Fwd: Excercise Force18+ Modi continues to play into Pakistan's hands +Turmoil in the Middle East and its implications+South China Sea: Is China baring its fangs +Indo-Nepal Thaw: Does Compellence Work

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From: Sanjeev Nayyar

1. Defence budget: Surrendering funds has put brakes on India's military modernisation 7.3.16 by lt gen prakash katoch http://www.firstpost.com/india/defence-budget-surrendering-funds-has-put-brakes-on-indias-military-modernisation-2660566.html

"Talking of criticalities, take the example of bullet proof jackets in the army. Past several years one has heard about 1,86,000 being imported but nothing has materialized, mainly because the Ordnance Factory Board under DRDO has not been able to produce any worthwhile bullet proof jacket. Interestingly, a media report of 2015 revealed that many of our private companies are exporting bullet proof jackets and even helmets to more than 230 forces in over 100 countries including British, German, Spanish and French Armies, plus police forces stretching from Japan in the East to the US in the West. Why can't Service Chiefs have the authority of making emergency purchases with troops continuously engaged in counter insurgency operations, and when Army Commander Northern Command purchases such bullet proof jackets under his Special Financial Powers, duly cleared by the IFA, why does the IFA object? When will we break the mafia."

 

2. China's military reforms: Is all well? 9.3.16 by mandeep singh http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/chinas-military-reforms_msingh_090316

 

3. China puts development of aircraft engine high on agenda say military experts 8.3.16 http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0308/c90000-9027133.html

 

4. Foreign Ministers sends candid message 8.3.16 editorial globaltimes http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/972622.shtml

 

5. Turmoil in the Middle East and its implications 8.3.16 by talat mahmood http://tribune.com.pk/story/1061875/turmoil-in-the-middle-east-and-its-implications/

 

6. Islamabad to support extend cooperation with Riyadh 9.3.16 http://tribune.com.pk/story/1061932/islamabad-to-extend-military-cooperation-with-riyadh/

 

My take – coming days before Modi's visit to Saudi does it imply anything.

 

7. South China Sea: Is China baring its fangs 9.3.16 by lt gen js bajwa http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/south-china-sea-is-china-baring-its-fangs/

 

8. Indo-Nepal Thaw: Does Compellence Work? 9.3.16 by Jayanna K http://www.indiandefencereview.com/indo-nepal-thaw-does-compellence-work/

 

9. Exercise Force 18 takes India's 'Act East policy' to the next level by dr rahul mishra 8.3.16 http://www.rediff.com/news/column/exercise-force-18-takes-indias-act-east-policy-to-the-next-level/20160308.htm

"Concluding today is one of the biggest-ever multi-nation field training exercises hosted by India. The six-day long Exercise Force 18, conducted under the framework of the ASEAN defence ministers' meetings plus, is being undertaken since March 2 at the Aundh military station at the headquarters of the southern command of the Indian Army at Pune. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and eight other member countries of the ADMM Plus are participants in Exercise Force 18, which is themed around 'Humanitarian mine action' and 'peacekeeping operations'.

The '18' in Exercise Force 18 denotes the number of participating countries: The 10 ASEAN member States (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Republic of Korea, and the US, with the participation of over 360 military personnel from these countries. "

READ report from VIETNAM http://english.vov.vn/politics/defence-officer-observes-military-exercise-in-india-314231.vov

 

10. Modi continues to play into Pakistan's hands 9.3.16 by Brahma C http://www.rediff.com/news/column/modi-continues-to-play-into-pakistans-hands/20160309.htm

Creating political space for further top-level engagement with Pakistan has become necessary because Modi's famous hug of Sharif in Lahore on Christmas Day backfired. That hug, like Atal Bihari Vajpayee's hug of Sharif at the Wagah border in 1999, brought not peace but greater terrorism.

Obama did not question Sharif about the public activities of Hafiz Saeed, Azhar and other terrorist proxies or about Pakistan's violation of the Security Council and FATF requirements in the case relating to Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi, a LeT leader whom Pakistan arrested and charged with involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan failed to investigate the source of funds used to bail out Lakhvi in April 2015.

Obama, however, has exerted Pakistan-related pressure on India. After Obama's New Delhi visit in early 2015, Modi's Pakistan policy transformed conspicuously. He resumed bilateral dialogue with Pakistan, only to invite new terror attacks in Punjab and Kashmir states. Still, he paid an unannounced visit to Pakistan.

Unfortunately, India's Pakistan policy has become unhinged and directionless. It remains unmoored in reality, even though the Indian public is sick and tired of the national leadership's acts of commission and omission that have made the country repeatedly relive history."

11.

Warm Regards
sanjeev nayyar
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sent from samsung galaxy note3 neo, so please excuse brevity