Columnists

Raja Menon

The writer, a former rear admiral in the navy, is author of ‘A Nuclear Strategy for India’.

A fatal friendship with Beijing

Mon, Apr 18, 2022

Raja Menon writes: China's intervention has proved disastrous for the economies of Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

What Quad can learn from NATO’s blunders

Sat, Mar 19, 2022

Raja Menon writes: West failed to read Putin's ambitions and downgraded NATO. The mistake should not be repeated.

India dithered over projecting naval power. Now it’s been pushed to the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific

Sat, Sep 25, 2021

Raja Menon writes: With nuclear submarine technology, Australia has now been catapulted into a frontline state against Chinese aggression, something that India can only dream of, despite its massive army.

This is how Indian defence can really deter China

Sat, Jul 24, 2021

Not by throwing expensive manpower at the problem, but by giving bigger roles to the navy and air force and downsizing the army by 200,000 men

To be taken seriously, Quad needs military heft, not desultory naval exercises

Sat, Nov 28, 2020

With a desultory Quad naval exercise, once a year of a few ships, Beijing will only be amused that a “threat” exists to its ambition to become a global power.

A new strategy, combining diplomatic and military means, is needed to counter Beijing

Thu, Sep 17, 2020

What China wants is Indian acceptance of Beijing’s benign superiority, and that is a purely Chinese trait, not to be confused with the known rules of international diplomacy.

There is no need to get paranoid about the overall Sino-Indian relationship as a result of Galwan face-off

Sat, Jun 20, 2020

We should treat it as a learning incident and train our infantry to dominate the PLA in an unarmed encounter, while simultaneously working on the boundary issue

Define your environment

Fri, Jul 12, 2019

There is something the new government needs to do before making foreign policy

Needed: A 25-year horizon

Fri, Dec 07, 2018

With China’s rise, India needs to start formulating strategic and defence needs for the future

A question of capability

Wed, Sep 28, 2016

After Uri, a replay of a 2001 predicament.

The Strategic Imperative

Wed, Apr 13, 2016

Benefits outweigh costs of India, US intimacies

Don’t Just Thump The Table

Fri, Aug 21, 2015

NSA-level talks between India-Pak provide apt forum for issue of nuclear stability.

Boxed in by Pakistan

Sat, Sep 06, 2014

India has the options. It needs the imagination

Not the border,nor the ocean

Fri, Apr 12, 2013

For India-China ties,Chinas nuclear assistance to Pakistan is the real problem

The stealth queen

Fri, Apr 06, 2012

INS Chakra shows the significance of nuclear attack submarines

Turfed out of our own backyard

Mon, Nov 02, 2009

In all the world,the Indian Navy is one of just two navies still growing. The other is the Chinese Navy. It is no accident that the rise of...

Isle of contention

Tue, Sep 29, 2009

How Mountbatten resisted all the wily British plans to hold on to the Andaman and Nicobar islands...

Were not racing anywhere,Pakistan

Wed, Aug 19, 2009

The INS Arihant nuclear-powered submarine,yet to get its missiles,has been a long time a-coming,as the old Eartha Kitt song goes. But its been worth the wait.

Slowdown effect: fauji kin find soldiers uniform fashionable,again

Thu, Jun 11, 2009

The global economic downturn has its share of positives too: it seems to have played a constructive role in reviving the patriotic streak in the citys youth.

Between AFMC,Command Hospital,a ride that rattles bones

Wed, Jun 03, 2009

With the rains only days away,authorities claim the condition of most of the roads in the city is okay,leaving motorists hopeful of a hassle-free monsoon.

Soldier by choice and a winner all the way

Mon, Jun 01, 2009

Gaurav Hridaya attributes his fascination for the Armed Forces to the years spent at Rashtriya Indian Military College,Dehra Dun.

This monsoon,less traffic jams but parking fee could go up

Sun, May 31, 2009

The monsoon is just days away and Puneites,especially the 80,000-strong population of the Pune Cantonment...

Ahead of monsoon,tussle over sewage work

Mon, May 25, 2009

With the monsoon just days away,the Pune Cantonment Boards plans to ensure a hassle-free rainy season for citizens have hit a snarl.

Shortage of civilian faculty makes NDA turn to serving officers

Wed, May 20, 2009

Around 33 serving officers from the three services,currently posted at the National Defence Academy...

New terminal takes off ahead of schedule

Tue, May 12, 2009

A pleasant surprise awaited those who flew out of the city on Monday as they found themselves being asked to go through the new,spacious departure terminal at the Lohegaon Airport.