The 2020 edition (the 24th in the series) of the combined naval exercise MALABAR has finally been restored to its expanded format involving combat platforms and personnel drawn from the navies of all four members of the Quad. Quite apart from the renewed invitation-to and acceptance-by the Royal Australian Navy — after a gap of […]
Israel’s purchase of six Sa’ar corvettes from Germany, to protect its offshore natural gas infrastructure, indicates a shift in its maritime security doctrine. These ships will enhance the ability of the staying power, hence the presence of the Israeli Navy at sea, and its growth as a maritime player in the Eastern Mediterranean. In Bangladesh, […]
The success of Turkish built, Azerbaijani operated armed drones against Armenian tanks in the ongoing conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh could evoke an interest in these armed platforms, thereby increasing Turkey’s military exports. While India, an operator of unarmed surveillance drones, is biding its time in purchasing armed drones from the US, Australia, India’s QUAD partner, is […]
This article constitutes the third part of an ongoing series relating to a comprehensive research-project, being undertaken by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), on the impacts of climate change on India’s holistic maritime security. The first two parts of the series, which may readily be accessed on the NMF’s website, had focused, respectively, on the […]
The storming of a UK-bound oil tanker in the English Channel by British special forces, to subdue its takeover by stowaways from Africa, raises a new challenge to global maritime security. It combines maritime security aspects of hijacking, immigration and asylum. The threat of violence and maritime terrorism by stowaways or refugees could further obfuscate […]
India’s inability to develop the Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf, due to contractual disagreements and US sanctions, has led to a US$ 400 million loss. A loss of this magnitude could adversely affect India’s image as a reliable global energy investor. Meanwhile, the transfer of a diesel-electric submarine to the Myanmar Navy is in […]
In a much awaited development, an official press release from the Government of India, on 19 October 2020,[1] has confirmed that Australia will take part in this year’s edition of the MALABAR series of naval exercises, which is scheduled to be held in November of this year. Correspondingly, in a high-visibility joint media-release, by Australia’s […]
News of the successful test of the indigenous Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system, an anti-submarine torpedo system developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was tempered by the cancellation of two multi-crore contracts for the Indian Navy due to production delays and contractual inconsistencies. While Pakistan’s naval expansion programme is a collaboration with […]
Many historical and contemporary events have aggravated the social inequalities that exist along the divisive lines of race, class, caste, gender, and religion. Although climate change is not often discussed in terms of social divides, it is, perhaps, the most important amongst these contemporary events. It is a global phenomenon whose effects are expected to […]
The passage of a Canadian warship through the Taiwan Strait would further unsettle the fragile relationship between Canada and China. This transit comes amidst reports about formulation of a Canadian Indo-Pacific Policy, which is expected to support the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific. Within the Indo-Pacific, China’s linkage to the Ream Naval Base […]
Abstract Mangroves are amongst the world’s most fragile ecosystems. The impacts of global climate change such as rising sea-level, altering weather patterns, and acidifying oceans are putting mangrove forests at high risk. In addition, threats from human exploitation pose significant concern for their regeneration and restoration. This paper begins with an introduction to the unique […]
Domestic support for the re-negotiation of a US$ 4.5 billion loan by China has become vociferous due to Kenya’s inability to meet periodic payments since 2017. Meanwhile, in a move showcasing India’s ‘neighbourhood first’ policy, the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) recently launched the first direct bi-monthly cargo ferry service to the Maldives in an effort […]