Page: [1] It is with a deep sense of loss the Delhi Policy Group mourns the death of its Trustee, Mr. Gopi K. Arora [1933-2009]. 2009-03-16 Gopi Arora was a close aide of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who wielded enormous power and authority in the 1980. He was 76. Arora joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1957. He was special secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) before becoming secretary in the information and broadcasting ministry. Arora was also finance secretary in 1989-90, serving the government for over 35 years in several prestigious positions.
Delhi Policy Group is saddened by the news 2009-03-16
Delhi
Policy Group is saddened by the news of the death of Sir Michael
Quinlan on 26th February ’09, at the age of 78. He was the leading
civilian thinker within the British government on defence policy,
particularly nuclear issues, and a strong believer in the value of
deterrence. After his retirement from the civil service, he maintained
his interest in these issues and developed his reputation as a
commentator. He worked closely with the International Institute of
Strategic Studies, London. He was admired in India and abroad for the
quality of his analysis expressed in a unique style. His last
publication, Thinking About Nuclear Weapons: Principles, Problems,
Prospects (2009), will remain relevant to policymakers.
Sir
Michael Quinlan had visited the Delhi Policy Group on several
occasions, and addressed audiences in the DPG and also in its seminars.
His contribution to thinking on nuclear matters in the Indian strategic
community was significant. Sir Michael Quinlan was a much admired
friend of Lt. Gen. (Retd.) V. R. Raghavan, Director, Delhi Policy
Group. His expertise will be widely missed by the international
strategic community.
When The Worm Turns 2009-01-09
The
government has finally put security reforms on a fast track. They have
announced a Bill to set up a National Investigating Agency, a new
coastal command, amending the CISF Act to protect private facilities
and a slew of other measures. How far will these help to prevent the
security lapses Mumbai made so painfully clear?
The three key areas for reform are: intelligence gathering
and communication, specialist training and equipment and coordination
between the federal and state ministries concerned.
Say never again to terror 2009-01-09
Mumbai
has been the target of terrorism since the Dawood Ibrahim financed
attacks of 1993, which killed over 250. The next attack was in 2003
when 50 people died; then in 2006 a string of bombings in local trains
killed 200. And now these attacks,which has turned south Mumbai into a
place of horror.
Intelligence reports have warned since early this year that an attack
on Mumbai was likely. The home ministry had warned that there was a
high likelihood of terrorists using coastal routes to strike Indian
targets.
Plug The Security Holes 2009-01-09
The
government has finally put security reforms on a fast track. They have
announced a Bill to set up a National Investigating Agency, a new
coastal command, amending the CISF Act to protect private facilities
and a slew of other measures. How far will these help to prevent the
security lapses Mumbai made so painfully
The three key areas for reform are: intelligence gathering
and communication, specialist training and equipment and coordination
between the federal and state ministries concerned. The first of these
areas has received the greatest attention. In September, the Moily
commission on administrative reforms suggested the creation of a
federal investigative authority which could be set up by ordinance or
through a constitutional amendment to the National Security Act of
1980.
The Economic Times -Terror attacks: Only a security failure? 2008-08-06
Let
me begin with the question. Terrorist attacks — which is what the bomb
blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad were — are obviously not the result
of security failures alone. There is a political context, which has
unfortunately a plethora of roots, from familial problems to religious
and communal grievances, to the global “war on terrorism”.
Terror attacks: Only a security failure?
5 Aug, 2008, 0038 hrs IST,
Radha Kumar, Professor Jamia Millia Islamia Let me begin with the
question. Terrorist attacks — which is what the bomb blasts in
Bangalore and Ahmedabad were — are obviously not the result of security
failures alone. There is a political context, which has unfortunately a
plethora of roots, from familial problems to religious and communal
grievances, to the global “war on terrorism”.
A world of difference in Kabul : Dr Radha Kumar 2008-06-11
There’s a new class in Kabul: those with security. The most privileged among them, the foreigners
There’s
a new class in Kabul: those with security. The most privileged among
them, the foreigners In Kabul for the first time, I had an eerie sense
of having been here before, a nagging memory of Sarajevo during the
brief cease-fire interlude of 1994, when the city hovered between no
war and no peace. Just like Sarajevo was then, Kabul is today divided
into heavily militarised zones where the internationals are located —
from the NATO-led security mission to the UN to the embassies — and the
rest of the city, where little security is visible and people appear to
move about relatively freely.
Pakistan’s new government frames its position on issues vital to India’s interests 2008-06-05
As
Pakistan’s new government frames its position on issues vital to
India’s interests, how can India not be involved in the policy debate
next door, asks Radha Kumar
The new government in Pakistan is
less than a month old, but there are already doubts about its policies
in relation to the NWFP, Afghanistan and Kashmir. True, these doubts
have been raised by its leaders’ confusing and sometimes contradictory
pronouncements, but the fact that they speak in many voices may not, in
itself, indicate doublespeak (even though this is an art that many
Pakistani leaders have mastered). Given that it is early days yet, a
better way to interpret the present statements is as a debate on which
policies to adopt. In other words, what is before us is Pakistani
policy in the making, and the question is — should we participate in
the process or should we wait till the new leaders decide their
policies, even when these are on issues that are vital to us? more...
Paper written by Dr. Radha Kumar for CEPS 2008-05-16
This
paper analyses India's behaviour as a foreign policy actor by looking
at india's changing relations over the past decade with the
EU,US,China,Japan,Myanmar,Pakistan,Nepal and in historical
departure,the former princely state of sikkim.
This paper
analyses India's behaviour as a foreign policy actor by looking at
india's changing relations over the past decade with the
EU,US,China,Japan,Myanmar,Pakistan,Nepal and in historical
departure,the former princely state of sikkim.It arques that though
India has almost always been a normative actor,Indian foreign policy is
today transisting from abstract and frequently'unrealpolitik',views of
what constitutes normative behaviour.india,s look East Policy has been
the cornerstone of this transition,indicating that economic
growth,maritime capability and peace &stability in its
neighbourhood are key goals of india,s present behaviour as a normative
foreigh policy actor
Book release on 25 april 2008-04-23
Ambassador K.S. Bajpai, Chairman , National Security Advisory Board will launch the book on 25 April , 2008 in IIC, India
Ambassador K.S. Bajpai, Chairman , National Security Advisory Board will launch the book on 25 April , 2008 in IIC, India
Gopi Arora was a close aide of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who wielded enormous power and authority in the 1980. He was 76. Arora joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1957. He was special secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) before becoming secretary in the information and broadcasting ministry. Arora was also finance secretary in 1989-90, serving the government for over 35 years in several prestigious positions.