Col Harjeet Singh - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Col Harjeet Singh

Even today, there is very little contemporary research material on the Indian contribution to the... more Even today, there is very little contemporary research material on the Indian contribution to the First World War. It will be interesting to quantify the Indian help to Britain in the First World War to the extent possible. The financial contributions and services in men and materials rendered by one of the poorest and most impoverished countries to the global superpower of the time are noteworthy. There were many sacrifices made by Indians, including classes and masses, rich and poor, women and students. Elaborate accounts of services by Indian royalty, including the Nizam of Hyderabad and Gaekwad of Baroda, and many others, are relatively well-known.

Defence Management, 1999

Background We all should be concerned about planning for the future, as that is where we will be ... more Background We all should be concerned about planning for the future, as that is where we will be spending the rest of our lives. But we tend to ignore it and do not coherently plan for it. The military, like every other organization, feels the pressures the financial crunch, demands for better and more human services, shifts in recruitment patterns, increased government regulations, the scrutiny of the legal profession and the glare of the media. A greater pressure is of the changing battlefield environment. These, and other pressures, will continue to intensify in the future. The rules affecting the military have changed; they will change, and will continue to change. To keep a compass towards continuity in an environment of change, planning is essential.

Revisiting Contemporary South Asia, 2012

and Maldives. South Asia is the place where West, Central, Southeast, and East Asia meet, and whe... more and Maldives. South Asia is the place where West, Central, Southeast, and East Asia meet, and where the dominant cultures of these sub-regions have competed for influence over the centuries. In Samuel Huntington's terms, the region lies across the fault lines between four major civilisations, those of the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Confucians. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were called Indo-China to reflect association with both India and China and Indonesia's name reflects its Indian linkage. The region of South Asia has a long history. Ancient civilisations developed in the Dwarka region and the Indus River Valley. The region was at its most prosperous before the 18 th century, when the Mughal Empire held sway. European colonialism led to its expansion in the region, by Portugal and Holland, and later Britain and to a lesser degree, France. Most of the region gained independence from Europe by the late 1940s. South Asia is a socio-political sphere that has historically come under

Pratividrohi, Journal of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, 1996

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Supreme Court set a unique precedent when they intervene... more The Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Supreme Court set a unique precedent when they intervened in the then active military operations at Hazratbal in the Kashmir Valley. The courts, particularly the Guwahati High Court, have also viewed military actions previously but always after the operation, and only for alleged crimes and excesses. The instant interventions first even in India and perhaps in the world too, questioned the very concept and tactics of the operation and, through the verdicts, significantly altered the course of subsequent events. It naturally aroused some apprehensions within and outside the armed forces. Concerned by its possible adverse impact on the Army's effectiveness to combat terrorism and secessionism, the media has questioned the validity and desirability of such judicial reviews. For the military, it has been none too desirable a precedent. But there are other considerations too, equally relevant, which bear analysis. Judiciary, the watchdog of our democracy, has a constitutional duty to enforce and protect fundamental rights of all citizens. Also, political compulsions will often force compromise decisions on the Government, which are not entirely desirable when dealing with extreme situations like insurgency and terrorism. Military Considerations The Army's apprehensions are understandable: its hitherto absolute prerogative to choose the tactics for a military operation has been challenged. This precedent would encourage motivated pubic interest litigations against it on flimsy grounds. Already somewhat hamstrung by our politico-bureaucratic constraints-which are an inescapable feature of any pluralistic and democratic society-this new dimension of judicial review could considerably shackle the Army further, and imperil national security.

Pratividrohi (Journal of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (India), 1996

Combat Journal, 1996

"Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and ... more "Although deceit is detestable in all other things, yet in the conduct of war it is laudable and honourable; and a commander who vanquishes the enemy by stratagem is equally praised with one who gains victory by force."-Machiavelli, The Discourses An Overview The electronic future is beckoning the military. Preparing today's soldiers for tomorrow's battles, which is the training challenge, requires sharing information at all levels of command. Information technology appears to be the key to increases in lethality, survivability, mobility, as well as command and control capabilities in warfare. With the coming of the information age, it is clear that the soldier of today has to fight under conditions that are radically different from that experienced hitherto. It also requires a reorientation to the methodology of warfare.

USI Journal, 2023

Pioneers have been defined as the men who lead the way, who go ahead to prepare the way for other... more Pioneers have been defined as the men who lead the way, who go ahead to prepare the way for others. The Madras Pioneers were the first fighting force raised by the British in India, in 1780. On 10 February 1933, the Pioneer Regiments of the British Indian Army were disbanded for reasons of financial stringency. The Madras Pioneers were the senior most in the Corps. Their history is a chequered one, highlighting the prominent role the pioneer regiments played in several campaigns as well as in many construction projects, most of which exist today as witness to their achievements.

Pioneers have been defined as the men who lead the way. They are those groups of far-sighted, tou... more Pioneers have been defined as the men who lead the way. They are those groups of far-sighted, tough, skilled and undeterrable workers-adventurers who go ahead to prepare the way for others."

USI Journal, 2022

To place in proper perspective the history of a class of men, who rose from an insignificant soci... more To place in proper perspective the history of a class of men, who rose from an insignificant socio-cultural background to rise in martial spirit and prove their value, it is necessary to go back in time. Though soldiering is a way of life for the people of Punjab, the profession of arms was earlier open only to those from the warrior caste. The rise of Sikhism gave an opportunity for the development of a caste-less society and for everyone to have the right to bear arms.

China's rise as a great power raises concern about how it may use its growing military capabiliti... more China's rise as a great power raises concern about how it may use its growing military capabilities. Historically, major shifts in the balance of power have been linked with episodes of tension and conflict among the leading states in the international system. Although they are not necessarily violent, such power transitions are often not peaceful, either. 1 Thus, China's rise raises questions about the future of peace and stability in Asia, questions driven in part by uncertainty about how China will use its military power and how neighbouring states will respond. The rise of a great power, by nature, changes the balance of power in the international system. Chinese military ambitions, the strength of its culture, and its market of over a billion people, have captivated the global imagination. Against this backdrop, any meaningful discussion of China's role in its neighbourhood requires an understanding of its relations with them as a whole. Any projection of that role in the next decade necessitates an understanding of how the Chinese have been involved in their dealings in the past and how that relationship has evolved over the years. The thrust of any future anaclisis can thus be extrapolated. At present, an undercurrent of uneasiness exists between China and its neighbours as it continues its ascent up the global hierarchy. China has done little to assuage neighbourhood concerns regarding its intentions. A review of its neighbourhood challenges could help in putting issues in perspective. The term "superpower" was coined in 1944 by William T. R. Fox, an American foreign policy professor, in his book The Superpowers: The United States, Britain and the Soviet Union-Their Responsibility for Peace. Fox identified superpowers as states that occupied the highest status in the world because they could challenge and fight each other on a global scale. In 2005, Alice Miller, a leading China expert, further defined superpower as "a country that has the capacity to project dominating power and influence anywhere in the world, and sometimes, in more than one region of the globe at a time, and so may plausibly attain the status of global hegemon." According to Miller, the basic components of superpower stature may be measured along four axes: economic, military, political, and cultural (or "soft"). 2 In consideration of these aforesaid definitions, China is not yet near superpower status. However, it has started flexing its military muscle in various ways. While publications and commentaries proclaim China as the world's emerging superpower, few analysts have elucidated the many limits to Beijing's great power ambitions. There is a need to take account the fact that China borders on 20 countries-more than any other state. China has perhaps the world's most strategically complex geography. It has twelve land and six maritime neighbours, together with two neighbours-Korea and Vietnam-with which it shares both land and sea boundaries. This context provides China with a source of enormous leverage, but also equally monumental challenges.

Afghanistan is often called the 'crossroads of Central Asia' and 'the graveyard of empires.' Its ... more Afghanistan is often called the 'crossroads of Central Asia' and 'the graveyard of empires.' Its location has made it an ideal trade and invasion route for centuries. As a result, its history has been turbulent. Conquerors from the West passed through it to reach the Indian subcontinent and Indian empires extended their territories from the East through the same routes. The armies of Darius, Alexander the Great, Kanishka, Genghis Khan, the Shahi rulers of India, Muslim rulers, the British, the Russians, the US and many others have left their footprints in the country. Modern Afghanistan traces its roots to 1747 when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded an empire and monarchy that lasted until 1973. During the 19th century, Afghanistan was the buffer between the British and Russian empires in their "Great Game." Successive Pashtun kings ruled until 1973, when a coup brought about a brief five-year period during which Afghanistan was officially a republic. It marked the beginning of events occurring today. The Durrani Empire In 1732, Nadir Beg, who later became Nadir Shah of Persia, invaded Herat and then captured Kandahar and Kabul a few years later. By 1739, his empire extended into India, when he occupied Delhi and his troops pillaged Mughal palaces. His war trophies included the Koh-i-Noor diamond and the Peacock Throne. Nadir Shah was assassinated in 1747, triggering the collapse of his Safavid empire. Ahmad Khan, the commander of Nadir Shah's bodyguards, then emerged as the ruler. He proclaimed himself Ahmad Shah Durrani and extended his control over a vast area: from the Arabian Sea in the south to the Amu Darya in the north, and from Delhi and Kashmir, in the east, to easternmost Iran in the west. He is known as the founder of the Afghan nation and united the Pashtun tribes; and by 1760 built an empire which fragmented after his death in 1772. He was from the Pushtun tribal confederation and first in a long line of Afghan rulers from this tribal federation that lasted until the Marxist coup d'état in 1978. The ability of one tribal group to dominate other tribal groups enabled the federation to exist. The Durrani dynasty of indigenous Pashtuns lasted into the 19th century, by which time the British were looking to expand their territory beyond what they had acquired through the East India Company. The Anglo-Afghan Wars By the 19th century, the British Empire was expanding out of India toward the North and West looking to offset what they saw as the expansion of Russia into Central Asia. Russia was also concerned with British expansion into areas that they saw as their sphere of influence. The British would be involved in three Anglo-Afghan wars, the first two being extremely ferocious, with the Pashtuns earning a reputation as among the bravest, and certainly the cruellest, fighters. The First Anglo-Afghan War The First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842) aimed to establish a pro-British government in Afghanistan through Shah Shuja, who ruled Afghanistan from 1803 until 1809, and had lost the throne during an internal tribal power struggle. His deposition from power came shortly after signing a treaty of friendship with the British, to prevent the Russians from encroaching on India. The British reinstalled Shah Shuja in power, but were soon under heavy attack from the Afghans. The war began with a massive British invasion, the toppling of ruler Dost Mohammad, and the occupation of Kabul and other cities. After the British political agent was assassinated, the remnants of the first British expeditionary force (16,000 soldiers, dependents, and camp followers) tried to retreat to the British fort at Jalalabad. They were nearly all killed or dispersed, save for a lone regimental surgeon who returned home to tell the tale. The British consider the defeat in the First Anglo-Afghan War as one of

In consideration of the works on the Arthasastra and niti, their value of providing an insight in... more In consideration of the works on the Arthasastra and niti, their value of providing an insight into the ancient Indian military system can hardly be overestimated. It gives us the background of the system and reveals the ideas and principles on which the structure stood. Though primarily concerned with statecraft, the writers of the Arthasastra and niti seldom kept warfare out of their purview. They seem to have believed, like Clausewitz that "war is merely a continuation of policy by other means." 1 It is well-known that of all the texts of this kind which have come down to us, the earliest and the most comprehensive is the Arthasastra of Kautilya. It contains the most complete statement of Mauryan ideas on governance, law and war. The problem of its age and authorship has in recent times aroused much animated discussion. There are some who believe in the hypothesis, first propounded by Shamasastry, that it is a work composed by Chanakya, the minister of Chandragupta Maurya. There are others who contend that this traditional ascription of the Arthasastra to the Mauryan minister is not justified by internal evidence and that the work could not have been composed earlier than the first or second century CE, and it cannot be considered merely the work of a pandit. Be that as it may, it is essentially the work of a practical administrator little interested in political theories. Though formally a shastra, it is unquestionably based on the realities of civil and military administration. 2 In regard to the age of the Arthasastra, even though it was composed before the Christian era, it largely portrays the theories and institutions of an earlier epoch. It is generally recognised that there are remarkable points of resemblance between the administrative and economic system of the Mauryas and that of the Arthasastra. Moreover, Kautilya begins his work with the statement that it is "a compendium of almost all the Arthasastras which have been composed by ancient teachers." 3 He frequently quotes opinions of previous authors and schools.