LT GEN PR SHANKAR (Retd)

World superpowers and China

August 8, 2020

We have seen many civilisations: Greek, Persian, Chinese, Indus Valley, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Roman, Islamic, Mayan, Inca and more. Similarly, many great empires have risen and fallen—the Ottoman, Persian, Spanish, Hapsburgs, Arab, Mauryan, Mughal, the Tang dynasty. However, the world has seen only five superpowers. Mongol and Roman empires in ancient...

India’s ‘Quadratic’ Equations

August 4, 2020

India has reinforced the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with 35,000 troops. It is considering banning more Chinese apps. Chinese entities are being excluded from—telecom, railways, non-essentials, infrastructure and more. Our stance against the Chinese is hardening. The question is: Should we continue to do it alone or as part...

Belling the cat of intellectual mediocrity

July 31, 2020

An article, ‘Military Mediocrity: Who Will Bell the Cat’, by Mohan Guruswamy is doing the social media rounds. It paints the Indian armed forces leadership in poor light. Casting aspersions on the leadership of the armed forces, at present, sow doubt in the minds of common people. Is the safety,...

QUAD 2.0 or Tianxia: Options before the world

July 29, 2020

As per Gordon Chang, “Xi thinks everyone should acknowledge not only Chinese hegemony but also China’s rule… China’s ruler has both the right and responsibility to rule Tianxia, or all under Heaven!” Does the world want to be in this Chinese hell? If not, it needs the QUAD. It is...

The dark world of China’s multi-domain warfare

July 25, 2020

In an article on 5G, I outlined how China is waging multi-domain warfare (MDW) with Huawei as one of its Trojan Horses. It evoked great response. It also evoked great concerns from some right-thinking people as well: I agree with the threat posed and China’s game. My apprehensions….it will be...

Dealing with Dragon’s Trojan Horses

July 21, 2020

These days 5G and Huawei are in news. Most people ask: Why is it such a big affair? In most conversations about ‘5G’ it seems it is wiser to say ‘Haan Ji’ and let it pass. However, what is happening about Huawei and Chinese electronic surveillance and data theft is...

The middle-aged kingdom’s last gambit

July 17, 2020

China is not the middle kingdom It is the middle-aged kingdom Why is China doing what it is doing? Two recent articles highlight the dichotomy of the situation. The article ‘China Talks of US Decoupling and a Divided World’ highlights the views of Zhou Li, a high ranker in CCP....

China’s future moves: Insidious and indirect

July 13, 2020

Earlier, I had written that the Chinese will start talking peace once the odds are against them. The standoffs had only two outcomes. They end at a table and China withdraws to resume as an unmanned LAC, or we end up with a manned LAC. We are heading generally in...

Dragon’s strategic myopia

July 9, 2020

The Sino-Indian military pause is part of a geostrategic continuum. Some experts opine that India is cornered. They are as myopic as the PRC planners. Bottom line: It has been China’s choice to come in uninvited. It is India’s choice to let it go back. As per Yun Sun, a...

BRI: The Infected Project of the Century

July 4, 2020

The BRI envisaged infrastructure and construction projects at a mega scale -- Railways, Highways, Ports, Energy Projects, and Industrial Estate Developments across 70 odd countries. The crown jewel being the CPEC. The Chinese ambitions are to displace the US from the top. Engage countries in bilateral economic partnerships. Deploy excess...

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