INDIAN MILITARY POWER AND POLICY

This strategic analysis examines Indian military power and defense policy during the late 1980s, a period of significant transformation in South Asian security dynamics. The article explores the evolution of Indian military capabilities across army, navy, and air force branches and analyzes the doctrinal frameworks guiding Indian defense policy. The research investigates the relationship between military modernization and broader foreign policy objectives, including regional leadership aspirations and great power relations. The study examines Indian defense spending patterns, weapons acquisition strategies, and indigenous defense production efforts. The article assesses the impact of changing global dynamics, including the end of the Cold War and shifting superpower relations, on Indian security calculations. The research also evaluates regional perceptions of Indian military power and analyzes how neighboring countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka respond to Indian military capabilities. Furthermore, the analysis considers future trajectories of Indian military development and their implications for regional stability.

Indian military power represented a crucial factor in South Asian security dynamics during the late 1980s, with this article providing a comprehensive assessment of Indian military capabilities and strategic policy. The research begins by examining the historical evolution of Indian military power, tracing the development from post-independence conventional forces through various conflicts to emerging power projection capabilities. The analysis explores Indian military doctrine and strategic thinking, examining how concepts of conventional deterrence, limited war, and regional stability inform defense planning and force structure decisions. The article investigates army modernization efforts, analyzing infantry divisions, armored formations, artillery capabilities, and specialized forces in the context of evolving security challenges. The study examines naval expansion programs, assessing blue-water ambitions, submarine capabilities, and maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean region. The research evaluates air force capabilities, including fighter aircraft inventories, air defense systems, and strategic lift capacities that support regional power projection. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article analyzes how Indian military power interacts with broader foreign policy objectives and assesses the implications for regional security architecture. The findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between military capabilities and international influence in regional contexts and contribute to understanding the evolving security dynamics in South Asia during a period of global transformation.