Geopolitics, Strategy & Technological Rivalries

The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since may 2020. The tension escalated manifold after a violent clash in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to …

Cyber warfare has developed into a more sophisticated type of combat between countries, where you can destroy critical infrastructure such as power, telecommunications or banking by damaging the computer systems that control those infrastructures. It’s widely acknowledged that offensive cyberattacks will be a necessary component of any future military campaign, …

Traditional navies as well as maritime terrorists can and have used mines and underwater improvised explosive devices (UWIEDs) to challenge military and commercial uses of the seas. More than thirty countries produce mines, and twenty countries export them. Iran has reportedly laid several thousand naval mines, North Korea’s 50,000, China 100,000 or so, and Russia …

The Fourth Industrial Revolution describes a dramatic step change in all of our lives. The confluence of high internet speeds, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) will fundamentally alter the way we live and work, intelligently connecting virtually every device, making our cities smarter …

India shares a 3,323km land border with Pakistan, and an even longer 3,488km border with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and has territorial disputes with both countries over the ownership of the Northern State of Kashmir and the North Eastern State of Arunachal Pradesh, respectively. Indian military planners consider …

Emerging quantum technology applications will present substantial opportunities for economic growth, improving productivity and creating new jobs in the coming decades. Quantum technologies – which are powered by incredible advancements in quantum physics research – could accelerate drug and materials development, enhance national security, increase productive mineral exploration and improve …

Small modular reactors (SMRs) defined as nuclear reactors generally 300MWe equivalent or less. SMRs have generated global interest, and potential future applications are a subject of international research directives.  Their are around 50 different SMR designs worldwide according to the IAEA.  Project proposals include use of SMRs for desalination, process …

Currently, the most advanced and promising (actively developed by big companies such as Google, IBM, Intel, etc.) platform for future quantum computing and simulations is superconducting circuits. These typically consist of thin film layers of superconducting materials and Josephson junctions comprising altogether a network of resonators and qubits. They interact …

Indian Defense Ministry report had warned of the “grave threat” posed by the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean. It suggested that China is widening its orbit of patrols beyond Chinese waters to jockey for control of highly sensitive sea lanes. In mid-2016, Indian naval officials said they were sighting Chinese …

In 2015, the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC, China) Ministry of National Defense published its military strategy which highlighted the increasing importance of maritime dominance stating that “the traditional mentality that land outweighs sea must be abandoned, and great importance has to be attached to managing the seas and oceans …