Meltdown

Irrespective of where one is located, the bubble of normalcy does not last hours. We had a difficult weekend with war clouds looming over south Asia. Belying predictions, forecasts and expectations wars has reared their head in many parts of the globe, not only in South Asia. Sleep, calm and normalcy has been severely affected and many have been forced to look up in at the sky. 'Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you' and wonder and ponder about what lies ahead? I have been waking up early in the morning for a month or so to see Venus, Mercury and Mars. They are visible with the naked, unaided eye for a month or so in this part of the world. Hazy sky, no stars, Venus visible     Skies over large cities in north India are hazy and thick with pollutants and on clear nights one can see only a handful of stars. Human Light objects which dot the cities  lead to a scattering effect hindering human vision towards the sky. Venus, ...

San tzu's Art of war is old and ancient and the book informs and structures conversation about war and strategy right upto the contemporary moment. Strategic thought and thinking in India as well is ancient. Historical period and authorship issues beset Arthashastra, Mandala theory though shines forth. The circles that surround Vijigeshu works as a bedrock for most of the conventional modern International relations theory. Modern Indian strategic thought, doctrines and capabilities are modeled on western statecraft. IF there is any distinctive aspect it lies in how strategic priorities are factored. Among experts and professionals military first, political second and economic a distant third encapsulates Indian strategic thought. In reality the political goals are prioritized over the military. War as a theater was inaugurated in the early 1990' in the unipolar world led by USA. The disintegration of the USSR and the collapse of the Berlin wall precipitated and opened a space w...