An eminent statesman, when asked about China and India, pointed out the key difference: “China is a closed society, but with open minds and an eagerness to learn about the world. India is an open society, but with closed minds and a know-it-all attitude.” If we can change, as people do, it will take decades. One interim possibility must be attempted. We still have people who know what is needed—and there’s no basic difference on this between our main political parties. If these could agree to eschew petty politics on just a few national challenges, especially national security, India could be a leader despite its defects.
Here, There Be Dinosaurs... Cataracts, Warts And All
India’s rise is stunted by a hegemony of outmoded thought and indecision
K. Shankar Bajpai
United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s call for India to show greater leadership in world affairs is one more reminder of our tragedy. Just when the world starts to think of us as the major power we’ve always fancied ourselves to be, we have made ourselves increasingly unfit to take on the role. Our methods of attending to our affairs lead the other way: at best, stagnation as a backwater, or more probable, a deep ocean of trouble. We just cannot carry on like this. The immediate cause of this sorry state of affairs is the decay in governance, with our instruments of state action turning increasingly dysfunctional. But the government is the people: those in government or politics, whichever we wish to blame, are of our own creation. Ultimately, it is the way we all think and act that decides outcomes. Let alone taking leadership on the world stage, India is not even churning out far-sighted thinking on internal problems.
The reasons behind this are too complex for a detailed analysis here, but the one crucial failing is that the thinking, or considerations, that we bring to bear on any issue obstruct, instead of facilitate, decisions. Tangents, digressions, irrelevancies, non-sequiturs, the half-digested leavings of yesterday’s half-baked intellectuals, all compounded by unbridled emotionalism—the anarchic tendencies we seem to revel in are in full spate in our decision-making paradigm. Add the one constant consideration—“what’s in it for me or mine?”—and you’re assured of a bad result or none at all.
The illustrations of our condition are endless. A common feature emerges though: decisions are not taken, or taken for the wrong reasons, and then, only poorly implemented. The spectre of Maoism looms larger because of this. Perhaps the worst hit is our defence-preparedness. Delays in procurement are endemic; more worrisome, and wholly ignored, are the deteriorating civil-military relations. Many leaders are aware of this, but are stultified by the most petty of politics... Click here to read more
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
The US and Pakistan are headed towards a confrontation over nuclear arms
Islamabad - The US and Pakistan are headed towards a confrontation over nuclear arms, warned a Pakistani daily.
An editorial in the News International Friday said the US plans to force Pakistan to sign the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty and halt the production of nuclear bombs material.
"This has understandably caused much alarm in Pakistan."
While noting that Pakistan and the US are heading towards confrontation yet again, "this time over nuclear arms", the editorial observed: "The US-Pakistan relationship has challenges but remains strategically vital: this about sums up the relationship as it stands now..."
It said it seems that "Pakistan’s ultimate worth to the US - despite all posturing to the contrary - is becoming increasingly clear".
"The Americans would rather have assistance from Pakistan - in the fight against terror in Pakistan and beyond in Afghanistan - than have that assistance cut off. It would rather that its spooks were allowed to do their work in Pakistan than that they were eased or pushed out," it added.
It went on to say that "all this talk of ties reaching a fever pitch and threatening to explode eschews the fact that the US values its leverage over Pakistan and also realises...that leaving Pakistan now would mean a much bigger headache later".
"Yes, Pakistan worries the United States. But for precisely that reason, the United States isn’t going to be able to ignore Pakistan’s interests anytime soon."
The US and Pakistan are headed towards a confrontation over nuclear arms
Related Reading
Mongolian connection
Pakistan-India relationship: ‘New era’ dawns in ties
An editorial in the News International Friday said the US plans to force Pakistan to sign the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty and halt the production of nuclear bombs material.
"This has understandably caused much alarm in Pakistan."
While noting that Pakistan and the US are heading towards confrontation yet again, "this time over nuclear arms", the editorial observed: "The US-Pakistan relationship has challenges but remains strategically vital: this about sums up the relationship as it stands now..."
It said it seems that "Pakistan’s ultimate worth to the US - despite all posturing to the contrary - is becoming increasingly clear".
"The Americans would rather have assistance from Pakistan - in the fight against terror in Pakistan and beyond in Afghanistan - than have that assistance cut off. It would rather that its spooks were allowed to do their work in Pakistan than that they were eased or pushed out," it added.
It went on to say that "all this talk of ties reaching a fever pitch and threatening to explode eschews the fact that the US values its leverage over Pakistan and also realises...that leaving Pakistan now would mean a much bigger headache later".
"Yes, Pakistan worries the United States. But for precisely that reason, the United States isn’t going to be able to ignore Pakistan’s interests anytime soon."
The US and Pakistan are headed towards a confrontation over nuclear arms
Related Reading
Mongolian connection
Pakistan-India relationship: ‘New era’ dawns in ties
Monday, August 1, 2011
Pakistan's double game foxes International Community?
Pakistan and the US: Implications of Growing Rift
Alok Bansal E-Mail- alokbansal_nda@yahoo.co.in
The recent decision by the US Administration to withhold $ 800 million military aid to Pakistan marks the lowest point in US-Pak relations since 9/11. The decision taken with a new Defence Secretary at the helm of US military indicates its resolve to avoid giving further unilateral concessions to Pakistan. The Defence Secretary, who was earlier the head of CIA understands the thinking of Pakistan’s military hierarchy and has accordingly been able to call the Pakistan military’s bluff. Till now the Pakistani military especially the Army was quite upbeat that the US could not stay in Afghanistan, without its cooperation. As a result, despite Osama’s discovery in its neighbourhood in Abbottabad, it refused to initiate military action in North Waziristan, as repeatedly requested by the US. Besides, all Pakistani citizens, who were suspected to have assisted the CIA in Abbottabad Operation, were arrested.
Through out Pakistan’s existence as an independent nation, it has sought an artificial parity with India and this necessitated acquisition of sophisticated weapons far beyond its economic means. This was overcome by hitching Pakistan to American band wagon during the Cold War. This enabled Pakistani military to get the advanced weaponry from the US as military aid, far beyond its needs. Even after the Cold War, Pakistan retained its importance by creating Taliban and turning Afghanistan into a citadel for exporting radical Islam. The same mindset allowed it to shelter Taliban leadership in FATA after it had been uprooted from Afghanistan. Since then it has been warding off US pressure to act against these elements, by taking some tentative steps against them on and off. They have handed over some lower functionaries of Taliban to the US, whenever the pressure increased. It however, realizes that its significance in the US eyes would diminish, once the radical Islamists are eliminated. Hence it has tried to shelter those, whose names appear in the ‘most wanted’ list of the US. This probably explains the refusal of Pakistani Army to launch an operation in North Waziristan, despite repeated prodding by the US.
The Pakistani military was quite confident that the US would withdraw from Afghanistan soon, after appointing Pakistan as its local satrap to manage affairs in Afghanistan. However, once President Obama unveiled his pullout plan from Afghanistan, it poured cold water on Pakistan’s aspirations. The plan clearly showed that the complete withdrawal by the US from Afghanistan is not likely to take place in the near future. Moreover, the US resolve to strengthen the Afghan National Army (ANA) has caused further consternation in Rawalpindi. Pakistan has so far ensured that the ANA remains a glorified police force without any armour, aircraft or worthwhile artillery, but things are beginning to change. Pakistan Army has been venting its frustration by firing across the Durand Line.
Unfortunately for Pakistan, this time the US has not yet yielded to Pakistani pressure tactics and the Defence Secretary has categorically stated that Pakistan will not get a blank cheque until it takes action against targets assigned. Secretary Clinton also reiterated that “Government of Pakistan must take certain steps, and we have outlined those steps on more than one occasion, to ensure that we can deliver all the military assistance that the United States has discussed with Pakistan.” She termed the recent action as a temporary pause in military assistance and asserted that civilian assistance will continue unabated. This has led to allegations against the PPP government that it was trying to act against the military in alliance with the US. At this point of time when there is a great deal of public resentment against the military and ISI for its inaction at Abbottabad and a commission is already enquiring into the incident. The attack on PNS Mehran, discovery of military officials linked to Al Qaeda and other radical organizations and killing of journalist Salim Shehzad have further tarnished the Army’s image, which finds itself on a weak wicket and is trying to drum up all the support that it can get from friendly politicians and media.
The aid withheld amounts to almost one-third of $ 2.7 billion annual military aid to Pakistan and was primarily intended for counter terrorism and counter intelligence cooperation. With the ordered expulsion of over 100 US military advisors in end May, all training being imparted towards this end had already come to a halt. The material components of the aid that has been suspended are believed to include explosive ordnance disposal support and apparatus, small arms, ammunition, helicopter spare parts, radios and equipment to counter explosive devices. It also includes around $300 million, which was to be reimbursed to Pakistan as the cost of deploying its soldiers along the Afghan border. The US has linked the resumption of aid to granting of visas to US advisors and resumption of training, as the aid included money for training as well as equipment that ordinarily would be provided with a trainer or adviser. Pakistani Army has refused to accept the conditional aid saying that it had 140,000 soldiers in the North West more than the 90,000 American troops in Afghanistan. It has claimed that the cutback will not affect its ongoing campaign against militants and has pointed out that it has conducted successful military operations in the past without external assistance. It has also asserted that China will help fill gaps arising from reduced military aid from the US. Although Pakistani civilian leadership has tried to play down the differences, Pakistani Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani has stressed that the American propensity to use aid as a weapon of influence was counterproductive as it insults the Pakistani citizens.
The current rift is not the result of an overnight development, but a culmination of series of developments that began in January, when Raymond Davis, an employee of the US Consulate in Lahore was arrested for shooting down two Pakistani nationals. His subsequent release under US pressure further inflamed the Pakistani public sentiment. General Kayani’s statement opposing continued US drone attacks inside Pakistan showed a clear disconnect between the two militaries. This resulted in a number of minor irritants like refusal of visas to US personnel believed to be working for CIA, scaling down of CIA presence and eventual expulsion of CIA station chief. However, the assassination of Osama Bin Laden deep inside Pakistan without any notice or permission, not only highlighted the US mistrust of the Pakistani armed forces, but also its disdain. Subsequent US revelations about ISI’s involvement in 2008 Mumbai attack and elimination of investigative journalist Salim Shehzad, have taken the relations to their nadir. The Americans appear to have realised that Pakistan is unlikely to stop playing the double game and will continue to patronise Afghan Taliban and certain other radical terrorist groups. They are also fairly certain that Al-Qaeda’s remaining leadership is hiding in Pakistan and its territory is still being used by the Afghan Taliban and allied Haqqani network. On the other hand most of the Pakistani soldiers believe that they have been forced to fight the America’s war in FATA.
It is generally believed that the absence of any major terrorist attack in India since 2008, has primarily been due to US pressure on ISI. The blasts in Mumbai on 13 July, could be a ploy by the ISI to pressurize the US to yield. The involvement of Lashkar-e Toiba or any other organization aligned with Lashkar in the blasts in Mumbai is therefore a distinct possibility. India must demonstrate to the US, the futility of reliance on Pakistan for operations in Afghanistan and it can best be done by training the ANA and equipping it with low end armoured vehicles and aircraft. The possibility of seeking access to Afghanistan through a sovereign Balochistan must also be suggested to the US.
(The views expressed in the article are that of the author and do not represent the views of the editorial committee or the centre for land warfare studies).
Pakistan and the US: Implications of Growing Rift
Related reading: Can we survive without foreign aid?
Alok Bansal E-Mail- alokbansal_nda@yahoo.co.in
The recent decision by the US Administration to withhold $ 800 million military aid to Pakistan marks the lowest point in US-Pak relations since 9/11. The decision taken with a new Defence Secretary at the helm of US military indicates its resolve to avoid giving further unilateral concessions to Pakistan. The Defence Secretary, who was earlier the head of CIA understands the thinking of Pakistan’s military hierarchy and has accordingly been able to call the Pakistan military’s bluff. Till now the Pakistani military especially the Army was quite upbeat that the US could not stay in Afghanistan, without its cooperation. As a result, despite Osama’s discovery in its neighbourhood in Abbottabad, it refused to initiate military action in North Waziristan, as repeatedly requested by the US. Besides, all Pakistani citizens, who were suspected to have assisted the CIA in Abbottabad Operation, were arrested.
Through out Pakistan’s existence as an independent nation, it has sought an artificial parity with India and this necessitated acquisition of sophisticated weapons far beyond its economic means. This was overcome by hitching Pakistan to American band wagon during the Cold War. This enabled Pakistani military to get the advanced weaponry from the US as military aid, far beyond its needs. Even after the Cold War, Pakistan retained its importance by creating Taliban and turning Afghanistan into a citadel for exporting radical Islam. The same mindset allowed it to shelter Taliban leadership in FATA after it had been uprooted from Afghanistan. Since then it has been warding off US pressure to act against these elements, by taking some tentative steps against them on and off. They have handed over some lower functionaries of Taliban to the US, whenever the pressure increased. It however, realizes that its significance in the US eyes would diminish, once the radical Islamists are eliminated. Hence it has tried to shelter those, whose names appear in the ‘most wanted’ list of the US. This probably explains the refusal of Pakistani Army to launch an operation in North Waziristan, despite repeated prodding by the US.
The Pakistani military was quite confident that the US would withdraw from Afghanistan soon, after appointing Pakistan as its local satrap to manage affairs in Afghanistan. However, once President Obama unveiled his pullout plan from Afghanistan, it poured cold water on Pakistan’s aspirations. The plan clearly showed that the complete withdrawal by the US from Afghanistan is not likely to take place in the near future. Moreover, the US resolve to strengthen the Afghan National Army (ANA) has caused further consternation in Rawalpindi. Pakistan has so far ensured that the ANA remains a glorified police force without any armour, aircraft or worthwhile artillery, but things are beginning to change. Pakistan Army has been venting its frustration by firing across the Durand Line.
Unfortunately for Pakistan, this time the US has not yet yielded to Pakistani pressure tactics and the Defence Secretary has categorically stated that Pakistan will not get a blank cheque until it takes action against targets assigned. Secretary Clinton also reiterated that “Government of Pakistan must take certain steps, and we have outlined those steps on more than one occasion, to ensure that we can deliver all the military assistance that the United States has discussed with Pakistan.” She termed the recent action as a temporary pause in military assistance and asserted that civilian assistance will continue unabated. This has led to allegations against the PPP government that it was trying to act against the military in alliance with the US. At this point of time when there is a great deal of public resentment against the military and ISI for its inaction at Abbottabad and a commission is already enquiring into the incident. The attack on PNS Mehran, discovery of military officials linked to Al Qaeda and other radical organizations and killing of journalist Salim Shehzad have further tarnished the Army’s image, which finds itself on a weak wicket and is trying to drum up all the support that it can get from friendly politicians and media.
The aid withheld amounts to almost one-third of $ 2.7 billion annual military aid to Pakistan and was primarily intended for counter terrorism and counter intelligence cooperation. With the ordered expulsion of over 100 US military advisors in end May, all training being imparted towards this end had already come to a halt. The material components of the aid that has been suspended are believed to include explosive ordnance disposal support and apparatus, small arms, ammunition, helicopter spare parts, radios and equipment to counter explosive devices. It also includes around $300 million, which was to be reimbursed to Pakistan as the cost of deploying its soldiers along the Afghan border. The US has linked the resumption of aid to granting of visas to US advisors and resumption of training, as the aid included money for training as well as equipment that ordinarily would be provided with a trainer or adviser. Pakistani Army has refused to accept the conditional aid saying that it had 140,000 soldiers in the North West more than the 90,000 American troops in Afghanistan. It has claimed that the cutback will not affect its ongoing campaign against militants and has pointed out that it has conducted successful military operations in the past without external assistance. It has also asserted that China will help fill gaps arising from reduced military aid from the US. Although Pakistani civilian leadership has tried to play down the differences, Pakistani Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani has stressed that the American propensity to use aid as a weapon of influence was counterproductive as it insults the Pakistani citizens.
The current rift is not the result of an overnight development, but a culmination of series of developments that began in January, when Raymond Davis, an employee of the US Consulate in Lahore was arrested for shooting down two Pakistani nationals. His subsequent release under US pressure further inflamed the Pakistani public sentiment. General Kayani’s statement opposing continued US drone attacks inside Pakistan showed a clear disconnect between the two militaries. This resulted in a number of minor irritants like refusal of visas to US personnel believed to be working for CIA, scaling down of CIA presence and eventual expulsion of CIA station chief. However, the assassination of Osama Bin Laden deep inside Pakistan without any notice or permission, not only highlighted the US mistrust of the Pakistani armed forces, but also its disdain. Subsequent US revelations about ISI’s involvement in 2008 Mumbai attack and elimination of investigative journalist Salim Shehzad, have taken the relations to their nadir. The Americans appear to have realised that Pakistan is unlikely to stop playing the double game and will continue to patronise Afghan Taliban and certain other radical terrorist groups. They are also fairly certain that Al-Qaeda’s remaining leadership is hiding in Pakistan and its territory is still being used by the Afghan Taliban and allied Haqqani network. On the other hand most of the Pakistani soldiers believe that they have been forced to fight the America’s war in FATA.
It is generally believed that the absence of any major terrorist attack in India since 2008, has primarily been due to US pressure on ISI. The blasts in Mumbai on 13 July, could be a ploy by the ISI to pressurize the US to yield. The involvement of Lashkar-e Toiba or any other organization aligned with Lashkar in the blasts in Mumbai is therefore a distinct possibility. India must demonstrate to the US, the futility of reliance on Pakistan for operations in Afghanistan and it can best be done by training the ANA and equipping it with low end armoured vehicles and aircraft. The possibility of seeking access to Afghanistan through a sovereign Balochistan must also be suggested to the US.
(The views expressed in the article are that of the author and do not represent the views of the editorial committee or the centre for land warfare studies).
Pakistan and the US: Implications of Growing Rift
Related reading: Can we survive without foreign aid?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
People First Mission Always: Indian Air Force
PIB Ministry of Defence31-July, 2011 15:17 IST
“People First Mission Always’’
Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne Shares
His Vision with his People
As He takes over as the 23rd IAF Chief
Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, took over as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), from Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, who retires after 42 years of illustrious service, at Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, today.
In his address to the Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Browne said, “The IAF is well poised on the path of transforming itself into a potent strategic force”. Outlining his vision statement for the IAF of – ‘People first Mission Always’, he said, “While induction of the state of the art equipment and systems would lead to a major upgradation of our combat potential, our biggest strength, ‘Our People’ must receive our highest attention.” “In whatever capacity you serve in the Indian Air Force, you remain our most valuable asset”, he added.
“I firmly believe that each one of us has a duty to care and look after the people placed under our charge. It is a sacred calling, for all leaders, men and women, irrespective of the rank and position. Our endeavour should be, to empower our subordinates, by giving them required operating skills, through dedicated training and mentoring”.
“While change is the hallmark of growth and progress, the biggest challenge facing us in the coming years, is to manage this fast paced change effectively, without compromising on high operational standards. Operating across a broad spectrum of equipment vintage, would test our innovativeness and capabilities. The nation has reposed a high degree of trust and confidence in our capabilities. It is indeed an onerous asking, and I am confident that as capable men and women we will work shoulder to shoulder in discharging our responsibilities befittingly”.
Born in Allahabad on 15 December 1951, Air Chief Marshal Browne was commissioned into the Fighter stream of Indian Air Force on 24 June 1972. He has had a varied operational experience of flying Hunters, all variants of MiG-21s, Jaguars and SU-30s.
He was a member of the initial core team which trained on the Jaguar aircraft in the United Kingdom and went on to command a premier Jaguar strike squadron subsequently. He is a Fighter Combat Leader and a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Alabama, USA. He has had instructional tenures at the premiere flying establishment – Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) – and the tri-services Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington.
In a career spanning 39 years, he has held various operational and staff appointments that include – Joint Director at Air War Strategy Cell at Air Headquarters, Chief Operations Officer and Air Officer Commanding of a SU-30 base, Air-I at New Delhi based Western Air Command (WAC) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) at Air Headquarters. He was also responsible for establishing the Indian Defence Wing in Tel Aviv, Israel in Apr 1997, where he served as the Defence Attache till Jul 2000. From March 2007 to 31 May 2009 he functioned as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) at Air Headquarters and was responsible for IAF’s major Modernization Programmes.
Before taking over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) at Air Headquarters on 01 January 2011, he was the AOC-in-C of Western Air Command, under whose command and personal supervision, the first ever landing of an AN-32 (fixed wing aircraft) took place at Nyoma, advance Landing Ground (ALG), located at an altitude of 13,300 feet on 18 September 2009.
Air Chief Marshal Browne is recipient of Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Vayu Sena Medal (VM) and is appointed as one of the Honorary Aides De Camp to the President of India.
Married to Mrs Kiran Browne, they have a son, Omar, a Su-30 MKI pilot and a daughter Alisha, who is working with a multinational company. TKS/MKR-
(Release ID :73587)
People First Mission Always
“People First Mission Always’’
Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne Shares
His Vision with his People
As He takes over as the 23rd IAF Chief
Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne, took over as the 23rd Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), from Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, who retires after 42 years of illustrious service, at Air Headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, today.
In his address to the Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Browne said, “The IAF is well poised on the path of transforming itself into a potent strategic force”. Outlining his vision statement for the IAF of – ‘People first Mission Always’, he said, “While induction of the state of the art equipment and systems would lead to a major upgradation of our combat potential, our biggest strength, ‘Our People’ must receive our highest attention.” “In whatever capacity you serve in the Indian Air Force, you remain our most valuable asset”, he added.
“I firmly believe that each one of us has a duty to care and look after the people placed under our charge. It is a sacred calling, for all leaders, men and women, irrespective of the rank and position. Our endeavour should be, to empower our subordinates, by giving them required operating skills, through dedicated training and mentoring”.
“While change is the hallmark of growth and progress, the biggest challenge facing us in the coming years, is to manage this fast paced change effectively, without compromising on high operational standards. Operating across a broad spectrum of equipment vintage, would test our innovativeness and capabilities. The nation has reposed a high degree of trust and confidence in our capabilities. It is indeed an onerous asking, and I am confident that as capable men and women we will work shoulder to shoulder in discharging our responsibilities befittingly”.
Born in Allahabad on 15 December 1951, Air Chief Marshal Browne was commissioned into the Fighter stream of Indian Air Force on 24 June 1972. He has had a varied operational experience of flying Hunters, all variants of MiG-21s, Jaguars and SU-30s.
He was a member of the initial core team which trained on the Jaguar aircraft in the United Kingdom and went on to command a premier Jaguar strike squadron subsequently. He is a Fighter Combat Leader and a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Alabama, USA. He has had instructional tenures at the premiere flying establishment – Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) – and the tri-services Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington.
In a career spanning 39 years, he has held various operational and staff appointments that include – Joint Director at Air War Strategy Cell at Air Headquarters, Chief Operations Officer and Air Officer Commanding of a SU-30 base, Air-I at New Delhi based Western Air Command (WAC) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) at Air Headquarters. He was also responsible for establishing the Indian Defence Wing in Tel Aviv, Israel in Apr 1997, where he served as the Defence Attache till Jul 2000. From March 2007 to 31 May 2009 he functioned as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) at Air Headquarters and was responsible for IAF’s major Modernization Programmes.
Before taking over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) at Air Headquarters on 01 January 2011, he was the AOC-in-C of Western Air Command, under whose command and personal supervision, the first ever landing of an AN-32 (fixed wing aircraft) took place at Nyoma, advance Landing Ground (ALG), located at an altitude of 13,300 feet on 18 September 2009.
Air Chief Marshal Browne is recipient of Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM), Vayu Sena Medal (VM) and is appointed as one of the Honorary Aides De Camp to the President of India.
Married to Mrs Kiran Browne, they have a son, Omar, a Su-30 MKI pilot and a daughter Alisha, who is working with a multinational company. TKS/MKR-
(Release ID :73587)
People First Mission Always
Taking STOVL to a New Level
F-35B - Taking STOVL to a New Level
Bringing short take off and vertical landing to a whole new level. The F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has advanced the technology of Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL). The F-35 true 5th Generation from every angle. - Courtesy of Youtubes LockheedMartinVideos.
Bringing short take off and vertical landing to a whole new level. The F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has advanced the technology of Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL). The F-35 true 5th Generation from every angle. - Courtesy of Youtubes LockheedMartinVideos.
Pakistan puts on its best face- Hina Rabbani Khar
Pakistan foreign minister bags attention on India trip- Accessories and style have media swooning, but is Hina Rabbani Khar really in charge of policy on Kashmir?
Declan Walsh in Lahore guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 July 2011 18.28 BST
Rarely has a Birkin brought so much attention. When Pakistan's new foreign minister, 34-year-old Hina Rabbani Khar, landed in India for talks this week, a media frenzy erupted around her style: the pearl necklaces, elegant costumes, Cavalli sunglasses and a stylish Hermes-made Birkin bag worth at least $9,000 (£5,500).
Khar's glamorous turn triggered a media swoon and became the buzz of the subcontinental chattering class. "Pakistan puts on its best face," read the Times of India headline; "Pakistan bomb lands in India," quipped the Mumbai Mirror.
The minister entered the lexicon of celebrity initials: "HRK" started to trend on Twitter – one letter off Bollywood's leading heart-throb SRK, or Shah Rukh Khan. Back in Pakistan, though, opinion was divided amid arguments about sexism, dynastic politics and the propriety of carrying a pricey handbag.
On a flight to Islamabad on Friday, Khar flicked through a stack of newspapers filled with her picture. "You don't want the attention to focus on the frivolous," she said. "A guy in my place would never get such attention; nobody would be talking about his suit. I refuse to be apologetic about it; I will continue to be who I am."
For all the frivolity, the trip was an auspicious start to a notoriously tricky job. Claims of a "new era" in relations seemed premature, but Khar broke the ice with her elderly Indian counterpart, SM Krishna, and negotiated several concrete measures to boost cross-border trade in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
clcik here to read more: Indo- Pak Kashmir Policy
Declan Walsh in Lahore guardian.co.uk, Friday 29 July 2011 18.28 BST
Rarely has a Birkin brought so much attention. When Pakistan's new foreign minister, 34-year-old Hina Rabbani Khar, landed in India for talks this week, a media frenzy erupted around her style: the pearl necklaces, elegant costumes, Cavalli sunglasses and a stylish Hermes-made Birkin bag worth at least $9,000 (£5,500).
Khar's glamorous turn triggered a media swoon and became the buzz of the subcontinental chattering class. "Pakistan puts on its best face," read the Times of India headline; "Pakistan bomb lands in India," quipped the Mumbai Mirror.
The minister entered the lexicon of celebrity initials: "HRK" started to trend on Twitter – one letter off Bollywood's leading heart-throb SRK, or Shah Rukh Khan. Back in Pakistan, though, opinion was divided amid arguments about sexism, dynastic politics and the propriety of carrying a pricey handbag.
On a flight to Islamabad on Friday, Khar flicked through a stack of newspapers filled with her picture. "You don't want the attention to focus on the frivolous," she said. "A guy in my place would never get such attention; nobody would be talking about his suit. I refuse to be apologetic about it; I will continue to be who I am."
For all the frivolity, the trip was an auspicious start to a notoriously tricky job. Claims of a "new era" in relations seemed premature, but Khar broke the ice with her elderly Indian counterpart, SM Krishna, and negotiated several concrete measures to boost cross-border trade in the disputed territory of Kashmir.
clcik here to read more: Indo- Pak Kashmir Policy
Mismatch of Pak Military Demands Versus US Arms Sale
Shahid Javed Burki / Pakistan July 29, 2011, 0:37 IST
Business Standard Sunday, Jul 31, 2011
Shahid Javed Burki explains why mending ties with the US will be harder for Pakistan this time.
Following the rapid deterioration in the relationship between Washington and Islamabad in recent weeks, Pakistan is engaged in an intense review of the available strategic options. Islamabad-Washington relations have never been easy. But despite many ups and downs, there was a recovery every time, especially when the US felt it needed Pakistan to pursue its strategic objectives. In 1979, the US had needed Pakistan’s support to expel the Soviet Union from Afghanistan. Again, in 2001, America needed Pakistan’s air space to launch air strikes on Kabul as a punishment for the support it had provided to the terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks in the US.
This time, the rupture is as deep as the one in 1998, when Pakistan tested a nuclear device in the hills of Baluchistan. However, it appears that the repair work will be more difficult this time. This is for three reasons. One, Pakistan’s military leadership seems to have concluded that Washington is too unreliable a partner to bank on for long-term support. The suspension of one-third of the total amount that Washington committed to help the Pakistani military build its capacity to fight terrorism has confirmed the belief that China offers a better alternative for the needed support — of the total amount of $2.64 billion, $800 million have been put on hold. Over the years, Pakistan and China have been engaged in collaborating on a number of large military hardware projects. These include China’s support in building Khalid, a battlefield tank in a facility at Taxila near Islamabad. The Chinese are also partnering Pakistan to develop a fighter plane. Beijing may also invest in developing Gwadar as a deep-water port, which to be used by the naval forces of the two countries. Since Washington treats Beijing as a rival for influence in South Asia, Pakistan’s play with China will be seen as a zero-sum game — China’s gain will be seen as America’s loss.
click here to read more...
Business Standard Sunday, Jul 31, 2011
Shahid Javed Burki explains why mending ties with the US will be harder for Pakistan this time.
Following the rapid deterioration in the relationship between Washington and Islamabad in recent weeks, Pakistan is engaged in an intense review of the available strategic options. Islamabad-Washington relations have never been easy. But despite many ups and downs, there was a recovery every time, especially when the US felt it needed Pakistan to pursue its strategic objectives. In 1979, the US had needed Pakistan’s support to expel the Soviet Union from Afghanistan. Again, in 2001, America needed Pakistan’s air space to launch air strikes on Kabul as a punishment for the support it had provided to the terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks in the US.
This time, the rupture is as deep as the one in 1998, when Pakistan tested a nuclear device in the hills of Baluchistan. However, it appears that the repair work will be more difficult this time. This is for three reasons. One, Pakistan’s military leadership seems to have concluded that Washington is too unreliable a partner to bank on for long-term support. The suspension of one-third of the total amount that Washington committed to help the Pakistani military build its capacity to fight terrorism has confirmed the belief that China offers a better alternative for the needed support — of the total amount of $2.64 billion, $800 million have been put on hold. Over the years, Pakistan and China have been engaged in collaborating on a number of large military hardware projects. These include China’s support in building Khalid, a battlefield tank in a facility at Taxila near Islamabad. The Chinese are also partnering Pakistan to develop a fighter plane. Beijing may also invest in developing Gwadar as a deep-water port, which to be used by the naval forces of the two countries. Since Washington treats Beijing as a rival for influence in South Asia, Pakistan’s play with China will be seen as a zero-sum game — China’s gain will be seen as America’s loss.
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