Services Chiefs of India


Book Description

The present book is he story of gallant sons of Indian soil. They staked their lives in the service of the country. It was their bravery and dare-devilry that earned the name and reputation for Indian forces. Without their courage and leadership Indian Forces could never achieve the prominence. All the countries of the world know that Indian Soliders, Sailors and Air-men can die for the country but can never betray it. The First World War and Second World War are the witness of their bravery and courage. They fought in the extreme climatic conditions with minimum resources - in the desert, oceans and in the air. It is the duty of every one of us to pay our homage to these fearless persons working under the leadership of the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Forces. This book is the succinct and lucid portrayal of the service elites who are the embodiment of gallantry, undaunted courage and devotion to duty. This book is a humble tribute to their bravery and patriotism. This book will be very useful to service officers, youths and research scholars. It will save their precious time by providing all the essential information about the Services Chiefs of India. Salient Features 1. 11 Portrait Photos of the supereme commanders of Armed Forces. 2. 16 coloured and 4 black & white photographs on art paper make the book colourful. 3. 22 Generals, 18 Admirals, 20 Air Marshal & Air Chief Marshal portrait photographs make it a rare collection. 4. It's a vivid glimpse of the Martial History of India from independence to-date.




The Absent Dialogue


Book Description

In The Absent Dialogue, Anit Mukherjee examines the relations between politicians, bureaucrats, and the military in India and argues that the pattern of civil-military relations in India hampers the effectiveness of the Indian military. Informed by more than a hundred and fifty interviews with high ranking officials, as well as archival material, this book sheds new light on both India's political and military history, as well as democratic civilian control and military effectiveness more generally.




Defence Reforms


Book Description

Keeping in mind the necessity as well as the urgency of reform, this volume brings together practitioners as well as researchers on defence issues, on the key issue of defence reforms. The aim is not just to interrogate the status of reforms in current times but to also place the issue before a wider readership.




Army and Nation


Book Description

Steven I. Wilkinson explores how India has succeeded in keeping the military out of politics, when so many other countries have failed. He uncovers the command and control strategies, the careful ethnic balancing, and the political, foreign policy, and strategic decisions that have made the army safe for Indian democracy.




Arming without Aiming


Book Description

India has long been motivated to modernize its military, and it now has the resources. But so far, the drive to rebuild has lacked a critical component—strategic military planning. India's approach of arming without strategic purpose remains viable, however, as it seeks great-power accommodation of its rise and does not want to appear threatening. What should we anticipate from this effort in the future, and what are the likely ramifications? Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta answer those crucial questions in a book so timely that it reached number two on the nonfiction bestseller list in India. "Two years after the publication of Arming without Aiming, our view is that India's strategic restraint and its consequent institutional arrangement remain in place. We do not want to predict that India's military-strategic restraint will last forever, but we do expect that the deeper problems in Indian defense policy will continue to slow down military modernization."—from the preface to the paperback edition




A Soldier's General-An Autobiography


Book Description

In this engrossing book, General Singh gives us insights into how decisions about the nation's security are taken at the highest levels of government, whether it is Siachen, the conduct of war (Kargil) or the massing of troops on the border (Operation Parakaram). General Singh also addresses some controversial issues, including the irresponsible 'communal spin' given to a case linked to the 'age issue' of the last army chief, which had the potential to rupture the secular and apolitical fabric of the armed forces. Bringing alive the charm and adventure of an army life lived to the full, General Singh also gives us astute analysis of many critical issues: the challenges from Pakistan and China, the threats of terrorism, insurgency and Naxalism, the importance of military diplomacy, and the way forward for the armed forces in a rapidly changing world.




Vision, Courage and Service


Book Description

Born in a traditional Indian middle-class family in 1921, Tapishwar Narain ("Tappy") Raina rose to the pinnacle of the Indian Army in 1975. A decorated and battle-hardened soldier, Tappy Raina proved also to be a visionary Army Chief. He pushed through ground-breaking initiatives both for making the Indian Army future-ready and for the welfare of its officers and men. Equally, his quiet but firm stand against the Indian Army being drawn into the maelstrom of Indian politics during the period of Emergency was a truly signal service to India’s democracy. Tappy Raina was pitched into the 2nd World War at the very outset of his army career and saw action in the Middle East, Burma and the Far East. During this period he was wounded and lost his right eye but never let this early setback affect him professionally. His finest hour as a soldier came during India’s war with China in 1962. Amidst the ruins elsewhere along the borders, Brigadier Raina won laurels as a battlefield commander in Ladakh, where Indian Army blunted the Chinese PLA in the battle of Chushul. For this exemplary military leadership, Tappy Raina was conferred the country’s second highest gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). Later, for his contribution in the war against Pakistan in 1971, then Lt General Raina was conferred the award of Padma Bhushan. Not even sixty yet, General Raina passed away in 1980 with his boots on while serving in India’s High Commissioner in Canada. Interspersed in the book are notes by Tappy Raina’s wife, Ninette, which etch out some personal facets of his life and reveal his innate decency, modesty and compassion. General T. N. Raina’s was an inspiring life of outstanding service to the nation, embodying vision, professional excellence and courage.







Leadership in the Indian Army


Book Description

Unlike traditional biographies of combat leaders, which focus primarily on military operations or regimental histories, in this book Major General V.K. Singh concentrates on personal accounts, anecdotes and reminiscences in order to highlight these leaders’ personalities, and to draw out the human face behind the military facade. Through the stories of these twelve military leaders, the book also throws new light on several historical events and the role of political leaders during India’s fight for independence and the partitioning of the subcontinent. He gives an overview of India’s military history after independence, including major operations, and describes many hitherto unknown or little-known incidents concerning smaller operations like Nathu La in 1967 and Goa in 1962. Written records tend to glorify the actions of battalions as well as individuals, Singh says, magnifying achievements while suppressing the mistakes and glossing over failures. Leadership in the Indian Army provides a truer picture of the strength of character and convictions of each of these leaders. A must-read for anyone interested in India’s military history.




The Spy Chronicles


Book Description

Pointing to the horizon where the sea and sky are joined, he says, 'It is only an illusion because they can't really meet, but isn't it beautiful, this union which isn't really there.' -- SAADAT HASAN MANTO Sometime in 2016, a series of dialogues took place which set out to find a meeting ground, even if only an illusion, between A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani. One was a former chief of RAW, India's external intelligence agency, the other of ISI, its Pakistani counterpart. As they could not meet in their home countries, the conversations, guided by journalist Aditya Sinha, took place in cities like Istanbul, Bangkok and Kathmandu.On the table were subjects that have long haunted South Asia, flashpoints that take lives regularly. It was in all ways a deep dive into the politics of the subcontinent, as seen through the eyes of two spymasters. Among the subjects: Kashmir, and a missed opportunity for peace; Hafiz Saeed and 26/11; Kulbhushan Jadhav; surgical strikes; the deal for Osama bin Laden; how the US and Russia feature in the India-Pakistan relationship; and how terror undermines the two countries' attempts at talks.When the project was first mooted, General Durrani laughed and said nobody would believe it even if it was written as fiction. At a time of fraught relations, this unlikely dialogue between two former spy chiefs from opposite sides--a project that is the first of its kind--may well provide some answers.