Chinese aircraft continue to build up near Sino-Indian border
The Chinese Communist Party has moved a significant portion of People’s Liberation Army Troops to areas along the Sino-Indian border, including jet-powered bombers and fighter aircraft. While build-ups have been going on for several weeks now, the extent of the PLA’s growth along the Sino-Indian border is now visible... Read more
Collision Course: China claims F-22 and Rafale have “No Chance” against the J-20
Chinese state-run media is challenging the United States and India, claiming that the J-20 “stealth fighter” is more than a match for American F-22 Raptor and India’s newly-acquired Rafale. Two articles regarding the J-20’s capabilities -posted on the same day- were featured in the South China Morning Post and... Read more
In 1961, India Finally Kicked Portugal off the Subcontinent
At dawn on Dec. 18, 1961, squadrons of Indian Air Force bombers crossed a border, bombed an airfield and a communications site. Paratroopers, tanks and artillery crossed that same border on the ground, intent on seizing territory. But the ground they invaded wasn’t Pakistani or Chinese. Rather, it nominally... Read more
Indian Assassins Used a Popular Copy of a British Gun to Kill Their Prime Minister
On Oct. 31, 1984, Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by two of her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, both Sikhs who sought revenge for Gandhi’s treatment of militant Sikh religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers. Gandhi had ordered Operation Blue Star, the Indian Army’s storming of... Read more
China Is Muscling India Out of the Maldives
Two helicopters sit between Asia’s two great powers. India is fast approaching a deadline to withdraw HAL Dhruv utility helicopters from the Maldives, which appears to be the result of mounting pressure from China. While the helicopters may seem insignificant, a withdrawal would be another sign of India’s declining influence... Read more
A Giant Crane Fell on an Indian Stealth Ship
Disaster struck the first of a new class of Indian frigates in late April 2018 when a towering, 250-ton crane came toppling down onto the vessel during heavy winds as she sat in dry dock. The vessel — which is under construction — was not damaged, according to the... Read more
In 1971, the U.S. Navy Almost Fought the Soviets Over Bangladesh
This story originally appeared on July 19, 2016. In 2016, the United States backed India’s application to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group — but didn’t support Pakistan’s. This marked an extraordinary turning point in the United States’ relationship with these historical adversaries. In 1971, the United States sent part of its... Read more
India’s Aircraft Carriers Have Some Advantages
With one large carrier in service and another on the way, India has become one of the world’s pre-eminent naval aviation powers. How did the program come about? Where is it going? And what is the strategic rationale for India’s massive investment in aircraft carriers? Above — an Alize... Read more
India’s Third Aircraft Carrier Is Most Likely a Waste of Money
The Indian Navy has put out a proposal for its third aircraft carrier, tentatively titled the Vishal due to enter service in the latter 2020s. The 65,000-ton Vishal will be significantly larger than India’s sole current carrier, the Vikramaditya known formerly as the ex-Soviet Admiral Gorshkov, and the incoming second... Read more
A Simple Mistake Knocked India’s Most Powerful Submarine Out of Action for 10 Months
India’s first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine appears to have suffered from an accident that has knocked the boat out of commission for the past 10 months. The vessel’s propulsion compartments were flooded with seawater due to what appears to have been human error. According to the Indian newspaper The Hindu, a... Read more