminal defamation complaint, accusing them of misusing their official positions and power to level false allegations against him.
Bin Salman is currently on a State visit to India following end of the G20 Summit.
