- Subtotal:
- $130.00
Fauji Compendiums
44 Squadron, IAF
Raised by Group Captain Trilok Nath Ghadiok in Chandigarh in April 1961. The 44 Squadron was equipped with Soviet …
IDF
Israel Defence Forces
Singh, Anita Inder
Founding Professor, Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, New Delhi
MAGA
Make America Great Again
Cantt
Cantonment
Kumar, MV Suchindra, Lt Gen
Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar was commissioned into 1 Assam Regiment in June 1985. He has commanded 59 Rashtriya …
NLAW
Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon
Flying Coffin
The first MiG- 21 crash took place near Chandigarh in December 1963 when two of the aircraft collided mid-air …
INS Agray
Launched in Kolkata on 13 Mar 2024
POELR
Petty Officer Electrical Radio (rank in the Indian Navy)
The First Supersonics
see: 28 Squadron, IAF
CHERA
Chief Engine Room Artificer (rank, Indian Navy)
ESM
Ex-Servicemen
NLOS
Non-line-of-sight
Line-of-sight (LOS)
- In case of wireless transmission, an unobstructed path between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This path can be either …
LOS
Line-of-sight
INS Akshay
Launched in Kolkata on 13 Mar 2024
ACO
Allied Command Operations
PoP
Passing Out Parade
POELAR
Petty Officer Electrical, Anti-submarine warfare, and Radar
Battle of Walong
The Battle of Walong, fought in Arunachal Pradesh, was a major engagement during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and it …
Bipin bell
A bell placed in honor of former Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat at the Shree Muktinath temple …
SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Trishul link
An IFF system used by the Indian military. See Vayulink for more details.
The General in a Hurry
General K Sundarji
SATA
Surveillance and Target Acquisition
Ruperts
Stuffed sackcloth paratroopers dropped to confuse the Germans on D-Day in World War II as part of deception in …
SATA Regiment
SATA is an acronym for Surveillance and Target Acquisition. SATA regiments are part of the Corps of Artillery in …
CO
Commanding Officer
CCSOW
Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings
NCIIPC
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT)
see Allied Command Transformation (ACT) for details
2IC
Second in Command
Allied Command Operations (ACO)
It is one of the two strategic commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the other being Allied …
Council of Books in Wartime
1942-1946. An American non-profit founded by booksellers, publishers, librarians, authors, and others, in the spring of 1942 to channel …
The Concept of Distinction
The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the concept of distinction as requiring combatants to distinguish …
Choke Points
Choke points refer to narrow, strategic passages or channels in maritime or land areas that have significant geopolitical or …
Dostoevsky, Fyodor
Dostoevsky’s exploration of the darker aspects of the human psyche and the complexity of individual choice makes this work …
ADJT
Adjutant
SAMA
Situational Awareness Module for the Army
Sylvanus Thayer Award
The Sylvanus Thayer Award is an honor given annually by the United States Military Academy at West Point to …
Munich Security Conference
The Munich Security Conference is the world’s largest security conference.
AIDSS
Army Information and Decision Support System
QM
Quarter Master
ACT
Allied Command Transformation
CSI
Combat Studies Institute, Fort Leavenworth, USA
Coy Comd
Company Commander
courier sortie
A mission in which an aircraft is used to transport people, cargo, or important documents from one location …
Zapfenstreich (A Grand Tattoo)
The Zapfenstreich ( A Grand Tattoo) is the most important ceremony in the tradition of Germany’s Armed Forces; it …
RDX
Research Department eXplosive
SM
Subedar Major
Nair Army
A militia that was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore, and saw action …
MH
Military Hospital
MS
Military Secretary
SACEUR
Supreme Allied Commander Europe
SACLANT
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
HIMARS
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems
Sumdorong Chu Standoff
In 1986-87, a military standoff occurred between India and China in the Sumdorong Chu Valley, which borders the Tawang …
MS Branch
Military Secretary Branch
NCMRWF
National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
AWS Snowball Edge
An extremely durable, portable piece of hardware from Amazon, the AWS Snowball Edge is capable of petabyte-scale data transport …
Bhaskar, C Uday
Director, Society for Policy Studies
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. The compound's …
HAL Dhruv
Indigenous utility helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
Snowball Edge
see: AWS Snowball Edge
GIS
Geographical Information System
JAG
Judge Advocate General
Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON)
The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. For security reasons, …
JA
Judge Advocate
SACT
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is the military of Israel, comprising ground, air, and naval forces. Established in 1948, …
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT)
The Allied Command Transformation (ACT), a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), intended to lead the …
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is an independent think tank engaged in cutting-edge defence and security research. A …
RP Havildar
Regimental Pay Havildar
Shagfu, Li, General (PLA, China)
Took over as China's Defence Minister on 12-Mar-23
Instrument of Surrender of Germany
This instrument of surrender was signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims by General Alfred Jodl, Chief …
Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment (MMME)
High mobility vehicles equipped with advanced systems aimed at reducing the time required for marking minefields during military operations. …
Steavenson, Wendell (War Correspondent)
Wendell Steavenson has reported on post-Soviet Georgia, the Iraq war and the Egyptian revolution. She is an American journalist …
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr are the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany, divided into a military part (armed forces …
Int Havildar
Intelligence Havildar
Asafwala
see: War Memorial Asafwala
Non-line-of-sight (NLOS)
- In wireless terminology, it means that there are obstacles or obstructions between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This can …
War Memorial Asafwala
Built near the Indo-Pak border in Asafwala village of the Fazilka district of Punjab in homage to those who …
Hazari, Lieutenant General KK
War planner. Wrote about the need for a new armoured strategy to decisively defeat Pakistan after the 1971 Indo-Pak …
UHQ
Unit Headquarters
Chetak
See HAL Chetak
coup d'oeil
A phrase used by Napolean to refer to that glance of the eye across a piece of terrain that …
Perfidy
The state of being deceitful and untrustworthy. Perfidy is a war crime, as under international humanitarian law (ihl), which …
28 Squadron, IAF
Equipped with the first lot of MiG- 21 (F-13 type) aircraft in the IAF, 28 Squadron was raised in …
Mohan, C Raja
Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Delhi--a division of the Asia Society India Centre in Mumbai.
SOWW
Sons of War Widow
fingerspitzengefuehl
(German) The instinctive sense of matching terrain with doctrine and weaponry.
Chatham House Rule
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the …
SOW
Sons of Widow
Sepoy Mutiny
The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Mutiny or the First War of Independence, marked a significant turning …
Integrated Battlefield Surveillance and Intelligence Centres
Being developed by the Indian Army. They will get feeds from a wide array of sensors ranging from satellites …
Rao, General KV Krishna
General Krishna Rao was appointed as chief of army staff on 1 June 1981, and served in that …
SAAB NLAW
The SAAB NLAW (Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) is a man-portable, shoulder-launched, disposable anti-tank weapon developed by the Swedish …
SOS
Sons of Serving Soldier
sensor-shooter grid
A military concept that refers to the coordination of sensors and shooters in a battlefield environment.
Sensors are …
Bharat Electronics Limited
Running Project Sanjay for the Indian Army to establish Integrated Battlefield Surveillance and Intelligence Centres.
China Satellite Networks Limited
Setup in 2021, it is tasked with developing satellite internet for China
Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House)
On the sidelines of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the British diplomat Lionel Curtis advocated the creation of …
SOS
Save our Souls
Vayulink
An indigenously-developed Identify-Friend-or-Foe (IFF) system used by the Indian Armed Forces. The Vayulink system has been developed by Wing …
ACCCCS
Artillery Combat, Command, Control and Communication System
Magura V5 Sea Drone
Ukrainian multi-purpose unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is designed for a variety of maritime tasks, including surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling, search …
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally …
Mischief Island
One of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands …
JADC2
Joint All Domain Command and Control
Singh Aujla, Harjap
Harjap Aujla has dabbled in journalism, published books, is a self-confessed radio and movie buff, a romantic at heart …
Joint All Domain Command and Control
(JADC2). U.S. military's concept which seeks to integrate and synchronize military operations across all domains, including land, sea, air, …
Subi Reefs
Part of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands …
RAPIDs
Reorganized Army Plains Infantry Divisions
A&N
Andaman & Nicobar
Nakai, Aparjeet
Aparjeet Nakai delves into the heart of the societal schism that afflicts Indian immigrant communities, especially in Canada, Australia, …
ANI
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Andaman & Nicobar
India's strategically located island territories in the Bay of Bengal comprising a group of 572 islands. They are closer …
GWOT
Global War on Terrorism
Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)
The war on terror, officially called the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), was a global counterterrorism military campaign initiated …
Philipps, David
David Philipps is an award-winning national correspondent for The New York Times, where he writes about the military. His …
Chicken's Neck
There are two places in India that are known as Chicken's Neck.
The first, also called the Akhnoor Dagger, is …
cantonment
(cantt). Military-civilian townships first set up by the British. The first cantonment came up in Barrackpore, West Bengal, in …
FUBAR
Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
military cantonment
see cantonment
Lubyanka
A building that headquarters the Federal Security Service (FSB), and its affiliated prison, on Lubyanka Square in Moscow. It …
HMX
The compound's name is the subject of much speculation, having been variously listed as High Melting Explosive, High-velocity Military …
Siliguri Corridor
Also known as Chicken's Neck, it is a narrow passage to India's eight northeastern states around the city of …
Mukerji, Dhan Gopal
Dhan Gopal Mukerji's heartfelt storytelling celebrates Indian wildlife and culture, making it a timeless treasure for readers of all …
Jaishankar, Subrahmanyam
India's External Affairs Minister (EAM), a former top diplomat and India's ambassador to both Washington and Beijing.
ACLANT
Allied Command Atlantic
Council for Strategic and Defense Research
New Delhi-based think tank co-founded by Lieutenant General DS Hooda, former Northern Army Commander,
SCALP-EG
see Storm Shadow
Pritchard, Melissa
Melissa Pritchard, an American short story writer, novelist, essayist, and journalist, has engaged in war journalism in Afghanistan. She …
DOTMLPF-P
Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities and Policy
Allied Command Transformation (ACT)
It is a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), formed in 2003 after restructuring. It was …
Storm-Z Squads
Russian penal units deployed in the Ukraine war.
BOM
Bogie Open Military
MMME
Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment
Nair Brigade
see Nair Army
Nair Pattalam
see Nair Army
UNEF
United Nations Emergency Force
Lieutenant General Prem Singh Gyani
to Regiment of Artillery. Commander of UNEF in Gaza from December 1959 to January 1964.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)
The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) Allied Command Operations …
Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA)
'A non-partisan, autonomous body dedicated to objective research and policy relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security. …
Society for Policy Studies (SPS)
The Society for Policy Studies is a New Delhi-based independent think tank focused on India, its relations with the …
CERT-In
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
Bogie Open Military (BOM)
Specialised railway wagons used by the Indian military to transport troops and equipment.
Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (CPCS)
Founded in 2008, CPCS is a Cambodia-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation …
Dvipa Armour India Private Limited
Hyderabad-based Dvipa Armour India Private Limited, in collaboration with DRDO's Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune, has …
MINTSD
Military Intelligence Training School and Depot, Pune
Akhnoor Dagger
Also known as Chicken's Neck, it is a narrow piece of Pakistani territory jutting into India, south of Akhnoor. …
Bab al-Mandab Strait
The Bab al-Mandab, also known as the Gate of Grief or the Gate of Tears, is a strait located …
INS India
Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, which houses the offices of the Chief of Naval Staff
Hudson Institute
Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions through interdisciplinary …
IAI
Israel Aerospace Industries
Fiery Cross
One of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands …
Lop Nur
Lop Nur is a sprawling military base, roughly the land mass of Virginia, in the arid Xinjiang region of …
Israel Aerospace Industries
Makers of the UAVs Heron and Eitan, sea-to-sea missile Gabriel, Nesher fighter aircraft, Kfir Fighter-bomber, Ofek satellites, the anti-ballistic …
Behr, Edward
Author of Anyone Here Been Raped and Speaks English? (Hodder & Stoughton; out of print). Published in America as …
Strait of Malacca
The Malacca Strait, spanning 500 miles (800 kilometers) in length and ranging from 40 to 155 miles (65–250 kilometers) …
Niskanen Center
Named “The Most Interesting Think Tank in America” by TIME Magazine in 2023, The Niskanen Center is a nonprofit …
War on the Rocks
War on the Rocks is a platform for analysis and debate on strategy, defence, and foreign affairs. It features …
Battle of Chamb
The Battle of Chamb took place during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Before the battle, India had control of …
United Nations
The United Nations was formally established with the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945 in San …
Obligation of Proportionality
The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the legal obligation of proportionality as requiring “commanders to …
Order of the Day for June 6, 1944
General Dwight D. Eisenhower issued this order to encourage Allied soldiers taking part in the D-day invasion. The order …
Battle for Imphal
A fierce confrontation that took place between the Japanese Army and the Allied forces in July 1944 as part …
Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island was reclaimed from Kochi Lake to aid the construction of the Port of Kochi in 1936. A …
INA Monument, Singapore
Located within Esplanade Park, Singapore, the Indian National Army (INA) monument is one of the eleven World War II …
2nd Submarine Base (PLAN)
Located at Yalong Bay in Sanya, Hainan Province, it is equipped with nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) that operate in …
Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare (CI&JW) School, SSB
Located in Uttarakhand's Gwaldam in Chamoli district., it runs the only commando training course for the Seema Sashastra Bal …
Reims
General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters, where the Instrument of Surrender of Germany was signed by General Alfred …
Jodl, General Alfred
The Instrument of Surrender of Germany was signed by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army …
Yalong Bay
Home to PLAN's 2nd Submarine Base at Sanya, it falls in the Hainan province of China.
Bali, Neeraj
Major General Neeraj Bali, Sena Medal (retd) is an Indian Army veteran with extensive operational experience. He notably commanded …
Qingdao
Home to the Northern Theatre Command Navy, China, it falls in the Shandong Province.
Flag State
The term "flag state" refers to the country under whose flag a ship is registered or licensed. This country …
Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal
On 15 August 2022, PM Narendra Modi announced the Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal.
- First Pran - Goal …
CL-20
CL-20 is hailed as one of the most explosive non-nuclear substances on Earth. In comparison to commonly used explosives …
Battle of Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee, also known as the Wounded Knee Massacre, is the most fatal mass shooting in …
Antebellum
existing before a war, especially, existing before the American Civil War
Junta
a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force
Thermobaric weapon
A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb or a vacuum bomb, is a type of explosive munitions that …
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz acts as a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It …
Jolly, Manik M.
Major Manik M Jolly (Retd), SM is a decorated veteran of the Gorkha Regiment and Military Intelligence. He has …
Kola Peninsula
Serving as Russia’s Northern Fleet headquarters, the Kola Peninsula is a crucial location for Russia's military establishment in the …
Gadzhiyevo Submarine Base
see Kola Peninsula
Okolnaya Submarine Support Base
One of several strategically important Russian Navy submarine bases and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) storage and loading facilities on …
Severomorsk-1
The Severomorsk-1 air base, situated on the Kola Peninsula, played a crucial role during World War II and the …
LLM-105
LLM-105 was first produced at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1995.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
IHL aims to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting those who are not participating in hostilities (such …
IHL
International Humanitarian Law
Boeing E-3 Sentry
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are …
Office of Naval Research
Established on 1 August 1946 and authorized under Public Law 588, the Office of Naval Research has pioneered the …
HAL Tejas
Indigenous multirole light fighter, flown by the Indian Navy
Boeing P-8I
US origin ASW / patrol, flown by the Indian Navy
Britten-Norman BN-2B/2T
UK origin utility / patrol aircraft, flown by the Indian Navy
BAE Hawk
UK origin Jet trainer, flown by the Indian Navy
Dornier Do 228
German surveillance aircraft, flown by the Indian Navy
Falcon 9
A partially reusable rocket used by SpaceX to launch satellites.
Westland Sea King Mk.42B/C
UK origin SAR / utility helicopter, six are UH-3H variants, flown by the Indian Navy
HAL Chetak
French origin liaison / utility helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
HAL Kiran
Indigenous Jet trainer, flown by the Indian Navy
Reaper
See MQ-9 Reaper
Starlink
A mega-constellation of over 4,000 satellites, run by SpaceX, designed to provide off-grid high-bandwitdth internet access. Starlink has been …
INS Sahyadri
Guided Missile Frigate
IAI Heron 1
Israeli surveillance UAV flown by the Indian Navy. The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle …
IAI Searcher Mk. I / II
Israeli surveillance UAV, flown by the Indian Navy
INS Imphal
INS Imphal is the third ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth-guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. Imphal has the …
Kamov Ka-31
Russian origin AEW&C, employs a Planar array radar, flown by the Indian Navy
Kamov Ka-28
Russian ASW helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
MiG-29K
Russian multirole, 9 KUB variants provide conversion training, flown by the Indian Navy
MQ-9 Reaper
US made surveillance UAV, flown by the Indian Navy
IHRL
International Human Rights Law
International Human Rights Law (IHRL)
IHRL seeks to ensure the protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms for individuals at all times--in …
RDX
Powerful explosive, discovered by Georg Friedrich Henning of Germany and patented in 1898 but not used until World War …
Mista’arvim
Mista'arvim is the name given to certain units in the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Border Police, and Israel Police …
MSS
Ministry of State Security (China)
Dreadnought-class
The Dreadnought class is the future replacement for the Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines. Like their predecessors, they …
Conflict Armament Research
Established in 2011, Conflict Armament Research generates unique evidence on weapon supplies into armed conflicts in order to inform …
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
"Lawrence Livermore’s defining responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent. The Laboratory’s enduring …
CASD
Continuous At-Sea Deterrent
Vanguard-class
The Vanguard class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The …
Task Force 17
America’s Joint Special Operations Command established a secretive group, Task Force 17, to go after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard …
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
From their website: For 65 years, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has helped to shape the strategic …
Capita
An outsourcing contractor for the British Army that uses call centres to interview potential recruits.
Zamir, Zvi
A former director of Mossad who oversaw a program of covert assassinations and died on 2 January 2024, aged …
AESA
Active Electronically Scanned Array (radar)
Falklands War
The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British-dependent …
West, Gladys
Mathematician and programmer Gladys West began her career at the Naval Proving Ground (Naval Surface Warfare Center) in 1956. …
DEFCON
Defense Readiness Condition (US)
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–06) was a US military expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark …
Challenger 3
Challenger 3 (CR3) is a planned British main battle tank in development for the British Army. It will be …
CR3
Challenger 3, British Main Battle Tank
Yadav, Kulpreet
A product of the Naval Officers’ Academy, Kulpreet Yadav spent two decades as an officer in uniform and successfully …
TacCIS
Tactical Communication and Information Systems
Morpheus
Morpheus is the name of the programme that will deliver the next-generation Tactical Communication and Information System (TacCIS) to …
Ajax
The Ajax, formerly known as the Scout SV (Specialist Vehicle), is a group of armoured fighting vehicles being developed …
BMC2
Battle Management Command and Control
Boeing E-7 Wedgetail
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next …
Storm Shadow
The Storm Shadow, known as SCALP-EG in France, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed collaboratively by France and …
Molland, Josette
A remarkable individual who passed away at the age of 100 in France on 17 February 2024, Josette Molland …
Triennial National Convention-Reunion of War Gallantry Award Recipients
The most recent was held in Chandigarh on March 16 and 17.
Dua, Lt Gen Satish
Lieutenant General SATISH DUA, PVSM, UYSM, SM, VSM, retired as the chief of Integrated Defence Staff in 2018. As …
Dhillon, Lt Gen KJS 'Tiny'
Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, PVSM, UYSM, YSM, VSM (Retd), an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, is …
Rawat, Rachna Bisht
Rachna Bisht Rawat is a journalist, writer, mom to a precocious twelve year old and gypsy wife to an …
Singh, Pankaj P
Pankaj P Singh is a software engineer turned entrepreneur working in the “Book Industry” for the last twenty-six years. …
SM, Brigadier Jasbir Singh
Brigadier Jasbir Singh, SM was a retired Indian Army officer from the Kumaon Regiment. He was wounded during operations …
Singh, Navdeep
Major Navdeep Singh is a practicing advocate in the Punjab & Haryana High Court. He is the founder president …
Brar, Lieutenant General NS
Lieutenant General NS Brar was educated at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (erstwhile Prince of Wales Military College) Dehradun …
Base 37
Base 37 is a part of PLA Aerospace Force that specialises in tracking foreign objects and providing early warning …
Verma, Shiv Kunal
Born into an army family, Shiv Kunal Verma was shaped by a disciplined upbringing and an education at The …
Singh, Vikram Jit
Vikram Jit Singh is one of India's finest and bravest war correspondents who was working for The Indian Express …
Singh, Lt Gen KJ
Lt Gen KJ Singh superannuated in August, 2016 after 39 years of distinguished service. The General officer has commanded …
Cardozo, Ian
Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St Xavier’s School and College. In July 1954, …
Lidder, Geetika
Geetika Lidder is a fourth-generation member of the armed forces. A sapper’s daughter and an infantry officer’s wife, she …
44 Squadron, IAF
Raised by Group Captain Trilok Nath Ghadiok in Chandigarh in April 1961. The 44 Squadron was equipped with Soviet AN-12 transport aircraft and Captain Ghadiok commanded the squadron through the Sino-India conflict in October-November 1962.
IDF
Israel Defence Forces
Singh, Anita Inder
Founding Professor, Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, New Delhi
MAGA
Make America Great Again
Cantt
Cantonment
Kumar, MV Suchindra, Lt Gen
Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar was commissioned into 1 Assam Regiment in June 1985. He has commanded 59 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, an infantry brigade and an infantry division along the LoC. He was Corps Commander White Knight Corps, Additional Director General and later Director General Military Intelligence at Army …
NLAW
Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon
Flying Coffin
The first MiG- 21 crash took place near Chandigarh in December 1963 when two of the aircraft collided mid-air while practicing for the 1964 Republic Day parade. Over the years, the MiG-21 and its variants would be in the news for several crashes that killed hundreds of pilots, earning …
INS Agray
Launched in Kolkata on 13 Mar 2024
POELR
Petty Officer Electrical Radio (rank in the Indian Navy)
The First Supersonics
see: 28 Squadron, IAF
CHERA
Chief Engine Room Artificer (rank, Indian Navy)
ESM
Ex-Servicemen
NLOS
Non-line-of-sight
Line-of-sight (LOS)
- In case of wireless transmission, an unobstructed path between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This path can be either direct, such as in the case of a satellite link or a microwave link, or can involve reflection, such as in the case of a wireless link bouncing off a …
LOS
Line-of-sight
INS Akshay
Launched in Kolkata on 13 Mar 2024
ACO
Allied Command Operations
PoP
Passing Out Parade
POELAR
Petty Officer Electrical, Anti-submarine warfare, and Radar
Battle of Walong
The Battle of Walong, fought in Arunachal Pradesh, was a major engagement during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and it lasted from 14 to 16 November.
Bipin bell
A bell placed in honor of former Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat at the Shree Muktinath temple in Nepal. General Rawat had expressed his keen interest in visiting the temple many times.
SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Trishul link
An IFF system used by the Indian military. See Vayulink for more details.
The General in a Hurry
General K Sundarji
SATA
Surveillance and Target Acquisition
Ruperts
Stuffed sackcloth paratroopers dropped to confuse the Germans on D-Day in World War II as part of deception in war.
SATA Regiment
SATA is an acronym for Surveillance and Target Acquisition. SATA regiments are part of the Corps of Artillery in the Indian Army.
CO
Commanding Officer
CCSOW
Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings
NCIIPC
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre
Allied Command Atlantic (ACLANT)
see Allied Command Transformation (ACT) for details
2IC
Second in Command
Allied Command Operations (ACO)
It is one of the two strategic commands of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the other being Allied Command Transformation (ACT). The headquarters and commander of ACO is Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), respectively.
Council of Books in Wartime
1942-1946. An American non-profit founded by booksellers, publishers, librarians, authors, and others, in the spring of 1942 to channel the use of books as "weapons in the war of ideas" (the council's motto). It promoted the use of books to influence the thinking of the American people regarding World …
The Concept of Distinction
The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the concept of distinction as requiring combatants to distinguish “between combatants and military objectives on the one hand and civilians and civilian objects on the other in offense and defense.” Distinction requires soldiers to separate themselves from civilians by …
Choke Points
Choke points refer to narrow, strategic passages or channels in maritime or land areas that have significant geopolitical or economic importance due to their potential to control or restrict the movement of goods, resources, or military vessels. These points often represent critical junctions in transportation routes, such as canals, …
Dostoevsky, Fyodor
Dostoevsky’s exploration of the darker aspects of the human psyche and the complexity of individual choice makes this work timeless, resonating with readers who seek to understand the deeper currents of existential thought. The novella’s influence extends beyond literature, inspiring philosophers like Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus, who grappled with …
ADJT
Adjutant
SAMA
Situational Awareness Module for the Army
Sylvanus Thayer Award
The Sylvanus Thayer Award is an honor given annually by the United States Military Academy at West Point to an individual whose character and accomplishments exemplifies the motto of West Point. The award is named after the 'Father of the Military Academy,' Colonel Sylvanus Thayer.
Munich Security Conference
The Munich Security Conference is the world’s largest security conference.
AIDSS
Army Information and Decision Support System
QM
Quarter Master
ACT
Allied Command Transformation
CSI
Combat Studies Institute, Fort Leavenworth, USA
Coy Comd
Company Commander
courier sortie
A mission in which an aircraft is used to transport people, cargo, or important documents from one location to another. Couriers are responsible for transporting sensitive materials, such as classified documents or valuable items, between military installations, government agencies, or other designated locations.
During a courier sortie, the …
Zapfenstreich (A Grand Tattoo)
The Zapfenstreich ( A Grand Tattoo) is the most important ceremony in the tradition of Germany’s Armed Forces; it consists of two armed platoons of the Guard Battalion, a military band, pipes and drums, and two lines of soldiers carrying torches, in total about 400 men.
RDX
Research Department eXplosive
SM
Subedar Major
Nair Army
A militia that was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore, and saw action in the Battle of Colachel by defeating the Dutch forces. The army was made up of soldiers from Nair warrior clans. However, after the 1940s, non-Nairs were permitted to join. …
MH
Military Hospital
MS
Military Secretary
SACEUR
Supreme Allied Commander Europe
SACLANT
Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
HIMARS
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems
Sumdorong Chu Standoff
In 1986-87, a military standoff occurred between India and China in the Sumdorong Chu Valley, which borders the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh and the Cona County in Tibet. The dispute arose from differences in their views on the ownership of the region. In 1962, China had attacked India …
MS Branch
Military Secretary Branch
NCMRWF
National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting
AWS Snowball Edge
An extremely durable, portable piece of hardware from Amazon, the AWS Snowball Edge is capable of petabyte-scale data transport with on-board storage and dense compute capabilities. It was engineered to perform in the world’s most extreme environments, including warzones at the tactical edge, in a secure and transportable fashion. …
Bhaskar, C Uday
Director, Society for Policy Studies
HMX
HMX, also called octogen, is a powerful and relatively insensitive nitroamine high explosive, chemically related to RDX. The compound's name is the subject of much speculation, having been variously listed as High Melting Explosive, High-velocity Military Explosive, or High-Molecular-weight RDX. HMX is more complicated to manufacture than most explosives, …
HAL Dhruv
Indigenous utility helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
Snowball Edge
see: AWS Snowball Edge
GIS
Geographical Information System
JAG
Judge Advocate General
Defense Readiness Condition (DEFCON)
The defense readiness condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. For security reasons, the US military does not announce a DEFCON level to the public.
The DEFCON system was developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and unified and specified combatant commands. …
JA
Judge Advocate
SACT
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is the military of Israel, comprising ground, air, and naval forces. Established in 1948, shortly after the creation of the State of Israel, the IDF's primary objectives are to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Israel, deter potential adversaries, and, if necessary, defeat …
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT)
The Allied Command Transformation (ACT), a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), intended to lead the military transformation of alliance forces and capabilities, underwent a change when France rejoined the NATO Military Command Structure in mid-2009--the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) became a French officer. The …
Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is an independent think tank engaged in cutting-edge defence and security research. A unique institution founded in 1831 by the Duke of Wellington, RUSI embodies nearly two centuries of forward-thinking, free discussion, and careful reflection on defence and security matters.
RUSI is …
RP Havildar
Regimental Pay Havildar
Shagfu, Li, General (PLA, China)
Took over as China's Defence Minister on 12-Mar-23
Instrument of Surrender of Germany
This instrument of surrender was signed at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army. The unconditional surrender of the German Third Reich was signed in the early morning hours of Monday, 7 May 1945, at Supreme Headquarters, Allied …
Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment (MMME)
High mobility vehicles equipped with advanced systems aimed at reducing the time required for marking minefields during military operations.
Steavenson, Wendell (War Correspondent)
Wendell Steavenson has reported on post-Soviet Georgia, the Iraq war and the Egyptian revolution. She is an American journalist and was a 2014 Nieman Fellow. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Financial Times, Guardian, Prospect magazine, Slate, Economist, and Granta.
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr are the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany, divided into a military part (armed forces or Streitkräfte) and a civil part, the military part consisting of the German Army, the German Navy, the German Air Force, the Joint Support Service, the Joint Medical Service, and …
Int Havildar
Intelligence Havildar
Asafwala
see: War Memorial Asafwala
Non-line-of-sight (NLOS)
- In wireless terminology, it means that there are obstacles or obstructions between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This can include buildings, hills, or other structures that block the direct path between the antennas. NLOS communications can be more difficult to establish and maintain, as the signal can be weakened …
War Memorial Asafwala
Built near the Indo-Pak border in Asafwala village of the Fazilka district of Punjab in homage to those who made the supreme sacrifice in the 1971 War.
Hazari, Lieutenant General KK
War planner. Wrote about the need for a new armoured strategy to decisively defeat Pakistan after the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
UHQ
Unit Headquarters
Chetak
See HAL Chetak
coup d'oeil
A phrase used by Napolean to refer to that glance of the eye across a piece of terrain that brings into focus all the tactician's knowledge and experience, and sets in motion a series of quick decisions concerning how and where to deploy forces.
Perfidy
The state of being deceitful and untrustworthy. Perfidy is a war crime, as under international humanitarian law (ihl), which governs how armies may wage war, it is illegal to kill or wound “treacherously”. Specifically, that covers “acts inviting the confidence of an adversary to lead him to believe that …
28 Squadron, IAF
Equipped with the first lot of MiG- 21 (F-13 type) aircraft in the IAF, 28 Squadron was raised in Chandigarh with Wing Commander (later Air Chief Marshal and Chief of Air Staff) Dilbagh Singh taking over its command on March 2, 1963. Named The First Supersonics' they retain that …
Mohan, C Raja
Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Delhi--a division of the Asia Society India Centre in Mumbai.
SOWW
Sons of War Widow
fingerspitzengefuehl
(German) The instinctive sense of matching terrain with doctrine and weaponry.
Chatham House Rule
When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. From Chatham House, the name of the building in …
SOW
Sons of Widow
Sepoy Mutiny
The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Mutiny or the First War of Independence, marked a significant turning point in Indian history. The rebellion began in Bengal and quickly spread to other cities such as Delhi, Agra, and Lucknow. The British had been imposing new rules that eroded …
Integrated Battlefield Surveillance and Intelligence Centres
Being developed by the Indian Army. They will get feeds from a wide array of sensors ranging from satellites and drones to radars and troops on the ground, to provide a composite operational picture for commanders on both the China and Pakistan fronts. Dozens of such centres will be …
Rao, General KV Krishna
General Krishna Rao was appointed as chief of army staff on 1 June 1981, and served in that capacity till July 1983. He was also chairman of the chiefs of staff committee, the highest appointment in the services, during March 1982 – July 1983.
SAAB NLAW
The SAAB NLAW (Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) is a man-portable, shoulder-launched, disposable anti-tank weapon developed by the Swedish defense company SAAB Bofors Dynamics.
SOS
Sons of Serving Soldier
sensor-shooter grid
A military concept that refers to the coordination of sensors and shooters in a battlefield environment.
Sensors are devices that detect and track targets, such as radar, sonar, and other electronic surveillance equipment. Shooters are the weapons systems, such as missiles, guns, and artillery, that are used to …
Bharat Electronics Limited
Running Project Sanjay for the Indian Army to establish Integrated Battlefield Surveillance and Intelligence Centres.
China Satellite Networks Limited
Setup in 2021, it is tasked with developing satellite internet for China
Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House)
On the sidelines of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the British diplomat Lionel Curtis advocated the creation of an institute for the study of international affairs to foster mutual understanding between nations and for the institute to propose solutions to the biggest challenges facing the world, leading to …
SOS
Save our Souls
Vayulink
An indigenously-developed Identify-Friend-or-Foe (IFF) system used by the Indian Armed Forces. The Vayulink system has been developed by Wing Commander Vishal Mishra, a helicopter pilot with the Indian Air Force (IAF and showcased by the IAF at the Aero India 2023 show in Bengaluru.
ACCCCS
Artillery Combat, Command, Control and Communication System
Magura V5 Sea Drone
Ukrainian multi-purpose unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is designed for a variety of maritime tasks, including surveillance, reconnaissance, patrolling, search and rescue, mine countermeasures, maritime security, and combat missions. Developed by the state-owned Ukrainian firm SpetsTechnoExport, the Magura V5 was first presented at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in …
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo that conducts the majority of the project through a joint holding company, Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug …
Mischief Island
One of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands have runways and harbours as well as guided-missile batteries, forming part of China's ambition to project power over a huge oceanic expanse. Some other islands include Fiery Cross and Subi …
JADC2
Joint All Domain Command and Control
Singh Aujla, Harjap
Harjap Aujla has dabbled in journalism, published books, is a self-confessed radio and movie buff, a romantic at heart and the wistful Indian from the cover.
Joint All Domain Command and Control
(JADC2). U.S. military's concept which seeks to integrate and synchronize military operations across all domains, including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.
Subi Reefs
Part of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands have runways and harbours as well as guided-missile batteries, forming part of China's ambition to project power over a huge oceanic expanse. Some other islands include Mischief and Fiery Cross.
RAPIDs
Reorganized Army Plains Infantry Divisions
A&N
Andaman & Nicobar
Nakai, Aparjeet
Aparjeet Nakai delves into the heart of the societal schism that afflicts Indian immigrant communities, especially in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. He meticulously unravels the roots of discrimination and seeks pathways to bridge the gap. Through insightful interviews on both sides of the divide, Nakai presents …
ANI
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Andaman & Nicobar
India's strategically located island territories in the Bay of Bengal comprising a group of 572 islands. They are closer to Southeast Asia than to peninsular India.
GWOT
Global War on Terrorism
Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)
The war on terror, officially called the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), was a global counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the 11 September attacks and spanned multiple wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. The main targets of the campaign were militant Islamist and …
Philipps, David
David Philipps is an award-winning national correspondent for The New York Times, where he writes about the military. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Seattle Times, among other publications. His military coverage won a Pulitzer Prize for national …
Chicken's Neck
There are two places in India that are known as Chicken's Neck.
The first, also called the Akhnoor Dagger, is a narrow strip of land on the India-Pakistan border. For details, see Akhnoor Dagger
The other, also known as the Siliguri Corridor, is a narrow passage to India's eight northeastern …
cantonment
(cantt). Military-civilian townships first set up by the British. The first cantonment came up in Barrackpore, West Bengal, in 1765, and there are currently 62 cantonments in India. The purpose of the cantonment was to provide the support structure to military establishments like schools, bazaars, recreation areas, etc. They …
FUBAR
Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition
military cantonment
see cantonment
Lubyanka
A building that headquarters the Federal Security Service (FSB), and its affiliated prison, on Lubyanka Square in Moscow. It previously headquartered the KGB as well.
HMX
The compound's name is the subject of much speculation, having been variously listed as High Melting Explosive, High-velocity Military Explosive, or High-Molecular-weight RDX.
Siliguri Corridor
Also known as Chicken's Neck, it is a narrow passage to India's eight northeastern states around the city of Siliguri. It is about 60 kms in length but only 22 kms in width at its narrowest point, plain terrain not interspersed with any natural obstacle. The countries of Nepal …
Mukerji, Dhan Gopal
Dhan Gopal Mukerji's heartfelt storytelling celebrates Indian wildlife and culture, making it a timeless treasure for readers of all ages. Immerse yourself in this delightful story that highlights the joys of childhood, the wonders of the natural world, and the enduring bonds that connect us all.
Jaishankar, Subrahmanyam
India's External Affairs Minister (EAM), a former top diplomat and India's ambassador to both Washington and Beijing.
ACLANT
Allied Command Atlantic
Council for Strategic and Defense Research
New Delhi-based think tank co-founded by Lieutenant General DS Hooda, former Northern Army Commander,
SCALP-EG
see Storm Shadow
Pritchard, Melissa
Melissa Pritchard, an American short story writer, novelist, essayist, and journalist, has engaged in war journalism in Afghanistan. She embarked on this journey as an embedded journalist interviewing female soldiers in Afghanistan. Her experiences led her to encounter a young soldier named Ashton Goodman, whose story deeply impacted her. …
DOTMLPF-P
Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, Facilities and Policy
Allied Command Transformation (ACT)
It is a military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), formed in 2003 after restructuring. It was intended to lead the military transformation of alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force and new doctrines in order to improve the military effectiveness …
Storm-Z Squads
Russian penal units deployed in the Ukraine war.
BOM
Bogie Open Military
MMME
Mechanical Minefield Marking Equipment
Nair Brigade
see Nair Army
Nair Pattalam
see Nair Army
UNEF
United Nations Emergency Force
Lieutenant General Prem Singh Gyani
to Regiment of Artillery. Commander of UNEF in Gaza from December 1959 to January 1964.
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR)
The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is based at SHAPE in Casteau, Belgium. SACEUR is the second-highest military position within NATO, below …
Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA)
'A non-partisan, autonomous body dedicated to objective research and policy relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security. Its mission is to promote national and international security through the generation and dissemination of knowledge on defence and security-related issues.' (From their website.)
Society for Policy Studies (SPS)
The Society for Policy Studies is a New Delhi-based independent think tank focused on India, its relations with the world, its place in South Asia and the larger Indo-Pacific dynamic; its public policies and their strategic, security, economic, and social impact on its people and its geopolitics. Through its …
CERT-In
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
Bogie Open Military (BOM)
Specialised railway wagons used by the Indian military to transport troops and equipment.
Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (CPCS)
Founded in 2008, CPCS is a Cambodia-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation in Asia.
Recognising the wealth of peacebuilding knowledge and experience in the Asia region, the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS) was born from a desire to further strengthen, …
Dvipa Armour India Private Limited
Hyderabad-based Dvipa Armour India Private Limited, in collaboration with DRDO's Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune, has developed 'Ugram,' an advanced 7.62 x 51 mm calibre assault rifle, which caters to the operational needs of armed forces, paramilitary, and state police units. The rifle has an effective …
MINTSD
Military Intelligence Training School and Depot, Pune
Akhnoor Dagger
Also known as Chicken's Neck, it is a narrow piece of Pakistani territory jutting into India, south of Akhnoor. It is basically a small island between Chenab River and her subsidiary Chandra Bhaga covering about 170 Sq Kms.
Bab al-Mandab Strait
The Bab al-Mandab, also known as the Gate of Grief or the Gate of Tears, is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. This waterway serves as a connection between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, …
INS India
Naval Headquarters, New Delhi, which houses the offices of the Chief of Naval Staff
Hudson Institute
Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, energy, technology, culture, and law.
Hudson seeks to guide policymakers and global leaders in government and business through a robust program of publications, conferences, …
IAI
Israel Aerospace Industries
Fiery Cross
One of the artificial islands built by China in the South China Sea using dredgers. Some of these islands have runways and harbours as well as guided-missile batteries, forming part of China's ambition to project power over a huge oceanic expanse. Some other islands include Mischief and Subi Reefs.
Lop Nur
Lop Nur is a sprawling military base, roughly the land mass of Virginia, in the arid Xinjiang region of China’s far west. China conducted its first underground nuclear test there in 1969, and the area was chosen for nuclear tests because it was so barren and isolated, without any …
Israel Aerospace Industries
Makers of the UAVs Heron and Eitan, sea-to-sea missile Gabriel, Nesher fighter aircraft, Kfir Fighter-bomber, Ofek satellites, the anti-ballistic missile Arrow, the Barak naval defence system, the Green Pine radar, the super Dvora high-speed patrol boats among others
Behr, Edward
Author of Anyone Here Been Raped and Speaks English? (Hodder & Stoughton; out of print). Published in America as Bearings: A Foreign Correspondent’s Life Behind the Lines.
Behr was a British reporter for Time after the Second World War. Whereas many memoirs depict war correspondents in a heroic light, …
Strait of Malacca
The Malacca Strait, spanning 500 miles (800 kilometers) in length and ranging from 40 to 155 miles (65–250 kilometers) wide, is situated between Sumatra in Indonesia to the southwest and the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) to the northeast. It serves as the crucial link connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian …
Niskanen Center
Named “The Most Interesting Think Tank in America” by TIME Magazine in 2023, The Niskanen Center is a nonprofit public policy organisation dedicated to strengthening liberal democratic governance and promoting widespread prosperity and opportunity.
Niskanen attempts to provide a constructive and optimistic response to the most daunting challenges Americans …
War on the Rocks
War on the Rocks is a platform for analysis and debate on strategy, defence, and foreign affairs. It features articles and podcasts produced by an array of writers with deep experience in these matters: top-notch scholars who study war, those who have served or worked in war zones, and …
Battle of Chamb
The Battle of Chamb took place during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Before the battle, India had control of the western sector, while the main objective of the Pakistan Army was to take control of the town of Chamb and the neighbouring regions that were strategically important for both …
United Nations
The United Nations was formally established with the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco.
The name United Nations originated with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941, when he described the countries fighting against the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy and Japan) in World War …
Obligation of Proportionality
The U.S. Army’s “Law of Land Warfare” field manual defines the legal obligation of proportionality as requiring “commanders to refrain from attacks in which the expected loss or injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects incidental to such attacks would be excessive in relation to the concrete and …
Order of the Day for June 6, 1944
General Dwight D. Eisenhower issued this order to encourage Allied soldiers taking part in the D-day invasion. The order was distributed to the 175,000-member expeditionary force on the eve of the invasion (Operation Overlord).
Battle for Imphal
A fierce confrontation that took place between the Japanese Army and the Allied forces in July 1944 as part of World War II. The Japanese were determined to destroy the Allied forces and make their way into India. But the outcome of the battle was not in their favor. …
Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island was reclaimed from Kochi Lake to aid the construction of the Port of Kochi in 1936. A small naval unit was set up at the location just two days prior to the outbreak of World War II. During the war, the rudimentary airstrip near the port was …
INA Monument, Singapore
Located within Esplanade Park, Singapore, the Indian National Army (INA) monument is one of the eleven World War II historic site markers erected in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. It stands on the site of the original memorial—dedicated to an unknown …
2nd Submarine Base (PLAN)
Located at Yalong Bay in Sanya, Hainan Province, it is equipped with nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) that operate in the South China Sea.
Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare (CI&JW) School, SSB
Located in Uttarakhand's Gwaldam in Chamoli district., it runs the only commando training course for the Seema Sashastra Bal (SSB).
Reims
General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters, where the Instrument of Surrender of Germany was signed by General Alfred Jodl, the Chief of Staff of the German Army, on 7 May 1945.
Jodl, General Alfred
The Instrument of Surrender of Germany was signed by General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the German Army at General Dwight D. Eisenhower's headquarters in Reims. For details, see Instrument of Surrender of Germany.
Yalong Bay
Home to PLAN's 2nd Submarine Base at Sanya, it falls in the Hainan province of China.
Bali, Neeraj
Major General Neeraj Bali, Sena Medal (retd) is an Indian Army veteran with extensive operational experience. He notably commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in anti-terrorist role and served as a security advisor to the Lesotho government in Africa. Maj Gen Bali led an Indian brigade during an Indo–US exercise. …
Qingdao
Home to the Northern Theatre Command Navy, China, it falls in the Shandong Province.
Flag State
The term "flag state" refers to the country under whose flag a ship is registered or licensed. This country is responsible for regulating and overseeing the vessel according to its laws, ensuring compliance with international regulations, safety standards, and environmental protocols. The flag state holds authority over the ship's …
Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal
On 15 August 2022, PM Narendra Modi announced the Panch Pran of Amrit Kaal.
- First Pran - Goal of Developed India
- Second Pran - Remove any trace of a colonial mindset
- Third Pran - Take pride in our roots
- Fourth Pran - Unity
- Fifth Pran - Sense of …
CL-20
CL-20 is hailed as one of the most explosive non-nuclear substances on Earth. In comparison to commonly used explosives like RDX and HMX, CL-20 boasts a higher energy output, making it an intriguing prospect for military applications. It was first synthesised in 1987. It was named after the base …
Battle of Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee, also known as the Wounded Knee Massacre, is the most fatal mass shooting in U.S. history, where almost 300 Lakota individuals were killed by U.S. Army soldiers. This tragic event, part of the Pine Ridge Campaign, took place on 20 December 1890, at Wounded …
Antebellum
existing before a war, especially, existing before the American Civil War
Junta
a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force
Thermobaric weapon
A thermobaric weapon, also called an aerosol bomb or a vacuum bomb, is a type of explosive munitions that work by dispersing an aerosol cloud of gas, liquid, or powdered explosive. Thermobaric weapons are almost 100% fuel and, as a result, are significantly more energetic than conventional explosives of …
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz acts as a narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It stands as the sole maritime route from the Persian Gulf to the wider open ocean and holds immense strategic significance, ranking among the most pivotal choke points globally.
Iran …
Jolly, Manik M.
Major Manik M Jolly (Retd), SM is a decorated veteran of the Gorkha Regiment and Military Intelligence. He has operated extensively in Kashmir in counterterrorist operations and also commanded an infantry company and counterintelligence detachments. He is also a defence and geopolitics expert and writes for many reputed publications.
Kola Peninsula
Serving as Russia’s Northern Fleet headquarters, the Kola Peninsula is a crucial location for Russia's military establishment in the western Arctic, hosting advanced conventional capabilities alongside its nuclear arsenal and second-strike capabilities. This strategic positioning allows Russia to defend its position in the Arctic and project power globally. The …
Gadzhiyevo Submarine Base
see Kola Peninsula
Okolnaya Submarine Support Base
One of several strategically important Russian Navy submarine bases and submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) storage and loading facilities on the Kola Peninsula, the Okolnaya submarine support base likely stores nuclear warheads. It has been associated with nuclear-armed SLBMs since the late 1950s. It appears to have played a role …
Severomorsk-1
The Severomorsk-1 air base, situated on the Kola Peninsula, played a crucial role during World War II and the Cold War, safeguarding the Soviet Union's northern flank and supporting naval operations. Alongside its sister bases, Severomorsk-2 and Severomorsk-3, it housed strategic bomber, strike, and patrol aircraft tasked with defending …
LLM-105
LLM-105 was first produced at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 1995.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
IHL aims to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting those who are not participating in hostilities (such as civilians and wounded soldiers) and by restricting and regulating the means and methods of warfare that combatants may use. It is primarily applicable in times of armed conflict, whether …
IHL
International Humanitarian Law
Boeing E-3 Sentry
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an American airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft developed by Boeing. E-3s are commonly known as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Derived from the Boeing 707 airliner, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control, and communications, and is used by the United States …
Office of Naval Research
Established on 1 August 1946 and authorized under Public Law 588, the Office of Naval Research has pioneered the public support of science and technology research that benefits both the naval services and the nation. From investments in the earliest computers to spearheading seminal research in deep-sea exploration to …
HAL Tejas
Indigenous multirole light fighter, flown by the Indian Navy
Boeing P-8I
US origin ASW / patrol, flown by the Indian Navy
Britten-Norman BN-2B/2T
UK origin utility / patrol aircraft, flown by the Indian Navy
BAE Hawk
UK origin Jet trainer, flown by the Indian Navy
Dornier Do 228
German surveillance aircraft, flown by the Indian Navy
Falcon 9
A partially reusable rocket used by SpaceX to launch satellites.
Westland Sea King Mk.42B/C
UK origin SAR / utility helicopter, six are UH-3H variants, flown by the Indian Navy
HAL Chetak
French origin liaison / utility helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
HAL Kiran
Indigenous Jet trainer, flown by the Indian Navy
Reaper
See MQ-9 Reaper
Starlink
A mega-constellation of over 4,000 satellites, run by SpaceX, designed to provide off-grid high-bandwitdth internet access. Starlink has been vital to Ukraine's war effort.
INS Sahyadri
Guided Missile Frigate
IAI Heron 1
Israeli surveillance UAV flown by the Indian Navy. The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Malat (UAV) division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations of up to 52 hours duration at up to …
IAI Searcher Mk. I / II
Israeli surveillance UAV, flown by the Indian Navy
INS Imphal
INS Imphal is the third ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth-guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. Imphal has the unique distinction of being the first warship to be named after a city in the Northeast.
Kamov Ka-31
Russian origin AEW&C, employs a Planar array radar, flown by the Indian Navy
Kamov Ka-28
Russian ASW helicopter, flown by the Indian Navy
MiG-29K
Russian multirole, 9 KUB variants provide conversion training, flown by the Indian Navy
MQ-9 Reaper
US made surveillance UAV, flown by the Indian Navy
IHRL
International Human Rights Law
International Human Rights Law (IHRL)
IHRL seeks to ensure the protection and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms for individuals at all times--in times of peace and during conflict. It covers a broad spectrum of rights, including civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
Certain rights may be derogated from in times of …
RDX
Powerful explosive, discovered by Georg Friedrich Henning of Germany and patented in 1898 but not used until World War II, when most of the warring powers introduced it. Relatively safe and inexpensive to manufacture, RDX was produced on a large scale in the United States by a secret process …
Mista’arvim
Mista'arvim is the name given to certain units in the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Border Police, and Israel Police that assimilate into local Arab populations to operate undercover while gathering intelligence or conducting law enforcement, hostage rescue, and counter-terrorism operations. The name is derived from the Arabic "Musta'arabi", meaning …
MSS
Ministry of State Security (China)
Dreadnought-class
The Dreadnought class is the future replacement for the Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines. Like their predecessors, they will carry Trident II D-5 missiles. The Vanguard submarines entered service in the United Kingdom in the 1990s with an intended service life of 25 years. Their replacement is necessary …
Conflict Armament Research
Established in 2011, Conflict Armament Research generates unique evidence on weapon supplies into armed conflicts in order to inform and support effective weapon management and control (from https://www.conflictarm.com/about-us/).
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
"Lawrence Livermore’s defining responsibility is ensuring the safety, security and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear deterrent. The Laboratory’s enduring ideals guide our mission-driven work while fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace culture. We apply cutting-edge science and technology to achieve breakthroughs in enterprise resilience and counterterrorism, defense and intelligence, …
CASD
Continuous At-Sea Deterrent
Vanguard-class
The Vanguard class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme, and comprises four vessels: Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance, built between 1986 and 1999 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers …
Task Force 17
America’s Joint Special Operations Command established a secretive group, Task Force 17, to go after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its elite Quds Force.
International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)
From their website: For 65 years, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has helped to shape the strategic agenda for governments, businesses, the media and experts across the world. We earn our revenue from the sale of our databases and publications, host-nation support for conferences, corporate sponsorship, research …
Capita
An outsourcing contractor for the British Army that uses call centres to interview potential recruits.
Zamir, Zvi
A former director of Mossad who oversaw a program of covert assassinations and died on 2 January 2024, aged 98.
AESA
Active Electronically Scanned Array (radar)
Falklands War
The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British-dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The conflict began on 2 April 1982, when Argentina invaded and …
West, Gladys
Mathematician and programmer Gladys West began her career at the Naval Proving Ground (Naval Surface Warfare Center) in 1956. Her work in determining the precise shape of the Earth and its orbits, as well as precise measurements of its surface, was critical in using satellites to identify precise locations …
DEFCON
Defense Readiness Condition (US)
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–06) was a US military expedition led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest. The expedition was a major chapter in the history of American exploration. The Lewis and Clark Expedition has been commemorated with …
Challenger 3
Challenger 3 (CR3) is a planned British main battle tank in development for the British Army. It will be produced by conversion of existing Challenger 2 tanks by the British/German Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land joint venture. The British Army is ordering 148 of them (source: The Economist)
CR3
Challenger 3, British Main Battle Tank
Yadav, Kulpreet
A product of the Naval Officers’ Academy, Kulpreet Yadav spent two decades as an officer in uniform and successfully commanded three ships in his career. Since his retirement as commandant from the Indian Coast Guard in 2014, he has authored several books in diverse genres, including military history, espionage …
TacCIS
Tactical Communication and Information Systems
Morpheus
Morpheus is the name of the programme that will deliver the next-generation Tactical Communication and Information System (TacCIS) to the British Armed Forces. It is pegged at £3.2bn (source: The Economist)
Ajax
The Ajax, formerly known as the Scout SV (Specialist Vehicle), is a group of armoured fighting vehicles being developed by General Dynamics UK for the British Army. With a contract value of over £5.5bn (source: The Economist), it has suffered serious development and production difficulties.
BMC2
Battle Management Command and Control
Boeing E-7 Wedgetail
The Boeing E-7 Wedgetail is a twin-engine airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the Boeing 737 Next Generation design. It is lighter than the 707-based Boeing E-3 Sentry, and has a fixed, active electronically scanned array radar antenna instead of a rotating one. It was designed for …
Storm Shadow
The Storm Shadow, known as SCALP-EG in France, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile developed collaboratively by France and the UK. It is a product of a partnership between Matra and British Aerospace, now manufactured by MBDA, a European defense company. The development of this missile began in 1994, …
Molland, Josette
A remarkable individual who passed away at the age of 100 in France on 17 February 2024, Josette Molland was a member of the French Resistance during World War II. Captured by the Gestapo, she endured the horrors of Nazi forced-labour camps for women, including Ravensbrück. Despite witnessing brutalities, …
Triennial National Convention-Reunion of War Gallantry Award Recipients
The most recent was held in Chandigarh on March 16 and 17.
Dua, Lt Gen Satish
Lieutenant General SATISH DUA, PVSM, UYSM, SM, VSM, retired as the chief of Integrated Defence Staff in 2018. As the Corps Commander in Srinagar, he planned and executed the surgical strikes in Kashmir in 2016. A counter-terrorism specialist from 8 JAKLI (Siachen), he has operated extensively in Jammu and …
Dhillon, Lt Gen KJS 'Tiny'
Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, PVSM, UYSM, YSM, VSM (Retd), an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, is a 1983-commissioned Infantry Officer (Rajputana Rifles). Popularly known as ‘Tiny’ Dhillon, he served extensively in counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operational areas of Kashmir and the North-east. During the most challenging environment …
Rawat, Rachna Bisht
Rachna Bisht Rawat is a journalist, writer, mom to a precocious twelve year old and gypsy wife to an army officer whose work has taken the Rawats to some of the quirkiest places in India. Rachna has written for publications such as the Statesman, Indian Express, Deccan Herald, Outlook, …
Singh, Pankaj P
Pankaj P Singh is a software engineer turned entrepreneur working in the “Book Industry” for the last twenty-six years. He and his wife together run The Browser, a bookstore and publishing house based in Chandigarh, and proudly serve numerous military formations across the country. Having ventured into publishing in …
SM, Brigadier Jasbir Singh
Brigadier Jasbir Singh, SM was a retired Indian Army officer from the Kumaon Regiment. He was wounded during operations behind enemy lines in East Pakistan (1971 war) and twice decorated for gallantry during operations. After having served for 34 years in the Army, he led a retired life in …
Singh, Navdeep
Major Navdeep Singh is a practicing advocate in the Punjab & Haryana High Court. He is the founder president of the Armed Forces Tribunal Bar Association at Chandigarh. He is a member of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War at Brussels and writes extensively …
Brar, Lieutenant General NS
Lieutenant General NS Brar was educated at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (erstwhile Prince of Wales Military College) Dehradun and was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1969. He superannuated as Colonel Commandant Regiment of Artillery and Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Staff after four decades of military service …
Base 37
Base 37 is a part of PLA Aerospace Force that specialises in tracking foreign objects and providing early warning of missiles. Base 37 has a role in space situational awareness and hosts a large centre that processes orbital data, indicating it is a critical Chinese hub for monitoring space …
Verma, Shiv Kunal
Born into an army family, Shiv Kunal Verma was shaped by a disciplined upbringing and an education at The Doon School and Madras Christian College. He began his career with Tiger Tops Mountain Travel before transitioning into journalism and filmmaking, working with India Today, the Associated Press, and Sanctuary …
Singh, Vikram Jit
Vikram Jit Singh is one of India's finest and bravest war correspondents who was working for The Indian Express in Srinagar since October 1997 when the Kargil War broke out. Having worked extensively with the Indian Army while reporting from their innermost cordons about Counter-insurgency Operations, he was given …
Singh, Lt Gen KJ
Lt Gen KJ Singh superannuated in August, 2016 after 39 years of distinguished service. The General officer has commanded Western Command, an operationally committed Corps in North East, an Armoured Division in the Strike Corps, a T-90 Armoured Brigade and an elite Armoured Regiment - 63 Cavalry. He was …
Cardozo, Ian
Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St Xavier’s School and College. In July 1954, he joined the Joint Services Wing which later became the National Defence Academy. Here he was the first cadet to win the gold medal for being the best all-round cadet, …
Lidder, Geetika
Geetika Lidder is a fourth-generation member of the armed forces. A sapper’s daughter and an infantry officer’s wife, she has welcomed life with open arms and takes in her stride the highs and lows it serves her.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Hardware from Fergusson College Pune …