A useful exercise

M. R. Dua

Perhaps it'll be no exaggeration to say that defence and security quotients in South Asia in the present violent scenario are an utmost crucial and quintessential for peace and tranquillity in the whole world. There are numerous other dominantpre-requisites that go a long way in facilitating and maintaining peace anywhere. In the volume under review, the editor has done a commendable job in putting these together, with his own contribution on 'harnessing blue economy' in the region.
Most of the presentations in this volume discuss important issues pertaining to the nations in South Asia : India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives,Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, and the Strait of Malacca. The paper writers come from immensely diverse background and specialization. But, as Lt. Gen. Hasnain opines about South Asia in introduction, 'the combined power of geostrategic location and potential outweighs everything else' in this region.
Countries, such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and even India, are passing through difficult times of turmoil and worrisome uncertainties. The Indian state is mostly free from cult violence and partisan killings . But India's local party-politics do hugely affect its internal peace and economic progress. Prof. Iqbal Shailo of Canada, underlines this in his paper.
In an abundantly-documented paper, a former Indian army

Most of the presentations in this volume discuss important issues pertaining to the nations in South Asia : India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, and the Strait of Malacca.

Vijay Sakhuja officer, Ajay Singh, brilliantly encapsulates how though the SAARC was deemed to be 'a unique mechanism combining bilateralism in regionalism,' and had holy objectives, some basic differences between its two senior members, India and Pakistan, 'only harm regional cooperation' due to Pakistan's 'use of terrorism as a legitimate instrument of statecraft.'
The paper, titled India- Afghanistan relations in strategic context, by Afghanistan envoy Shaida Mohammad Abdali and Mondira Dutta enumerates various infrastructural projects that India financed and built. But unfortunately, this 'context' keeps changing frequently due to the Pak-manufactured terrorist attacks that have 'undermined' Afghanistan's security parameters. The authors suggest 'reducing' these'vulnerabilities' will expedite Kabul's 'way forward.'
Among notable other contributions include: Shalini Chawla's Pak's 'determinants of strategic posturing that include its 'deep sense of insecurity', its selfcreated identity crisis, dominant army lobby, Pak's new 'love' with China, and its effort to seek parity with India.
Small-sized and land-locked Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives have their own unique security issues due to recent Chinese overtures in these countries, as the papers ably outline. India has consistently come to their rescue whenever situations demanded in matters of economic and security crises in the past, such as a deadly earthquake in Nepal or its constitution-making process.

Finally, extreme security susceptibilities being matrixed by the Islamic State in the South Asian region currently pose innumerable serious challenges. V.P. Malhotra, in his paper details this at length. These cause huge and mortal worry to every nation's very existence. The challenges are grandiloquent and, in fact, many times over larger than terrorism, and need a parallel resounding response, failing which all-round devastation awaits this region.
The book is a must read for security specialists, defence analysts and political commentators. It'll help the lay reader to comprehend the thick clouds of vast dangers that overcast the global skies.



		EDITOR'S MAIL MATTERS OF PUBLIC POLICY FIVE-STATE POLL PUNJAB ELECTION ON RECORD FRANKLY SPEAKING REALPOLITIK CHANGING POLITICAL PROFILES THE NIGHT THAT WAS RBI AUTONOMY A DIVIDED PARTY DIDI'S POLITICS INDIA ESSAY VOICE FROM LONDON 45TH U.S. PRESIDENT HITS & MISSES MIXED BLESSING ENVIRONMENTAL NEGLECT BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR BOOK BAZAAR YOGA IN DAILY LIFE-X SIGNS OF THE TIMES INTERVIEW BOLLYWOOD PANORAMA TRIBUTE THAT HEROIC EVENT LIVING WITH NATURE ART OF LIVING Issue:February' 2017 Subscribe Now	BOOK BAZAAR A useful exercise M. R. Dua Perhaps it'll be no exaggeration to say that defence and security quotients in South Asia in the present violent scenario are an utmost crucial and quintessential for peace and tranquillity in the whole world. There are numerous other dominantpre-requisites that go a long way in facilitating and maintaining peace anywhere. In the volume under review, the editor has done a commendable job in putting these together, with his own contribution on 'harnessing blue economy' in the region. Most of the presentations in this volume discuss important issues pertaining to the nations in South Asia : India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives,Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, and the Strait of Malacca. The paper writers come from immensely diverse background and specialization. But, as Lt. Gen. Hasnain opines about South Asia in introduction, 'the combined power of geostrategic location and potential outweighs everything else' in this region. Countries, such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and even India, are passing through difficult times of turmoil and worrisome uncertainties. The Indian state is mostly free from cult violence and partisan killings . But India's local party-politics do hugely affect its internal peace and economic progress. Prof. Iqbal Shailo of Canada, underlines this in his paper. In an abundantly-documented paper, a former Indian army Most of the presentations in this volume discuss important issues pertaining to the nations in South Asia : India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, and the Strait of Malacca. Vijay Sakhuja officer, Ajay Singh, brilliantly encapsulates how though the SAARC was deemed to be 'a unique mechanism combining bilateralism in regionalism,' and had holy objectives, some basic differences between its two senior members, India and Pakistan, 'only harm regional cooperation' due to Pakistan's 'use of terrorism as a legitimate instrument of statecraft.' The paper, titled India- Afghanistan relations in strategic context, by Afghanistan envoy Shaida Mohammad Abdali and Mondira Dutta enumerates various infrastructural projects that India financed and built. But unfortunately, this 'context' keeps changing frequently due to the Pak-manufactured terrorist attacks that have 'undermined' Afghanistan's security parameters. The authors suggest 'reducing' these'vulnerabilities' will expedite Kabul's 'way forward.' Among notable other contributions include: Shalini Chawla's Pak's 'determinants of strategic posturing that include its 'deep sense of insecurity', its selfcreated identity crisis, dominant army lobby, Pak's new 'love' with China, and its effort to seek parity with India. Small-sized and land-locked Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives have their own unique security issues due to recent Chinese overtures in these countries, as the papers ably outline. India has consistently come to their rescue whenever situations demanded in matters of economic and security crises in the past, such as a deadly earthquake in Nepal or its constitution-making process. Finally, extreme security susceptibilities being matrixed by the Islamic State in the South Asian region currently pose innumerable serious challenges. V.P. Malhotra, in his paper details this at length. These cause huge and mortal worry to every nation's very existence. The challenges are grandiloquent and, in fact, many times over larger than terrorism, and need a parallel resounding response, failing which all-round devastation awaits this region. The book is a must read for security specialists, defence analysts and political commentators. It'll help the lay reader to comprehend the thick clouds of vast dangers that overcast the global skies.