Air Power
Return to articleMiG-21: The Flying Coffin of the Indian Air Force
The MiG-21 Fishbed is a single-engine light-weight fighter aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in the early years of the Cold War. It is the most produced supersonic aircraft in aviation history and has been flown by more than 60…
Pakistan’s J-10 Acquisition and Conventional Deterrence
On March 23, at Pakistan's Republic Day Parade, onlookers watched the first flyover of the recently inducted J-10C multi-role fighter. The purchase from China, announced publicly by Pakistan’s Interior Minister in late 2021, further showcases Pakistan-China defense ties and reflects…
Three Years After Balakot: Reckoning with Two Claims of Victory
On February 14, 2019, a Central Reserve Police Force convoy was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber near Pulwama in Kashmir. The blast which killed 40 personnel was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a banned terror outfit from Pakistan. In response…
A Roadmap For India-US Military AI Collaboration
India and the United States have a multifaceted defense partnership that entails significant trade and large-scale joint military exercises. There is also a growing consensus that collaboration on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) can promote common security interests. In…
Pulwama/Balakot and The Evolving Role of Third Parties in India-Pakistan Crises
Introduction India and Pakistan have witnessed multiple crises since their overt nuclearization in 1998. Although the two countries fought three major wars before their respective nuclear tests, the presence of nuclear weapons made post-1998 crises more dangerous and drew global…
The IAF and “Deterrence by Punishment” in the Ladakh Crisis
In early May 2020, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) intruded into the Indian side of the disputed and un-demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) to unilaterally change the status quo. Despite the numerous rounds of talks between the Corps Commander-level…