Peace and Disarmament
TWO successive UN special rapporteurs on extrajudicial killings, summary or arbitrary executions, have said that use of drones by the US for targeted killings violates international law. Christof Heyns, the current UN special rapporteur said … Read moreDrones: Changing the Boundaries of War
The much awaited announcement of the winner in India’s medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) acquisition was finally made a fortnight ago, with the Rafale fighter from Dassault Aviation of France taking away the coveted deal. … Read moreRafale selected… now consolidation
When India rejected the two US contenders for its prestigious and much awaited $10 billion order for medium multi-role combat aircraft, many in the US raised shrill protests that India was not living up to … Read moreIndia Buys More US Weaponry
Last September, the UPA Government introduced the Nuclear Regulatory Authority Bill in the Lok Sabha and is currently before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology. The provisions in the Bill are such that … Read moreA Toothless Nuclear Safety Authority
Records, they say, are meant to be beaten. Those who had characterized India’s acquisition of 126 combat aircraft for around $10 billion, billed as the largest ever single military purchase, as the “mother of all … Read moreUS-Saudi-UAE Arms Deals: Strengthening US Security Net in the Gulf
THE Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Rules notified on November 11, 2011 does what the US government has been demanding of India – completely dilute the liability of the nuclear suppliers. This is in complete … Read moreNuclear Liability Act & its Rules: The Tail Wagging the Dog
WITH the new IAEA report on Iran, the international media is abuzz with reports of its gravity and the possibility of air strikes by the US, UK and Israel. The pitch has been raised further … Read moreNo Smoking Gun in IAEA Report on Iran Media Hype for Ratcheting up Pressure
On July 25, national dailies carried almost three full pages of the Haryana Government’s notification to acquire around 1400 acres of land mostly in the village of Gorakhpur in Fatehabad District, Haryana for setting up … Read moreHaryana Nuclear Power Plant: protests mount
India’s high profile and big ticket procurements of military hardware have been grabbing headlines of late, especially after the announcement of the short-list for the much awaited multi-role combat aircraft deal. These form part of … Read moreDefence Production Policy
Late last week India’s Ministry of Defence announced its much awaited short-list for the multi-billion dollar “mother of all deals” for acquisition of medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). Those closely following the acquisition process especially … Read moreMMRCA: mother of all short-lists
The article published in The Hindu (28 March 2011) on the Wikileaks cables focusing on the landmark Indo-US Agreement of June 2005 on a “New Framework for US-India Defence Relationship” as part of a wider … Read moreWikileaks and US-India Defence Agreement
ONLY the very foolish will argue that Fukushima’s near meltdown in three reactors and a fire in the fuel holding pond of the fourth does not warrant a re-look at the nuclear energy polices of … Read moreFukushima – Radioactive Cloud Over Nuclear Renaissance