Dice have been found dating to the Bronze Age in various Harappan sites in present-day northwest India and throughout Pakistan. And it’s very possible that some had female owners.
This world is being restructured and redrawn by one man, and what’s his power? It’s not his formidable military. It’s trade. With China, it turned on him.
If making leaner units answer to requirement of offensive capabilities, Does it not make a case to have more Army Commands with half the strengths that way we can have offensive commands rather than Strike corps..
The battles of 65 and 71 were fought with old weapons andWorld War 2 tactics the current war as and when it takes place will be a different animal and losses will be far higher
The recent Limited Battles in Nagorno Karabah Enclave should be a lesson
Try to be people friendly, and offer best piece of expert advise to the novice politicians for buying peace arround and get pending issues amicably politically resolved so that the military budget deminish and social sectors are promoted for the progress of of India.
I feel organisational & re-structing needs to be further delibrated upon. Without technologial modernisation including Cyber technology any re-strcuturing or re-organisation would be meaning less. Acquiring matching if not better technology would need a re-look at the Defence Budget. Last but not the least the article just talks about the Combat element but is silent on Crucial Combat support in terms of Artillery, Combat Engineering & Army Avaition & Combat logistics. Need for a holistic review to prevent being caught off guard time & again and depend on the soldier on ground to deliver with existing equipment. There has to be national concesus & Political will in view of the emerging scenario & if India has gain its rightful say in the international comity.
Iraq war & recent N-K war between Armenia & Azerbaijan have proven, all these antique infantry & tanks are just sitting ducks for drones & aerial bombing once air control is taken by adversary.
This rtd General is still dwell in his old good memories of defeating a 6x smaller Pak, while India is now challenging a 6x larger modern advanced China to crave for its Tibet land.
The price of opportunistic Modi invasion will be unbearable, much worst than opportunistic Nehru 1962 expansionism mistake. Today China is no longer 1962 backward country devastated by Japan invasion & civil wars.
It does not need to withdraw 20km unilaterally after winning decisively like 1962, as there will be no US & Soviet capable to threaten it.
The proposed restructuring is juggling numbers: it may provide more numbers of combat units, but with lesser numbers of soldiers or tanks in those units than earlier.
It increases flexibility in employment of units but reduces their fighting capacities and reserve levels for unforseen contingencies ar unit levels, by reducing the numbers of subunits?
However, the major deficits of Indian armed forces are different and are left untouched. 1. Armed forces lack in technology intensity. This is primrily due to lack of engineering knowledge and proficency in the officer corps. How can armed forces aspire to improve its application of technology and engineering innovations or equipment restorability in field operations?
2. Ratio of officers to men are low to inadequate for optimal efficiency at unit level operations. 3. Unimaginative pension policy has resulted in higher age profile armed forces. Older and flabbier armed forces are less agile and fitness suspect.
The question the nation needs to ask : why are our military leaders conservative in restructuring and seeking opportunities from new technologies? Unless the Indian military increases its technology applications in functions such as reconnaissance; surveillance; precision in target acquistion; logistics and maintenance, it will remain a manpower-intensive force
Thanks for a very informative article. Just one submission. 03 companies of US Infantry Battalion has far more strength than 04 companies of IA Infantry Battalion. Also, US Army uses its organic Weapon Company as its 4th Company based on tactical requirement in attack, defence or CI/CT operations. In any case, IA Infantry Battalion can reduce its section strength to 09 so that it can be used in a modular fashion on mechanisation. Section with 09 soldiers can also do an Infantry job very well with additional technologies. In this case, there will be no embedded commander, instead a separate section commander can command two identical Fire Teams.
Better late than never! Governments since 1947 have failed to grasp the true nature of geo-politics is-a-vis China. A warning shot was fired by China in 1962 but unlike the “sleeping dragon” it id we who have remained in deep slumber. Government after Government has ignored the Military only to give knee – jerk reactions at times of crisis. What we need is strategic thinkers with a vision if we have to survive as a Nation.
Politicians in India have no thinking at all about military matters, most are corrupt to the core, and are ably assisted by hanger one beurocracy IAS/IPS. These are the guys who hold the nation’s purse strings and are loosened only if they get a hefty cut, Armed Forces don’t freeze their palms, and thus have a non sustainable budget, the above worthies are least bothered about the country or it’s security needs.
If making leaner units answer to requirement of offensive capabilities, Does it not make a case to have more Army Commands with half the strengths that way we can have offensive commands rather than Strike corps..
The battles of 65 and 71 were fought with old weapons andWorld War 2 tactics the current war as and when it takes place will be a different animal and losses will be far higher
The recent Limited Battles in Nagorno Karabah Enclave should be a lesson
China reduced its troops strength. But dragons attacked US Embassy staffs and CIA with their Microwave weapons.
Try to be people friendly, and offer best piece of expert advise to the novice politicians for buying peace arround and get pending issues amicably politically resolved so that the military budget deminish and social sectors are promoted for the progress of of India.
I feel organisational & re-structing needs to be further delibrated upon. Without technologial modernisation including Cyber technology any re-strcuturing or re-organisation would be meaning less. Acquiring matching if not better technology would need a re-look at the Defence Budget. Last but not the least the article just talks about the Combat element but is silent on Crucial Combat support in terms of Artillery, Combat Engineering & Army Avaition & Combat logistics. Need for a holistic review to prevent being caught off guard time & again and depend on the soldier on ground to deliver with existing equipment. There has to be national concesus & Political will in view of the emerging scenario & if India has gain its rightful say in the international comity.
Iraq war & recent N-K war between Armenia & Azerbaijan have proven, all these antique infantry & tanks are just sitting ducks for drones & aerial bombing once air control is taken by adversary.
This rtd General is still dwell in his old good memories of defeating a 6x smaller Pak, while India is now challenging a 6x larger modern advanced China to crave for its Tibet land.
The price of opportunistic Modi invasion will be unbearable, much worst than opportunistic Nehru 1962 expansionism mistake. Today China is no longer 1962 backward country devastated by Japan invasion & civil wars.
It does not need to withdraw 20km unilaterally after winning decisively like 1962, as there will be no US & Soviet capable to threaten it.
The proposed restructuring is juggling numbers: it may provide more numbers of combat units, but with lesser numbers of soldiers or tanks in those units than earlier.
It increases flexibility in employment of units but reduces their fighting capacities and reserve levels for unforseen contingencies ar unit levels, by reducing the numbers of subunits?
However, the major deficits of Indian armed forces are different and are left untouched. 1. Armed forces lack in technology intensity. This is primrily due to lack of engineering knowledge and proficency in the officer corps. How can armed forces aspire to improve its application of technology and engineering innovations or equipment restorability in field operations?
2. Ratio of officers to men are low to inadequate for optimal efficiency at unit level operations. 3. Unimaginative pension policy has resulted in higher age profile armed forces. Older and flabbier armed forces are less agile and fitness suspect.
The question the nation needs to ask : why are our military leaders conservative in restructuring and seeking opportunities from new technologies? Unless the Indian military increases its technology applications in functions such as reconnaissance; surveillance; precision in target acquistion; logistics and maintenance, it will remain a manpower-intensive force
Dear Sir,
Thanks for a very informative article. Just one submission. 03 companies of US Infantry Battalion has far more strength than 04 companies of IA Infantry Battalion. Also, US Army uses its organic Weapon Company as its 4th Company based on tactical requirement in attack, defence or CI/CT operations. In any case, IA Infantry Battalion can reduce its section strength to 09 so that it can be used in a modular fashion on mechanisation. Section with 09 soldiers can also do an Infantry job very well with additional technologies. In this case, there will be no embedded commander, instead a separate section commander can command two identical Fire Teams.
This is just a thought. Need your blessings.
Regards.
Better late than never! Governments since 1947 have failed to grasp the true nature of geo-politics is-a-vis China. A warning shot was fired by China in 1962 but unlike the “sleeping dragon” it id we who have remained in deep slumber. Government after Government has ignored the Military only to give knee – jerk reactions at times of crisis. What we need is strategic thinkers with a vision if we have to survive as a Nation.
Politicians in India have no thinking at all about military matters, most are corrupt to the core, and are ably assisted by hanger one beurocracy IAS/IPS. These are the guys who hold the nation’s purse strings and are loosened only if they get a hefty cut, Armed Forces don’t freeze their palms, and thus have a non sustainable budget, the above worthies are least bothered about the country or it’s security needs.
Going ahead without logistics… not a word
An important contribution to Public Reason, granular and sensible suggestions which can be the base for further debate. Thank you, Gen. Panag .