The United Service Institution of India

The USI is a unique institution with unequalled expertise in the field of national security and matters pertaining to defence services. It has built an outstanding reputation over the last 140 years. It is an autonomous institution with a membership exceeding 13000. The USI has ongoing bilateral dialogues with similar institutes in many countries and it is expanding.

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USI Library

USI Library ImageThe primary resource of the USI is its library, which holds over 65000 books and periodicals, some dating back to 16th Century, on a large variety of subjects. There are memoirs, biographies, recollections, manuscripts for scholars and researchers...

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USI Journal

The USI publishes a quarterly journal which has had uninterrupted publication since 1871, including during the two World Wars. It is the oldest surviving defence journal in the country and in Asia. It is supplied free of cost to the members.

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Centre for Strategic Studies & Simulation (CS3)

The Centre aims at conducting detailed and comprehensive enquiry, research and analyses of national and international security related issues. It also conducts simulation exercises.

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Strategic Perspectives - CS3


  • DOUBLE JEOPARDY WARS - Lieutenant General PC Katoch, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SC (Retd)

  • D Stiegman’s article in Small Wars Journal dated 13 June 2013 outlining seven emerging conflicts of concern to the US Military makes interesting reading. It is presumed that countries involved in each of these seven conflicts have been named purely o..


  • CHINA’S UAV PROGRAMME - Gp Capt AK Agarwal

  • The Chinese Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) programme dates back to 1950, when it procured La-17 drones from Russia and were able to reverse engineer it to produce the Shenyang BA-5 UAV (exported version Chang Kong-1 or CK-1). This drone which first flew in 1..


  • A STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH NAXALISM - Col Akshaya Handa

  • Firstly, the contention that the Naxals have moved into the vacuum left by the governance deficit due to the state abandoning its primary responsibility fails to define why the same government structures have succeeded in some parts to keep the Naxal..


  • PAKISTAN’S RECENT ELECTIONS AND THE TALE OF THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE - Colonel GG Pamidi

  • An Op Ed in the reputed “The New York Times” by Michael Krepon, has compared Indian and Pakistani nuclear trajectories to the tale of the fabled tortoise and hare . In the op ed, the argument made out is that Pakistan, whose economy and domestic cohesion..


  • SWARMING DOCTRINE OF ASYMMETRIC NAVAL WARFARE - Captain Sandeep Dewan, IN

  • Warfare theorists and practitioners were unanimous in opinion that the information age had reshaped the nature of modern conflict. The Gulf War provided credence to a modernised military coalition mounting high-tech, fast-moving, coordinated strikes,..


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Ongoing Projects - CS3


  • National Security – Countering Transnational Terrorism

    This study is being undertaken under the “Colonel Pyara Lal Memorial Research Scholarship II” and aims to examine policies and strategies for effective management of transnational terrorism in South Asia.

  • Exploitation of National Space Assets as Force Multipliers for Land Operations

    The study aims to examine the integration of space assets in support of ground operations in its entirety.

  • China’s Strategy up to 2025 and Options for India

    The project would carry out a comparative net assessment of evolving Sino-Indian politico-military and strategic balance up to the timeframe of 2025 and recommend policy options.

  • Strategies for Countering Non-State Actors

    The study would examine the challenge from Non State Actors with a view to evolve strategies to counter the same with particular reference to India.

  • The Military Implications of Space & Policy Implications for India

    The project would study the importance of space as the emerging centre of gravity of military and economic development and examine policy implications for India.

  • Strategic Directions - China

    The project would study the national and military strategies of India and China and the ramifications of China’s rise.

  • India's Comprehensive National Power

    The project aims to study the present models of Comprehensive National Power and evolve a model that takes a comprehensive view of Indian National and Military Power.

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Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research (CAFHR)

The Centre aims to encourage the objective study of all facets of the history of the Indian Armed Forces including the military history of the colonial and pre-colonial eras...

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Recent Projects - CAFHR


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Correspondence Courses by USI

The Institution runs regular correspondence courses for officers of the Armed Forces to assist them in preparing for Promotion and Defence Services Staff College / Technical Staff College examinations.

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Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK)

CUNPK organises workshops, seminars and training capsules for officers of the Indian Armed Forces and the friendly foreign countries, selected for deployment in UN Peacekeeping missions. It also oversees the practical training of Indian contingents. CUNPK is a prominent member of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC) and has been running the Secretariat since 2005...

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Visits / Discussions

  • 23 May 2013 – HE Mr Aapo Polho, Ambassador of Finland in India accompanied by Mr Pekka Voutilainen, Minister Counseller/ Deputy Head of the Mission Visited USI to meet the Director at 1230 hrs.
  • 10 May 2013 – A five member delegation from Republic of Kazakhstan led by Mr Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairman of Committee on Defence Security and International Relations of the Lower House of Parliament, Kazakhstan visited USI for discussion at 1500 hrs.

Archive

Research Topics (2011-2013)

  • Military Usage of Space
  • Military Dimension of Coercive Diplomacy
  • Maritime Security
  • Strategic Engagement: A policy Framework

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Ongoing Research Projects

CS3

  • India's Comprehensive National Power (CNP)
  • National Security – Countering Transnational Terrorism

CAFHR

  • Imperial Cadet Corps.
  • History of Indian State Forces
  • Customs and Traditions of Indian Armed Forces

Latest Publications

Gold Medal Essay Competition

Winners of 2012


Topics for 2013


Group 'A': "Bridging the Gap – Balancing Personal Aspirations and Service Requirements in the Armed Forces" - Open to All Officers

Group 'B': "Officer – Men Relationship : A Critical Appraisal" - Open to All Officers upto 10 Years of Service

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