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Ashok K Mehta
Ashok K Mehta is a retired Lt General of the Indian Army. He writes extensively on defence matters and anchors Defence Watch on Doordarshan
Debate on India’s defence doctrine
The larger question looms: Can India afford costly engagements with transient outcomes, without a comprehensive reimagining of its military doctrine, defence spending and national security policy? CDS Gen Anil Chauhan has made the startling comment that costs don’t matter, outcomes do. He was answering questions from Bloomberg in Singapore about the...
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A silent triumph or strategic gamble?
28 May 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
Modi pauses war, raises stakes
14 May 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
The endless war for Kashmir
30 April 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
Saluting the Gorkha spirit
16 April 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
Nepal: The struggle to restore monarchy
02 April 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
Nepal’s monarchy debate reignites
19 March 2025 | Ashok K Mehta -
Russia China help Junta hold the fort
05 March 2025 | Ashok K Mehta
Bangladesh wipes out history, shuns India at its own peril
With opposition forces emboldened, Bangladesh appears to be at a turning point, grappling with a shifting political landscape and growing internal discord As a Mukti Jodha (freedom fighter – that’s what Bangladeshis call Indian Army personnel who fought the Liberation War), I’m appalled at the recent turn of events, the mayhem...
Imbuing warrior ethos through strength
In Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh enjoys the optics of seniority, but not necessarily the authority that should come with it In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is de jure numero uno. He sits next to him at meetings and in Parliament and like most...
Why new generation may force change in Thai politics
The nation grapples with economic challenges, political turbulence and the enduring influence of its old guard monarchy-military alliance The tourist-undiscovered jewel is Siracha in the Gulf of Thailand, 90 km southeast of Bangkok and 30 km north of Pattaya. Ascott Group’s Oakwood Hotel is your strategic compass to assimilate Siracha as...
India’s Gorkha Brigade: A legacy at crossroads
The iconic Gorkha Brigade faces an uncertain future with the freeze on Nepal domiciled Gorkha recruitment under the Agnipath scheme The press and media are flooded with stories about Nepal Domiciled Gorkha soldiers and their imperiled future in the Indian Army under the Agnipath scheme. With the last NDG in India’s...
India recalibrates Myanmar strategy
The stakes are high for India, balancing its Act East policy, border security and competition with China, all against the backdrop of a fractured Myanmar After four years of civil war in Myanmar, India has quietly changed its policy towards the Junta from one of total and unfailing support following its...
Philippines confronts Chinese assertiveness
The South China Sea remains a flashpoint of escalating tensions as China intensifies its aggressive maritime activities, targeting nations like the Philippines CNS Admiral Dinesh Tripathi during his customary briefing of media before Navy Day last week expressed concern about Chinese maritime activities in the South China Sea, all of which China claims....
K P Sharma Oli walks a tightrope on China
Will Oli’s stance on the BRI and his decision to prioritise China over India define his political legacy or deepen Nepal’s internal divides? In Kathmandu, I observed that Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli’s visit to China has become a hot potato in the chilly Kathmandu valley. The China visit is being...
