The Design in China’s Actions and Behaviour: An Assessment

On its foundation in 1949, securing its strategic periphery and annexation of Tibet and Xinjiang was one of the primary goals of thePeople’s Republic of China (PRC). With the multiple aims of achieving economic, strategic, and political dominance, China has furtherenhanced its connectivity with Asia, Africa, and Eurasia by its Belt and Road initiative (BRI). Considering the rapidly changing geopolitics and economic challenges, the Chinese, as part of their long-term designs, have whipped up ‘nationalism’ by multiple means. The military interventions, assertiveness, and expansionism have been based on a design to serve its national interests—especially the economic, political, and strategic ones. The boundary dispute between India and China continues to remain unresolved, due to certain designs of the PRC. It is important to analyse the strategic significance of Eastern Ladakh, especially when additional security personnel has been inducted into the Gilgit Baltistan region by China as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).Despite the border management mechanisms and confidence-building measures (CBMs) in place and the periodic engagements at different levels, the PLA surprised the Indians by contacting and/or transgressing across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on a wide front in Eastern Ladakh in May 2020. Thus, China’s designs call for India to improve its preparedness, and review its policy, pursue its goals and maintain peace and stability in the region

Hybrid Warfare: Battlegrounds of the Future

In the 34-day Israel-Hezbollah War of 2006, Israel's Army, one of the most technologically advanced militaries of the world, was pitted against the fundamentalist Shia Muslim organization Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, a non-state armed group, was armed with high-tech weaponry and other disruptive technologies, such as Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs), anti-tank missiles, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are traditionally used by the regular forces of a country. Hezbollah forces shot down Israeli helicopters, severely damaged a patrol boat with a cruise missile, and destroyed a large number of armored tanks by firing guided missiles from hidden bunkers. The group's guerrillas stood their ground with their hi-tech weaponry and guerrilla tactics. They operated in a decentralised manner at the tactical levels, from both their urban and mountain bases, and shocked the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) with their conventional-cum-unconventional forms of warfare. Israel accepted that it committed a mistake in not adequately preparing for a ‘hybrid' conflict with Hezbollah.2 US Army Chief General George W. Casey said that a new type of war that would become increasingly common in the future would be “a hybrid of irregular warfare and conventional warfare.

Environmental Security: The Challenge of Future

Traditionally, the concept of national security was always associated with the protection of the territorial integrity of the country's borders against any external aggression. Post the Cold War, Human Development Report (HDR) 1994, introduced a new concept of human security, which was a historic departure from the traditional concept of national security. In this concept, much greater stress has been laid on the security of the people through sustainable human development programmes. National security, therefore, has two broad dimensions: traditional and non-traditional. All threats and challenges that impact “human security” are a part of the nontraditional dimension of national security. Similarly, the Commission on Human Security (CHS), constituted in 2000, defines human security as protection of the vital core of all human lives in ways that enhance human freedoms and human fulfillment. It means protecting people from critical and pervasive threats and situations. Based on the threats that influence “human security,” HDR 1994 categorised seven main threats to human security: economic security; food security; health security; environmental security; personal security; community security; and political security

Fatty Acid Methyl Esters as Biosolvents of Epoxy Resins: A Physicochemical Study

The C8 to C18 fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) have been compared as solvents for two epoxy resin pre-polymers, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) and triglycidyl paminophenol ether (TGPA). It was found that the solubilization limits vary according to the ester and that methyl caprylate is the best solvent of both resins. To explain these solubility performances, physical and chemical properties of FAME were studied, such as the Hansen parameters, viscosity, binary diffusion coefficient and vaporization enthalpy. Determination of the physicochemical parameters of FAME was carried out by laboratory experimentations and by calculation from bibliographic data. The Hansen parameters of FAME and epoxy resins pre-polymers were theoretically and experimentally determined. The FAME chain length showed a long dependence on the binary diffusion parameters and kinematic viscosity, which are mass and momentum transport properties. Moreover, the vaporization enthalpy of these compounds was directly correlated with the solubilization limits

Psychological Warfare: Call Out Adversaries' Designs

In the emerging security environment, psychological warfare has become a significant and cost-effective non-lethal method to influence the target segment that is not controlled by any universally accepted laws, rules, usages, and customs. What adds to it are the radical changes in the geopolitical and geo-economic environment, information and communication technology (ICT), which is not only the predominant driver of change in future conflicts, but it is a potent weapon of today and tomorrow. The paper aims to briefly study the historical perspective and application of psychological warfare (psywar) at all levels, including International, national, and military levels. With a brief look at different terms in vogue and the overall aim, it would also briefly analyse the psywar being waged by Pakistan and China against India at different levels and what should be India's actions to ensure an effective psywar policy and strategy. Note: The latest data used in the paper is until 30 September 2020

Note From the Editor: Winter 2020

oai:ojs2.ojs.indrastra.com:article/15CLAWS Journal Winter 2020 is a “Special Issue” that holds significance in many ways. Contextually, it highlights the commemorative spirit of the 15 Years of Excellence of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, and conceptually it puts forward an understanding of China in the current dynamic vis-à-vis India, from a wide range of perspectives, especially from India, United States, Bangladesh, and Australia

Imperatives of Transformation: Changing Character of Conflict in the Emerging World Order

It is extremely difficult to crystal-gaze and predict the future with certainty. In hindsight, one can say that the rapid changes in the geo-political, economic, social, cultural and technological domains have had a profound impact on the emerging geo-strategic environment. With a plethora of disruptive technologies, the unknown effects of emerging technologies, asymmetric threats, and the revolution in autonomous systems and communications, the global environment has been in a state of continuous change and flux. Resultantly, the envisaged threats and challenges to national security, both traditional and non-traditional, have also undergone significant change. The complexities of which need to be analysed in order to formulate the future course of action. Factors such as external security threats, religious and ethnic extremism, population growth and unemployment, societal tensions, severe competition for natural resources, climate change, and environmental degradation are likely to ensure that armed conflicts will persist, perhaps with greater intensity. To say so, in a large number of cases, trans-national neighbouring forces and non-state actors have been indulging in abetting insurgencies, terrorism, violence, and organised crime, thus, perpetuating instability and conflicts

Note From the Editor: Summer 2021

With 2021 marking the commencement of the third decade of the 21st century, the world has been in a state of flux defined by the rapidly changing security environment. With the envelope of geopolitical and geostrategic challenges continuously expanding in form and magnitude, it has broadened the context of national security. The changes in the geopolitical and the geostrategic contexts have also transformed the understanding of warfare. The nature, character, and form of warfare and war are constantly evolving. In this process, the use of ‘technology’ has been an integral factor in changing the nature of the conduct of warfare thus, further expanding the nature as well as the scope of the unwarranted risks