Category: Airpower

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111: India & Quad: Effect on Indo – Russian Relations


Pic Courtesy: World Map Poster

The Quad, officially the ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue’, is a strategic forum between the four nations (US, India, Australia and Japan) for exchanging strategic intelligence and conducting joint military exercises. Officially, the grouping was conceived as a space to cooperate for safeguarding joint security and other interests in the Indo-Pacific region. So far, Quad meetings have semi-regularly happened only at the foreign ministers’ level.

There is much more to Quad but this article is about effect of Quad on Indo – Russia relations.

Russian View. Russia views India’s ties with Quad unfavourably. It considers the Quad to be a US led grouping hostile to the interests of Russia and China.  It feels that India is getting into the “trap” of the Indo-Pacific. Being US led grouping it feels that Quad would have an anti-Russia charter in some form or the other.  Russia also shares it fears with China that the Quad may turn into a military alliance in future, calling it a potential Asian NATO. Their combined stand is that military alliances of any form in Asia is inadvisable and counterproductive. Russia along with China is very vocal about it and they keep cautioning / threatening India not to covertly or overtly get involved in it.

Indian Compulsions. There is a global rebalancing of geopolitical alliances taking place. The rapid progress made by China in economic, technological and military fields, its belligerent attitude and aggressive policy towards its neighbours and India in particular is resetting the relationships among the major powers. India has no choice but to seek closer ties with likeminded countries to address its asymmetry and security challenges with China and Pakistan. My personal view is that India should keep an open mind even for a military alliance if need so arises in future.

 

Pic Courtesy: The Asian Age

 

Maintaining Balance. While maintaining a balance between Indo – Russian and Indo – US relations, Indian Compulsions and views need to be conveyed forcefully that association with Quad is a necessity pushed due to Chinese attitude and behaviour. The policy is not aimed against Russia in any way and is open to all including even Russia. While doing so Russia also needs to be reminded about its increased friendship and enhanced relationship with Pakistan and China.

 

This article when read with the previous two articles, provides more comprehensive picture of Indo – Russian relations

लाल टोपी रुसी – दिल हिन्दुस्तानी: Indo – Russian Relations

INDO-RUSSIAN RELATIONS: US-Pak-China Factors

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References:

  1. https://warontherocks.com/2017/11/rise-fall-rebirth-quad/
  2. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world/explained-what-is-quad-summit-meeting-narendra-modi-joe-biden-india-us-australia-japan-6637191.html
  3. https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/the-quad-what-it-is-and-what-it-is-not/
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrilateral_Security_Dialogue
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105: Technology & Warfare Quotes: Lessons

1

Victory smiles upon those who anticipate the changes in the character of war, not upon those who wait to adapt themselves after the changes occur.

 

– Giulio Douhet

 

Change before the warfare changes or rather – 

BE THE CHANGE

 

2

It may be said that warfare has acquired a new phase – technological war. In the past, research and development were only preparation for the final and decisive testing of new systems in battle. Today the kind and quality of systems which a nation develops can decide the battle in advance and make the final conflict a mere formality or can bypass conflict altogether.

 

– Gen Bernard Schriever

 

Harness future technology for military use –

NOW

 

3

New conditions require, new solutions new weapons and imaginative methods for maximum application. New Wars are never won in the past.

 

– Douglas MacArthur

 

IDEATE, IDEATE and IDEATE – preferably

OUT OF THE BOX

 

4

An air force is always verging on obsolescence and, in time of peace, its size and replacement rate will always be inadequate to meet the full demands of war. Military air power should, therefore, be measured to a large extent by the ability of the existing air force to absorb in time of emergency the increased requirements of the war together with new ideas and techniques.

 

– Hap Arnold

 

Have a plan A &  have a plan B – More  important

HAVE A OPEN MIND FOR PLAN C

 

5

In military systems, the second step in the development of a radically new concept must be determined after operational deployment. The war fighters will use the system in innovative ways not described in the manuals, and it is this experience that will define the path to revolution.

 

– USAF Scientific Advisory Board

 

Fastest Way to operationalize a weapon or system is – 

Operational Deployment in LIVE EXERCISE

 

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