TIDBITS

1.

CHINA’S WAY OF THINKING

 

Communist Chinese politics are a lugubrious merry-go-round … and in order to appreciate fully the déjà-vu quality of its latest convolutions, you would need to have watched it revolve for half a century. The main problem with many of our politicians and pundits is that their memories are too short, thus forever preventing them from putting events and personalities in a true historical perspective.

— Simon Leys quoted in Watching China Watching
China Heritage, 2018

 

Comments:

China thinks and plans long-term.

One needs to decipher her grand design.

The response should be appropriate, keeping the big picture in mind, and not a knee-jerk reaction.

 

2.

INDIA DEPLOYS PLATOON OF WOMEN PEACEKEEPERS IN UN MISSION IN ABYEI

 

This will be so far, India’s largest single unit of women Peacekeepers in a UN Mission. The Indian contingent, comprising two officers and 25 other ranks, will form part of an engagement platoon and specialise in community outreach and will be performing extensive security-related tasks as well

 

Comments:

In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia.

India is one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping.

As of October 31, 2022, India is the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions with 5887 troops and personnel deployed across 12 missions, after Bangladesh (7,017).

 

3.

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (USA Vis-à-vis China)

 

USA. There are only 47 active aircraft carriers in the world and the US Navy has 11 of them, with displacement tonnage nearly as many as all other countries combined. The US Navy’s large nuclear-powered fleet carriers carry around 80 fighters each and are the largest carriers in the world. The total combined deck space is more than double of all other nations combined.

 

China. As of 2022, the PLAN has two combat-ready aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, with the third, Fujian, China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, being fitted out. The Fujian is equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults, similar to those on the US supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford, while China’s first two carriers featured ski-jump designs. China’s only ship-borne fighter jet, the twin-engine single-seat J-15 Flying Shark, is the world’s heaviest carrier-borne fighter.

 

Comments:

Numerically, the Chinese navy has overtaken the US navy.

China is building its expeditionary capability.

On achieving expeditionary capability, China will redefine its theatres.

 

4.

US TO SEND UKRAINE NEARLY $3 BILLION IN MILITARY AID

(Including dozens of Bradley vehicles)

 

A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine will include about 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

The armoured vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems has a powerful gun. The vehicle has been used by the U.S. Army to carry troops around battlefields since the mid-1980s.

 

Comments:

The United States has sent about $21.3 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

The US Army is to retire its Bradley fleet and is working with industry to build a replacement as it seeks to modernize.

The USA is dumping military equipment, it doesn’t need anymore.

USA continues to add fuel to the fire.

 

5.

SANCTIONS ARE NOT MISSILES

 

The misapprehension of what sanctions against Russia would accomplish can be explained in part by unrealistic expectations of what economic measures can do. Simply put, they are not the equivalent of a missile strike.

 

Comments:

Sanctions do not deter aggression.

The effect of sanctions take longer to work their way through the economy.

In the long run, sanctions can weaken the economy and lower GDP.

 

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

 

For regular updates, please register here

Subscribe

 

 

References and credits

To all the online sites and channels.

Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.

 

 

Celebrating Two years of Blogging with 300 posts

 

 

Topics Covered

 

Leadership, Motivation and Management
Decision making
Mental toughness
Earning respect
Good  leadership qualities and values
Science of Karma
Good working culture
Listening Skills
Be good feel good
Healthy working environment
importance of Tolerance
Lessons from Buddha
Difference between strength and courage
Lessons from rich and famous
Leadership lessons from Hollywood movies.
Shark in the tank theory of management
Car wheel theory of management
Aya Ram Gaya Ram syndrome – yes men.
Calculated Risks
Practical Leadership and management
Communication skills and body language
Lessons from Nanak
Being Responsible and Tolerant
Transferable Skills
Words of Wisdom
 

China

China’s Brain differently wired
China’s strategic thought
China’s military modernisation
China’s Defence industry
China – Pakistan Collusion
China – Art of deception
China: Kill Pigs List
China: Social score System
China: Active Defence Policy
China’s Joint Strategic support force (JSSF)
China – Joint Strategic Support Force.
Dealing with the Dragon
China’s grey zone operations
China: Flavours of military Reform
China: Pillars of Military Reform
China new diplomacy – drawing red lines in sand.
China – demographic analysis.
China through US Prism
China in South China Sea
China’s Military – Civil Fusion
PLAAF Analysis Strengths and weaknesses
Book review on China Airpower
Dealing with Dragon
Knowing China Better: lie flat and let it rot
Knowing China Better social life and customs
 

Geopolitics 

China
Pakistan – National security Policy, Turmoil
Afghanistan
India’s foreign policy
India’s neighbourhood
Quad
Indo – Russian relations
State of Airpower assets in Afghanistan
Indo – US relations
Afghanistan: Taliban runover
US-China shadow boxing over Taiwan
China spoiling Bhutan’s GNH.
South China sea
Gini Index and implications.
Multilateralism: Flexible Security Cooperation.
China Pak Collusivity
Collective Security
Sri Lanka Economic crisis: lessons and opportunity
Ukraine Conflict
Djibouti: Tug of war between USA and China
 

Air Power 

Airpower in Grey zone operations
Airpower in no war no peace situation
Air Power & Non-Kinetic warfare
Air Power in Multi-Domain warfare
Airpower in HADR ops and aid to civil authorities
Drone Threat the big picture
Fighter aircraft classifications by generations
Emerging Technologies and Air Defence
Air Power in Modern Day Warfare
S-400 SAM AD System
Combat Aviation
Changing nature of warfare
Air Defence operations
Air power concepts: Command / control the air, air supremacy, Air superiority & Favourable air situation.
 

Technology 

Hypersonics and hypersonic weapons
Technology and airpower
Future Trajectory of AI
Artificial intelligence
Unmanned Platforms and Swarms, Loyal wingman concept
AI and Fake News
AI: Digital twins and Surrogate models
 

Cyber Safety and Security 

Cyber warfare
Digital addiction
Economic Cyber Frauds
 

Space 

Space operations
Space warfare and organisation in India
Space-based ISR
 

Indian Air Force 

Capability development
Tejas and AMCA project
IAF role in HADR and aid to civil and other agencies
Network-centric operations
PLAAF and IAF comparative analysis
IAF Modernisation
Balakot Operations
Rafale induction and capability enhancement
S-400 Induction
Fire Power Demo: Ex Vayu Shakti
 

War and Warfare 

Types of war
Decoys and deception
Afghanistan Air Assets
Future Wars
warfare
Grey Zone Warfare
Classification of warfare into generations (Russian Thoughts)
Domains of warfare
C4ISR
Military Balance in the region
Ukraine War: Air Power aspects, a case of dog and the bone, Air superiority aspects, decoding Ukraine war
Operational Logistics
Lesser known facts about 1971the  War
Review of book on 1962 war
Review of book on 1965 war
India’s two-front challenge
Douhet theories
Duration of Conflict
Jasjit Singh on Airpower
Galwan stand off
Asymmetric Threat
Nuclear aspects revisited
Accelerating the paradigm Shift
National Security / Military Strategy
Urgent need for National Security Policy
Multilateralism: Relevance and changes
National Security Strategy
 

Military 

Military diplomacy
Military spending: trends and analysis.
Collusive threat and Deterrence: Air and Space Aspects
Integrated Capability Development.
Joint war game training systems
Fighter Pilot: Traits
Agni veer and Agnipath / Tour of duty / making best of the scheme
Andaman and Nicobar Command and Islands
Joint Operations and Joint man ship
 

Higher Defence Organisation 

Department of military affairs
Theaterisation
Air defence command
Civil-military fusion
 

Flight Safety 

Golden rules of safety
Importance of SOPs
A proactive approach to safety
Damage due to Bird Hits and Foreign Objects
Good safety Culture
 

Defence Industry 

Indigenous defence industry
HAL and DPSUs
Role of the private sector in defence production
Arms Transfer to Afghanistan
Defence Budget issues
Atmanirbharta
IAF and indigenisation
Indian Initiatives to promote self-reliance
 

Stories 

My tryst with HT-2 aircraft: The day god flew with me
The day I flew my dad’s car
Male Lake: Tale of two coursemates
Flying Tales

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

For regular updates, please register here

Subscribe

 

 

References and credits

To all the online sites and channels.

 

Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.

 

 

 

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

ALSO, IT IS PRONE TO THOUSAND OF INTERPRETATIONS

Pic Courtesy: Indian Express

Random Thoughts

  • Well done India – INS Vikrant (Indigenous Aircraft Carrier {IAC-1}, Commissioned.
  • United States –  11,  China – 3,  India, United Kingdom & Italy – 2each,  Russia, France & Spain- 1 each.
  • Important is joining the elite group of nations –  US, Russia, France,  UK, and China – who are capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers.
  • Are two aircraft carriers adequate?
  • Can we afford a third one?
  • Where would be it on the priority list?
  • Aircraft Carrier or Submarines?

 

Pic Courtesy: Graphic news

Random Thoughts

  • Rapid growth in China’s Shipbuilding capability.
  • Numerically PLAN has overtaken USN.
  • Soon it will be from 3 to 6, for two fleet operations.
  • It is a matter of time before the Chinese fleet ventures into IOR.
  • Convert ANC from iron curtain to steel curtain.
  • Look into the islands on the western seaboard.

 

Pic Courtesy: Visual Capitalist

Random Thoughts

  • India has overtaken the UK and is at the number 5 position now.
  • Predictions are that India would reach number 3 position in the future behind China and USA.
  • Ranking apart the disparity between the value of the economy is very large.
  • Another prediction says in future India will have 20% of the world’s working population.
  • It is predicted that it is the decade or the century of India.
  • There would be many ifs and unpredictable events to deal with.

 

Pic Courtesy: BBC

Random Thoughts

  • In the pictures three things stand out.
    • A corridor in western Ukraine under Russian control.
    • Consolidation of Crimea – land connectivity with control over water and electricity supply lines.
    • Limited access to the sea for Ukraine.
  • Russia seems to have achieved its objectives.
  • Now it is wait and watch to formally end it on its terms.
  • How long will the US-led west keep inciting Ukraine to continue the resistance?
  • Continued fighting is not good for Ukraine, Russia, and Europe in particular and the world in general.
  • Question then arises is WHY?
  • Is the threat to Petro-Dollar or is it the defence industry that is at play ?

 

Pic Courtesy: BBC

Random Thoughts

  • The disparity between the military strength of the two countries is large.
  • At the same time it is not a walkover for China.
  • What should the Taiwan strategy be?
    • Purely defensive, limited offense, or offensive defence?
  • Read an appropriate word to explain it – Porcupine Strategy.
  • In what form will the USA help Taiwan?

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

For regular updates, please register here

Subscribe

References and credits

Reserve Bank of India.

Disclaimer:

Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from sources deemed reliable and accurate. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for purposes of wider dissemination.