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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…
Understanding the Rafale’s Induction into the IAF
On September 10, 2020 the first batch of five Rafale fighter aircrafts were formally inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the presence of French and Indian Defence Ministers at Ambala Air Base. The remaining 31 Rafale are anticipated…
The Fall and Rise of Pakistan’s Space Ambitions
If one views the historical trajectory of recent space endeavors, Pakistan got off to a terrific start. Being a collaborative partner with NASA and the U.S. Air Force, Pakistan launched its first rocket Rehbar-1 in June 1962 becoming the third…
Upping the Ante in Conventional Deterrence: An Overview of India’s Tejas Fighter Jet
Two months ago the Indian Air Force (IAF) operationalized its second squadron of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), an indigenous fighter jet that initially sought to replace the Mig-21. The Tejas comes as a cost effective option for the…
The Evolving India-China Airpower Balance
Two years ago, in the aftermath of the Doklam standoff between India and China, Pushan Das assessed the growing superiority of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force vis a vis the Indian Air Force and how that may impact India…