India-China stand-off: Sun Tzu in action

Col R Hariharan

Merely by sending a platoon of their troops to camp 19 km (upgraded after 10 days from 10 km reported earlier) inside our territory on February 15 near Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Aksai Chin region the Chinese have made the Indian government look weak and helpless in the eyes of its billion plus people.We are seeing the classic SunTzu (Sun Tzi to the purist) ploy “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting” in Chinese action. 

Whether this act is tactical and limited to a remote icy waste, it is a strategic victory for Chinese policy because it is the Indian authorities – not the Chinese - who have been compelled to explain why the Chinese intruded.

Korean crisis reaching the eye-ball to eye-ball stage

By Col R Hariharan 

North Korea’s deployment of two additional short-range scud ballistic missile launchers in its eastern coast has strengthened speculations in the South that Pyongyang might launch a missile on April 25, the anniversary of North Korean army. According to South Korean media,  the latest deployment was in addition to the seven mobile missile launchers already in place on the coast. 

What do the communal riots in Myanmar indicate?

By Col R Hariharan

Myanmar’s fledgling democracy faced yet another obstacle to its progress when anti-Muslim violence flared up in Central Myanmar town of Meiktila in March 2013. It quickly spread to six other smaller townships in Thayawady district in Bago Region in Lower Myanmar. According to Human Rights Watch, it also spread to 11 townships in Mandalay and Pegu divisions, where Muslim neighborhoods were ransacked.

Comments on Korean Crisis

Col R Hariharan

Why the North Korean stand off?

There are both contemporary and historical reasons behind the North Korean threat to launch an offensive against South Korea and strike at U.S. bases in Guam and Hawaii. North Korea (Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea –DPRK) and South Korea have been having an uneasy relationship since the singing an armistice in 1953 after the Korean War ended in a stalemate. At that time a De-militarized Zone (DMZ) was created along the 38^th parallel between the two countries to prevent breaking out of fresh conflict. However, DPRK has not recognized the maritime boundary between the two countries; this continues to be an irritant in their relations. Annual joint exercise by South Korean and U.S. troops and navy is yet another major source of irritation for the North. The Kim regime has repeatedly used these irritants to whip up anti-U.S. hysteria and talk tough on attacking South Korea.

Sri Lanka Perspectives - March 2013

Col R Hariharan

Highlights

UNHRC resolution: India voted for the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability and reconciliation which was passed at the 22^nd session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting. The DMK ruling UPA coalition’s partner at New Delhi walked out of the alliance when India did not put through two amendments it wanted. This has threatened the survival of the government. 

Leadership impact on India -Sri Lanka strategic security dynamics

Col R Hariharan (retd.)

Strategic power equation in the region

South Asia and Indian Ocean Region have come under increasing focus of strategic community with the rise of China and its impact on the power equation evolving in Asia-Pacific region. During the last two decades Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has improved qualitatively in command and control and joint operations involving land, air and naval forces supported by giant strides made in space technology and the use of C4I systems. Technological improvement in design and manufacture of ballistic missiles, submarines and surface ships aided by increasing cyber warfare capability have enabled the PLA navy to become a modern and ambitious naval force to look beyond East and South China seas to extend China’s power assertion.