IAF strikes: Political triumphalism over tactical success makes India lose sight of strategic goals

Fantasy dominates the ideologically driven political imagination in India, at great cost to national security.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 28, 2019 · 09:34 pm

Ajai Sahni: Belligerent rhetoric on Pulwama attack can’t make up for lack of strategic planning

Absence of sustained strategic preparation and abysmal neglect of defence, internal security and intelligence sectors rule out an effective response.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 16, 2019 · 01:09 pm

Opinion: 'Maoist plot' letters leaked by police have all the hallmarks of mischievous fabrication

‘This entire petty, pathetic and incompetent plot is a disgrace. It dishonours the security personnel. It dishonours the state, it dishonours India.’

Ajai Sahni

· Sep 05, 2018 · 08:00 am

Opinion: Military training in the name of Indian values will not produce national strength

The government would do infinitely better to focus on providing a better, modern and empowering education.

Ajai Sahni

· Jul 22, 2018 · 08:00 am

Never mind the jingoists, war with Pakistan is neither a compulsion nor an option for India

The shrieking campaign serves a limited domestic agenda. Soldiers and civilians along the borders pay the price.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 08, 2018 · 06:30 am

No garbage duties please: India must deploy its Armed Forces personnel for combat alone

Is our political leadership that ignorant about the military ethos that produces the willingness to fight in a soldier?

Ajai Sahni

· Sep 27, 2017 · 05:30 pm

Counterpoint: General Rawat has only stated the obvious about fighting fire with fire in Kashmir

No movement of widespread violence in history has ever been contained or neutralised in the absence of proportionate, if not disproportionate use of force.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 18, 2017 · 06:30 pm

Surgical strikes signal a change of course. Do they also mark the beginning of a long-term strategy?

Beyond addressing a domestic constituency, the government has sent out a clear message by widely publicising the present operation. Will it stay the course?

Ajai Sahni

· Oct 01, 2016 · 08:00 am

If India is serious about making Pakistan pay, it can't go back to business as usual

A clear and extraordinary focus on addressing the enduring deficits and demands of the defence and security sectors is the need of the hour.

Ajai Sahni

· Sep 22, 2016 · 08:00 am

Opinion: The drama over Pathankot is an utter, bizarre and counterproductive waste of time

The joint probe is one more in the series of high-profile non-events to offset comprehensive and abysmal security and foreign policy failures.

Ajai Sahni

· Mar 30, 2016 · 06:30 pm

Why installing a tank in JNU to instil patriotism among its students is a half-baked idea

If sheer dedication, obedience and sacrifice were the touchstones of morality, the jihadi suicide bomber would be our ideal.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 29, 2016 · 05:30 pm

Breaking news: ISIS is not coming! ISIS is not coming!

For those who believed the obvious canard that at least 537 Indians had joined the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and more than 10 times this number were likely to be trying to do so.

Ajai Sahni

· Feb 11, 2016 · 07:30 pm