Manthan: Multifaceted Reflections on the Indian Armed Forces

Contents: Preface. 1. Political Violence: An Interpretive Commentary On War. 2. Rich Heritage: The Noble Profession of Arms in India. 3. Baptism By Fire: Well Blooded Indian Armed Forces. 4. Against All Odds: A Résumé of Operational Difficulties Faced in Prosecuting The Post Independence Wars. 5. Bash on Regardless: Reflections on Combating Threats Within. 6. The Boon: Apolitical Indian Armed Forces. 7. End Game: The Curtain-Raiser. 8. End Game: An Analytical Account of The Indian Endeavours. 9. The Debate: India’s Strategic Culture. 10. The Bane: Bureaucracy and The Troubled Civil-Military Relations. 11. The Bogey: Of A Coup D’ Etat in India. 12. Dynamic Lethargy: A Review of Defence Policy and Planning in India. 13. Mirror Mirror On The Wall: Right Time For The Armed Forces to Introspect. 14. The March Ahead: Summative Parting Thoughts. Appendices. Maps. Bibliography. Index.

This book establishes the relevance of war as an instrument of state policy, and the necessity of armed forces to protect and promote national interests. It then traces India's warring traditions and the enviable professionalism of the Indian armed forces. Reflecting on their post-independence military ventures it analyses why, despite five wars, India's vexed territorial and border disputes have remained unresolved.

Later chapters critically dilate on a range of weighty issues related to the armed forces such as their apolitical nature, India's strategic culture, state of the civil-military relations, absence of a defence policy, ad hoc defence planning et al, and how these have acted as set back forces for the Services. One of the chapters debates the pros and cons of a coup in India and yet another one exhorts the armed forces to introspect. The book closes with a set of assertions that would keep the armed forces ready and relevant to match the national aspirations of rising India.