Strategic Vanguard has moved to our new home

This day today, the 22'nd day of October,2008 will be written as a red letter day in the history of Indian Space Exploration. It is because it is the day when India for the first time has launched it's space craft to the moon. In the process India joins the select league of six nations that has accomplished this might. India joins the high table of the mighty space faring nations, the envy of the world. India has stunned the world by pulling off this feat in such a short time.Even though it will take the space vehicle a good 15 days to reach moon a time that is critical, India has completed the first leg that is the successful launch on PSLV, India's tried and tested work horse. Critics question the validity of India undertaking such a mission?They argue that India which they say is poor can ill afford to invest in such a useless venture.Such persons if any are far off the mark. There are many reasons for this. The fuel resources in the earth is fast getting deplet...

Well, I have been away from blogging for almost a month now and when I start up again, I would like it to be about my mother and the mother and protector of the of the Universe, Devi Durga as it is Navarathri and today being Vijayadhashami. Vijayadhashami is the day when in Kerala your ones are initiated into the world of learning with the Saraswathi Puja. Navarathri in Sanskrit means nine nights, nine nights of dance, music and celebration. If Navarathri is celebrated as Durga Puja in Bengal, then the same is celebrated as Dasera in Karnataka and and as Vidhya Arambha in Kerala. It is the celebration of the Goddess Durga, the reverence of motherhood in Hindu philosophy. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NAVA (NINE) The number nine has huge significance in Hindu tradition. There are nine planets. Like wise the Navarathri is a festivity conducted in nine nights and ten days. Each night signifies one incarnation of Durga, the Navadurga. They are: Shailaputri : May the illustrious Shailaputri Durga w...

As Kerala starts preparing for celebrating the national festival of Onam, I wanted to dedicate this blog entirely to that celebration that is so integral to the life's of the Keralate. To the uninitiated, Onam or Thiruvonnam as it is rightly phrased is the celebration to commemorate the return of Mahabali. Mahabali is an ancient mythical king who was believed to have ruled Kerala in ancient times. In his kingdom, it is said that there was no hunger, no poverty and no sadness. People lived as equals and there was prosperity all around. He was so immensely popular that Lord Indira, the king of gods got jealous of him and coerced Lord Vishnu to do some thing. Under the persistent prayers of Indira, Vishnu adorned the guise of Vamana ( one of his avatars) and reached Mahabali's castle. Mahabali at that time was conducting a yaga for world domination. At that time, he was obliged to give whatever ones asks him to give. Vamana approached Mahabali and asked him for three feet...

It is a historic day for India. It is the day when India got the long awaited weaver from the NSG ( Nuclear Suppliers Group). It is historic on many counts. NSG which was set up as a reaction to India's first test in Pokharan in 1974. Now that same organisation has given India a weaver that allows international commerce in nuclear and other sensitive and restrictive technology despite the fact that India's strategic weapons program remains untouched and out of bounds of the International community and agreements. India is now free to do trade in nuclear and other sensitive technology with all the major powers of the world which includes France and Russia. It is in a way acknowledgement of India's status of a responsible nuclear power. Despite India possessing advanced nuclear technology having started it's nuclear program well over five decades ago, India has never proliferated the highly exclusive technology, in other words, India has never given or tra...

As the Indian Air Force wraps up the Red Flag exercise in USA and the Indian Navy starts preparation for the annual Malabar Series of Excise, let us take a movement to analyse the evolving strategic relationship between two of the world's largest and the most powerful democracies. India's relationship with the USA started picking up pace from the lowest ebb after the Shakthi series of nuclear tests conducted by India in the deserts of Rajasthan. Over the years the relations have grown in complexity and strategic reach. This year the Americans are bringing it's newest Nimitz class Aircraft Carrier, The USS Ronald Reagan along with a nuclear submarine for the annual excise code named "Malabar Excise". An Aircraft Carrier and a Nuclear Submarine are two of the greatest assets in the American Navy. To bring these assets to the war games with India shows the extent of importance the American's has for a strategic relationship with India. India on it's part i...

The curtain comes down on yet another Olympics. Yet again India has come out with just one gold and two bronze medals. I hate to say that but my earlier predictions about India's performance has come true. Let us for a movement compare India with China. What is that makes China tick with over 50 gold to their credit? Is it that they are autocratic and do things better and in a more disciplined way. That seems to be the answer that one get from the India media and public at large. They say that the Chinese example of grooming it's athletes will not work in India because India is a democracy. They say that nothing can be achieved in a democratic coutry. Bit I would like to pose one simple question? Isn't USA also a democracy? The how is that the Americans have become the second largest grocer of medals in the Olympics? One thing is sure. There is something fundamentally wrong with our system. Nobody should blame our athletes. We have some of the finest athletes in the world....

As India prepares to attend the Nuclear Suppliers Group to get the ratification and special treatment as a nuclear suppliers group, let us analyse India's case for getting the special treatment in the group. India as a developed nuclear power became an established player in the nuclear field by the late 1950's. India developed indigenous ly world class technology in the field of nuclear sciences on it's own. With the "Smiling Buddha" nuclear tests in the year 1974, India became the sixth nuclear power in the world. India over the years have developed a comprehensive nuclear program that covers entire gamut of nuclear sphere starting from extraction to enrichment. India also has developed a highly sophisticated nuclear weapons program. Now the factor that favours India most is her unblemished record in nuclear non proliferation . India at no time has ever exported nuclear or related technologies to any country. This sits in stark contrast to the infamou...