Dear Readers,
It gives me great pleasure to present to you the United Service Institution’s (USI) Journal for the 4th quarter of 2024. For the past 151 years, the USI has been committed to providing strategic insights on national security and geopolitics to its readers. This issue features 11 well-researched articles on diverse topics, including the logistics of war, the implications of the United States Presidential Elections, lessons that could be gleaned from various conflict areas in India, and fake news as a tool of warfare. Furthermore, there are two China-centric articles: the first focuses on the legal perspective of China’s claim on Taiwan, and the second discusses the power dynamics of the Indo-Pacific and India-Taiwan relations with a focus on China. Another article examines the intersection of China, Pakistan, and India, and the three-way contestation for the Wakhan Corridor through Gilgit-Baltistan. The final Pakistan-centric article analyses their Army’s recently launched operation, Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability). Additionally, there are articles on the evolution of the British Indian Army, the potential of the BrahMos missile, and a comparison of Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Sun Tzu’s Art of War. The Journal also includes with the winning entries of the Lieutenant General SL Menzes Memorial and USI-War Wounded Foundation Joint Essay Competitions 2024. The journal concludes with review articles and short book reviews.
The lead article, titled ‘Modern Positional Warfare and How to Win It: A Logistician’s Perspective’ by Lieutenant General (Dr) Sanjay Sethi, AVSM, VSM, examines Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and his analysis of the challenges faced by the Ukrainian forces. It discusses Zaluzhnyi’s proposed solutions to overcome the stagnation inherent in positional warfare. This is followed by a contribution by Jayanto N Choudhury, IPS (Retd), titled ‘Conflict Areas in India: Lessons Learnt’, which focuses on the armed movements persisting across the length and breadth of India. He argues that the lessons learnt over the past 40 years could help frame a strategic approach to reduce the cost to national resources and human suffering.
The third article, by Wing Commander (Dr) UC Jha (Retd) and Group Captain Kishore Kumar Khera, VM (Retd), titled ‘Fake News as a Method of Warfare’, examines how fake news, particularly during conflicts, has evolved through advanced tools like artificial intelligence to create false narratives. The authors argue that combating disinformation requires regulating content, promoting digital literacy, enhancing public awareness, investing in fact-checking mechanisms, and fostering proactive international collaboration to counter its weaponisation. Vinayak Sharma’s article, ‘Trump 2.0: The Implications on Global Flashpoints’, explores the potential impact of Donald Trump winning the White House for a second term on the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Middle East conflict. The article concludes by presenting possible outcomes of these two conflicts.
The fifth contribution, authored by Dr K Mansi, titled ‘Evolving Power Dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region: Challenges and Opportunities for India-Taiwan Ties’, examines the strategic opportunities for enhancing India-Taiwan ties in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) amidst growing geopolitical tensions. The article argues that India and Taiwan, despite traditionally maintaining limited diplomatic and security ties, could benefit from an informal yet strategic partnership in the IOR. Dr Beena’s article discusses China’s claim to Taiwan from an international law perspective, tracing its origins to the Qing Dynasty and its solidification post-1949 with the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. The principle of non-intervention and China’s potential use of force are assessed under the United Nations Charter, including the involvement of third parties such as the US and Japan.
In the seventh entry, by Colonel PK Gautam (Retd), titled ‘Comparison’ of Select Maxims and Sutras: Sun Tzu’s Art of War and Kautilya’s Arthashastra’, the article interprets and compares select maxims from the Art of War with corresponding sutras in Arthashastra. Rahul Wankhede’s contribution, titled ‘India’s Defence Exports: Unravelling the Potential of the BrahMos Missile’, explores the export potential of the BrahMos missile system. Highlighting its technical specifications and multi-platform versatility, the article analyses BrahMos variants, emphasising the indigenous advancements that have enhanced self-reliance. The author argues that the BrahMos missile symbolises India’s strategic prowess and its significant potential in contributing to global defence exports.
This is followed by Dr Narender Yadav’s article, ‘Evolution of the British Indian Army: An Overview’, which examines the evolution of the British Indian Army and addresses questions related to Indianisation, uniform patterns, and expansion. In the tenth article, ‘International Forces in Gilgit-Baltistan and How India Can Play a Defining Role’, Colonel (Dr) Bhasker Gupta (Retd) identifies the key forces operating in the province of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The article explores multiple options and scenarios for a peaceful and prosperous future for this resource-rich province, emphasising India’s potential role, supported by international players such as the Us and Europe, to prevent Pakistan from legitimising its continued illegal control over GB. The eleventh article, ‘Al-Mizan to Azm-e-Istekham: Few Perceptible Dominant Trends’, by Colonel Varun Vijay Gidh, SM, summarises certain trends requiring attention from policymakers, academia, and the strategic community in the region. The article highlights geoeconomics as a key driver for Pakistan, alongside political compulsions, as it recently announced the launch of its latest operation, Azm-e-Istekham.
In the penultimate article of this edition, the winning entry of the Lieutenant General SL Menezes Memorial Essay Competition, titled ‘China’s Galwan Aggression and Military Lessons for India’, Lieutenant Colonel Yogeshwer Rana examines China’s strategic motives, including territorial expansion, historical claims, and geopolitical posturing, which have escalated tensions along the Line of Actual Control. By analysing the historical context, recent standoffs, and China’s broader aggression towards multiple nations, the essay highlights critical military lessons for India. The final article, the winning entry of the USI-War Wounded Foundation Joint Essay Competition by Commander Anirudh Kumar Singh, titled ‘Looking at the Disabled Soldier: Past, Present and Future: His Care, Career Prospects and Rehabilitation’, explores the rehabilitation and career prospects of war-wounded soldiers. The article focuses on existing systems and identifies areas for improvement to better support disabled soldiers in their care and career development.
The Journal also includes reviews of some select books:
- The Untold Story of Everest 1985 by Colonel Ashok Tanwar; Reviewed by Major General Jagatbir Singh, VSM (Retd).
- Last of the Cavalrymen: Memoirs of Major-General Robert Harley Wordsworth edited by Ana Scarf and Charlotte Scarf; Reviewed by Major General Jagatbir Singh, VSM (Retd).
- Aatma Nirbhar and Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Forging Ahead in Amrit Kaal by Brigadier (Dr) Rajeev Bhutani; Reviewed by Colonel Ravinder Kumar Sharma (Retd).
- Military Operations: Legal Framework for Multi-Domain Warfare by Wing Commander (Dr) UC Jha (Retd) and Group Captain Kishore Kumar Khera, VM (Retd); Reviewed by Major General Nilendra Kumar, AVSM, VSM.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Happy Reading!
Major General Sanjeev Chowdhry (Retd)
Director Editorial
Author : Editorial
Category : Journal
Pages : 560 | Price : ₹CLIV/638 | Year of Publication : October 2024-December 2024