Experts Speak
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May 20, 2017
North Korea — Rogue supported by rogue
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)As North Korea carried out another ballistic missile test, shortly after President Moon Jae-in took office in South Korea, US President Donald Trump called for "stronger sanctions" against North Korea, while China is urged restraint.
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PM Modi's Sri Lanka visit
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)When Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe came to India on a 5-day visit in April 2017, he had reiterated the invitation to Prime Minister...
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May 18, 2017
Expediting Defence Procurements
By Ranjit KumarIndia's defence acquisition framework is considered to be one of the most cumbersome, time consuming, complex and fraught with uncertainties.
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May 15, 2017
Strategic partnership policy — Needs speedy conclusion
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)When Defence Procurement Policy (DPP) 2016 was released by the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in Defexpo 2016, it was without few appendices, which were added later.
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May 12, 2017
GSAT-09 — Modi's gift to South Asia
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)GSAT-09 or SAS (South Asia Satellite) is the latest technological move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for integrating South Asia, a resolve he had shown at the swearing in of his government by inviting all SAARC leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
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May 12, 2017
'Negative' defence budget - Goes more negative
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The relationship between economy and defence is that both are dependent on each other. Defence cannot be strong without good economy...
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April 25, 2017
PM Modi's Israel visit — Expectations?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel on July 5-6 this year, first by any Indian Prime Minster will be a historic event of extraordinary proportions...
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April 25, 2017
Another joint doctrine — But who will implement?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Media is agog with headlines of "New defence doctrine to ensure Army, Navy, IAF can tackle entire spectrum of conflicts".
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April 13, 2017
Indo-Bangla relations at all time high — Teesta should be next step
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The four day visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (April 7-10) has taken Indo-Bangladesh relations to an all time high.
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April 13, 2017
Cyber war — Where are we?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Cyber attacks in India have been on the rise over the years, particularly against government sites and Indian missions abroad despite several layers of security measures in place to protect against intrusions.
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April 13, 2017
Minesweepers void — Not good
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)As per media reports quoting the Parliamentary Committee for Defence, the existing fleet of six minesweeping vessels with the Indian Navy will be...
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April 13, 2017
China — Upping ante in Indo-Pacific
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Post the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected China's claim to 'historic rights' in the South China Sea (SCS) brought up by Philippines last...
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March 14, 2017
Visit of Bangladesh PM - expectations
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Coming up next month in April is the all important visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh to India. Not only is she a close friend of India...
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March 14, 2017
Pakistan — Defiant Frankenstein
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)By admitting that the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack was carried out by Pakistan based terror group but that the Pakistani government had no role in it, former Pakistan National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani has managed to hit headlines while keeping himself safe.
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March 14, 2017
Special Forces — efforts to bridge equipment voids
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Media is agog with news "Army on shopping spree, commandos to get deadlier", reporting that after the successful 'surgical strikes', MoD is fast-tracking some...
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March 14, 2017
Military Modernization Kaput — and the curse of committees
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has slammed the...
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March 14, 2017
QCG and the six plus one
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) comprising the US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan aimed to bring the Taliban on board to join the...
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March 14, 2017
Of Grenade Lobbing Robots — and more
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)As the battle for Mosul continues, the ISIS fights on with new technology. Tiny surveillance drones are employed to observe and report movement and positions of the attacking forces.
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February 20, 2017
India—China Strategic Dialogue — hollowness persists
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)On February 22, India and China held their 'upgraded' strategic dialogue at Beijing. Just before the dialogue, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar held talks...
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February 20, 2017
Indo-US Defence Ties — retain the high
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)There was some speculation as to how the Indo-US defence relationship would pan out under the new US President, as relationships do undergo change...
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February 20, 2017
Policy on Unmanned Vehicles — setting course is good
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)DRDO Director General Dr S Christopher's statement on February 11, 2017 that DRDO plans to soon come out with policy document on unmanned vehicles...
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February 20, 2017
Tri-Service Commands — must get them right
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)After a lapse of over a year, news is media is again talking of Tri-Service Commands and other measures like appointing a single-point military adviser...
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February 20, 2017
Big Stride in Ballistic Missile Defence
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)February, 11, 2017 was a great day for the DRDO and the nation. At precisely 0745 hours, DRDO successfully test-fired a interceptor missile off Odisha coast and achieved a significant milestone for developing a two-layered BMD system...
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February 2, 2017
Defence Budget 2017-2018
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Defence has been allocated Rs 2,74,114 crore ($40.31 billion) for fiscal year 2017-2018. This does not include the pensions bill which itself is close to Rs 85,000 crore per annum.
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January 9, 2017
The China factor in Kashmir
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)That China is the central actor behind the problems in J&K is still not fully acknowledged by our policy makers. Not that it is a new development but the understanding remained coloured with the advice of our intelligence agencies who refused to get out of the time wrap.
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January 9, 2017
Why India should never join CPEC
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Khaled Ahmed, consulting editor, 'Newsweek' Pakistan, in his recent article titled 'Corridor of Uncertainty' writes that Pakistan's General Riaz inviting India...
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December 26, 2016
India joins ICBM 5000+ league
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)India successfully undertook the fourth and final test firing of the Agni-V today (December 26) from Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha. This is a wholly indigenously developed ICBM, which by itself is a gigantic achievement.
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December 5, 2016
Heart of Asia — Pak proxies named
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)In his inaugural address at the Sixth Ministerial 'Heart of Asia' Conference at Amritsar, represented by some 30 countries and international and regional organizations and co-chaired by Finance Minister of India...
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December 5, 2016
Visit of Israeli President — cementing ties
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The eight-day visit to India in November by President Reuven Rivlin of Israel further cemented India-Israel bilateral relations. His visit was the first one by an Israeli President after 1996 when President Ezer Weizman had visited India.
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December 5, 2016
Coming — Armed drones
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Pakistan tested its indigenous 'Burraq' UCAV last year and according to the Dawn quoting industry insiders, in 2015 China had offered to sell Pakistan its CH-3 UCAV, which can carry two laser-guided missiles or bombs.
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December 5, 2016
Chinese submarines to Bangladesh
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Bangladesh media, quoting an Inter Services Public Relation Directorate release, reported on November 4 that Bangladesh Naval Chief Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed had received two Chinese submarines during a ceremony at Liao Nan Shipyard...
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November 14, 2016
PM Modi's Japan visit — Historic nuclear deal signed
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan on November 11-12 may be termed the most historic as making an exception; Japan has signed a civil-nuclear...
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November 14, 2016
ISRO: Of Satellites, Moon and Mars
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)It may be recalled that on June 22, 2016, India launched 20 satellites in one go, which was the maximum ever by ISRO.
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November 14, 2016
Blacklisting Redefined
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Since December 2014, media was reporting that a new government policy legalizing middlemen in arms purchases, a source of massive controversies...
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November 14, 2016
OROP: One-Man Judicial Commission
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Politicization of the unfortunate suicide of Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal was indeed bad.
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November 14, 2016
Internet of Things (IoT) and Dangers in Cyberspace
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Much has been said in recent years about Internet of Things (IoT); it is coming, it has arrived or it is growing rapidly. But the enormity of IoT can be gauged from the one forecast that by 2030 there will be over 26 billion connected devices...
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October 31, 2016
Xi Jinping — China's "Core Leader"
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The Communist Party of China (CPC) has anointed President Xi Jinping as the "Core Leader" of China, which places him on par with Mao Tse Tung and Deng Xiaoping.
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October 31, 2016
Visit of Aung San Suu Kyi
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Myanmar Foreign Minister and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's four-day visit to India after attending the BRICS summit at Goa provided fresh impetus to India-Myanmar relations.
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October 31, 2016
Deriding military — Continues unabated
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The latest attack on the military's ethos came from the MoD through the GoI letter number A/24577/CAO/CP Cell dated October 18, described by a national daily in talking about rank "equivalence" between defence officers and "armed forces headquarters civil service officers".
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October 31, 2016
Chinese subs to Pakistan — Eye on IOR
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)China recently confirmed the sale of eight attack submarines to Pakistan, what is its biggest ever military deal estimated to be over US$5 billion.
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October 18, 2016
India-Russia relations take next step
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The recent meet between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Putin of Russia on the sidelines of the BRICs summit at Goa and the deals signed between India and Russia have silenced the critics that the Modi Government is putting all its eggs in the basket of America.
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October 18, 2016
Big ticket acquisitions — Overshadowing cutting edge again?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)As per media reports, the MoD is working towards seeking an annual hike...
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October 5, 2016
New Long Range SAM
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)India successfully conducted the second test of the new Indo-Israeli surface to air missile (LRSAM) on September 20 from the launching complex - III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea.
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October 5, 2016
When will our military get its due?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)India's Presidents have said that the military is the last bastion of India. The typical example of today is that while the J&K State Administration in the Valley responsible for the current messy situation went ineffective and the police abandoned their posts, the Army has been tasked to re-establish the rule of law.
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October 5, 2016
Terrorist State — Will Pakistan get the tag?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)September 20 was historical with US Congressman Ted Poe, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, introduced 'H.R.6069, the Pakistan State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation Act' in the US Congress.
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October 3, 2016
Indian Army Launches Surgical Strikes along the Line of Control
By Lt General V.K. Kapoor (Retd.)Since 1989 Pakistan has waged an unrelenting asymmetric war on India which we call "Proxy War".
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September 30, 2016
Beyond the Surgical Strike
By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)The Indian Army has now been given a free hand to take appropriate action against the enemy operating across the LoC from PoK.
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September 29, 2016
India Responds to Uri Terror Strike
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)India executed surgical strikes against multiple terrorist launch pads-cum training camps in four sectors of POK on night September 28-29.
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September 19, 2016
Indo-Russian Strategic Partnership — No reset required
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Signing of the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) between India and the US has been a subject of intense debate in the media.
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September 19, 2016
OROP and 7th CPC — Course correction required
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)It is quite apparent that civil-military relations have reached the lowest ebb with the military sick of being sidelined and continuously denigrated.
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September 5, 2016
PM Modi’s Vietnam visit
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Prime Minister Modi's visit to Vietnam on September 2-3 was special not only because Vietnam is India's strategic partner and an important pillar of India's Act East Policy, but also because it came at time of mounting...
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September 5, 2016
LEMOA, Balochistan and Chinese infirmities
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)A day after India and US signed the LEMOA during Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's three-day visit to the US commencing August 29...
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September 5, 2016
Indo-Myanmar Construct — good signs
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)In March this year, Myanmar got a democratically elected government after 57 years of military rule.
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September 5, 2016
Missing Targets — bane of DRDO
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Defence generally remains in the news in India for valid reasons. It was reported recently that the government procured Rs 76,000 crores of defence equipment during 2015-2016.
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September 5, 2016
Strengthening West Asian Ties
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)The recent visit to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq from August 17-23 by MoS External Affairs MJ Akbar has strengthened India's ties...
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September 5, 2016
Triple whammy for Indian bureaucracy
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)If one hallmark of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit to India was targeting Pakistan for exporting terrorism...
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August 31, 2016
Kerry's Visit: India, US Focus on Pak Terror
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)Deliberations during the recent visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry is being hailed for delivering a blunt message to Pakistan, not to distinguish between good and bad terrorists...
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August 23, 2016
Signing LEMOA — and RM's US visit
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)During his three-day visit to the US commencing August 29, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, India and US are slated to conclude...
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August 23, 2016
Treasure Troves of PSUs — something amiss?
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)How many more shocks Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will suffer at the hands of his bureaucrats, shocking the public in turn is anyone's guess. In March 2015, he made a startling announcement that India was paying the US Department of Defence (DoD) for new weaponry...
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August 23, 2016
China: self-appointed NSG Policeman caught cheating
By Lt. General P.C. Katoch (Retd.)China, the self proclaimed Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) policeman has been caught, what may be described as with her pants down...
