Lt Gen P R Shankar, Author at raksha-anirveda.com

Outcomes of the Larger Hybrid War in Ukraine

Lt Gen P R Shankar - May 8, 2022

Russia’s eastern offensive commenced on April 18, 2022. It has made very little headway. In over two weeks, Russia has been able to expand its area of control only marginally. It has carried out...

Agnipath: An Insiders View from Outside

Lt Gen P R Shankar - April 13, 2022

As per reports the government is set to finalise the ‘Agnipath’ nee ‘Tour of Duty’ recruitment scheme, under which youth can enlist in the Army for three / five years and be known as ‘Agnivirs’. It is being...

Russo-Ukrainian War: Vanquished Victors

Lt Gen P R Shankar - April 8, 2022

Clausewitz in his classic treatise ‘On War’ had stated that ‘war is continuation of politics by other means’. Mao has also famously stated that ‘War is politics with bloodshed and politics is war without bloodshed’. A common...

China: A Fire-Breathing Dragon or a Sick Lizard?

Lt Gen P R Shankar - October 16, 2021

China is bellicose and militaristic towards India and Taiwan. The hurry to usurp Taiwan is palpable. Massive air violations and amphibious exercises. Xi Jinping’s speech on the eve of the Taiwanese National Day, exhorted...

The Indian Geostrategic Palate

Lt Gen P R Shankar - October 14, 2021

The Indian geostrategic palate is a mixed bag. Our neighbourhood is in turmoil. Our traditional adversaries are getting back to their old tricks. We have just started seeing green shoots of recovery in our external...

QUAD Summit: Posers and Prospects

Lt Gen P R Shankar - September 19, 2021

The View from China! Regional cooperation cliques formed to target a third country will not be popular and have no future ....Chinese Spokesperson The forthcoming QUAD Summit on September 24 is the first in person meet between...

India’s Three Front Strategy

Lt Gen P R Shankar - September 18, 2021

India’s geostrategic environment has changed significantly in the past one month. A Talibani Afghanistan, a hybrid Pakistan and an authoritarian China – all in flux, present a new geostrategic challenge beyond the ordinary conception...

Leadership in the Indian Armed Forces: The Need for Merit

Lt Gen P R Shankar - August 21, 2021

The collapse of the ANA, the hasty withdrawal of USA and the rapid gains of Taliban in Afghanistan have major lessons for military and political leadership. ANA lost it completely due to poor motivation...

The Road Ahead for Taliban

Lt Gen P R Shankar - August 6, 2021

Everyone expects Taliban, supported by Pakistan, which is backed by China to sweep into power in Afghanistan. That is the dark visage floating up. As the US forces are leaving the country, the current...

The Dark and Deep Woods of National Defence

Lt Gen P R Shankar - August 3, 2021

Former prime PM Manmohan Singh recently said ‘The road ahead is even more daunting than during the 1991 economic crisis and the nation would need to recalibrate its priorities to ensure a dignified life...

Sino Indian Logjam and Tang Ping

Lt Gen P R Shankar - August 1, 2021

Part 1 – The Military Dimension Reports have alluded to PLA transgressing the LAC and occupation of locations / heights in violation of accepted terms of the recent military agreements. One report also claimed that...

China in the Bull(y) Shop

Lt Gen P R Shankar - August 1, 2021

The 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party should have been a great celebration of ‘joie de vivre’ for the Chinese people. There were two shades to it. The media blitz kept promoting the...

Afghanistan: The Evolving Kaleidoscope For Pakistan and The Window for India

Lt Gen P R Shankar - July 17, 2021

As the US forces are exiting Afghanistan ahead of their timetable, the Taliban offensive has gained tempo in the northeast and south of the country. It is inexorably bringing the country closer to the...