Papers by Kartik Bommakanti
ORF Occasional Paper, 2024
China's 'three warfares' strategy (TWS)-understood as public opinion, psychological, and legal wa... more China's 'three warfares' strategy (TWS)-understood as public opinion, psychological, and legal warfare-has received considerable attention, but most analyses focus on Beijing's sovereign claim to Taiwan and its maritime claims in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. This occasional paper evaluates the manifestation of the TWS against India in Ladakh and China's motivation for adopting the same approach in the Arctic and Antarctica. The paper also highlights the application of the TWS in geographical areas that were previously neglected or inadequately addressed to further policymakers' understanding and response to the approach.
ORF Ocassional Paper
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has served as a laboratory test to assess the effectiveness of Cyb... more The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has served as a laboratory test to assess the effectiveness of Cyber Warfare (CW) capabilities. It would be misleading, however, to extrapolate sweeping conclusions from this conflict about the relative ineffectiveness of CW. Rather, diligence should be exercised by Indian strategic and military planners in assessing the CW capabilities of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) and enhancing India's own preparedness. The PLASFF possesses substantial CW capabilities geared for enabling conventional military operations and missions. It is also highly capable of fusing the employment of CW, Electronic Warfare (EW), space capabilities and frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the effective conduct of conventional military missions against India.
ORF Ocassional Paper, 2023
The application of emerging technologies will play a key role in the performance of India's armed... more The application of emerging technologies will play a key role in the performance of India's armed forces. All three services understand the significance of these technological innovations in modern warfare, although their development has been uneven across the branches. This analysis provides an overview of how far the three services of the Indian armed forces have gone in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber technology, and quantum technology in their ecosystems. It evaluates the differences in their approaches, and explores the regulatory, institutional and legal issues that may be impeding efforts of the armed services to leverage frontier technologies.
ORF Occasional Paper , 2022
Defensive cyber operations are necessary to protect a network. At the same time,Offensive Cyber O... more Defensive cyber operations are necessary to protect a network. At the same time,Offensive Cyber Operations (OCOs) cannot be neglected in military planning and should get as much attention as defensive cyber missions. Given the massive requirements for investment in cyber military capabilities geared for OCOs, this paper makes a case for the importance of OCOs for India. It outlines a roadmap for New Delhi to achieve effective OCO planning.
ORF Occasional Paper, 2021
Logistics is meaningless if it cannot do what is central to war-fighting. In order to bolster the... more Logistics is meaningless if it cannot do what is central to war-fighting. In order to bolster the logistical capabilities of all the major service branches of the Chinese military-including the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), PLA Air Force (PLAAF), and the PLA Rocket Force (PLARF)-the People's Republic of China (PRC) under President Xi Jinping established a Joint Logistic Support Force (JLSF) in 2016. To what extent does the JLSF contribute to the PLA Army's fighting power? This paper investigates, and outlines the potential challenges to India in the context of the Army's current capabilities in defending the country's land frontiers.
CLAWS Journal, 2021
This article surveys the extent to which service doctrines as well as the Joint Doctrine of the I... more This article surveys the extent to which service doctrines as well as the Joint Doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces (JDIAS) capture and define the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Indian military. The analysis captures the limited view and non-existent view of AI within service and tri-service doctrine. A gap has emerged between the services' doctrinal pronouncements and the actual use of AI in some form in the three branches of the military. AI come in two variants at least-semi-autonomous and autonomous systems. This ensuing assessment is only a partial critique of how service doctrine see or ignore AI, the problem relating to the use of technology and doctrine is not unique to the services, but extends to other areas.
ORF Occasional Paper, 2021
The Indian Army's (IA) difficulties with regard to the acquisition of light tanks are as much sel... more The Indian Army's (IA) difficulties with regard to the acquisition of light tanks are as much self-inflicted as they are a product of fiscal constraints. The Army has exerted only half-hearted efforts in developing its light-armoured capabilities-inconsistent with current Army doctrine and in disregard of history. Indeed, the IA has used light armour in high-altitude operations in the past. This paper argues that the IA is hobbled by an infantry-oriented mindset that does not allow for other areas of force development such as a light-tank capability.
ORF Occasional Paper, 2021
China’s evolving security dynamics with the United States have compelled it to rethink its nuclea... more China’s evolving security dynamics with the United States have compelled it to rethink its nuclear strategy to achieve effective deterrence. It is aiming to modernise its nuclear arsenal and increase its nuclear ambiguity through conventional-nuclear entanglement. Ambiguity will increase the risks of mischaracterisation and can have a destabilising impact on the Indo-Pacific region. This paper highlights two areas where India ought to be most concerned: the size of China’s increasing nuclear warhead stockpile, and its evolving nuclear posture that involves a growing number of dual-capable missiles. In response, India will not only have to consider a shift in its posture, but also supplement its current arsenal with non-nuclear strategic capabilities such as cyber, electronic and space weapons for establishing credible deterrence.
ORF Issue Brief - 427, 2020
This brief evaluates the state and development of China's cruise missile capabilities, specifical... more This brief evaluates the state and development of China's cruise missile capabilities, specifically that of its air-launched and ground-launched missile forces. It finds that China has developed a formidable inventory of cruise missiles, which poses a threat to India's own military infrastructure. The brief lays out the imperative for India: to build up its long-range cruise missile forces. It argues that India's current capabilities would not allow its military to conduct long-range, offensive precision attacks against Chinese military bases, command centres and air bases, as China is capable of doing against India.
ORF Occasional Paper, 2020
Small satellites have gained considerable importance in recent years. Although small spacecraft h... more Small satellites have gained considerable importance in recent years. Although small spacecraft have existed for decades, their military applications have recently gained prominence owing to technological advances in their development and integration into the armed services of the major spacefaring countries across the world. This paper analyses the significance of small satellites in the C4ISR capabilities of the three service branches of the Indian military. Small satellites are not a panacea for the C4ISR needs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, but will help partially address their sensor-related requirements. They also contribute to a multi-layered and distributed capability for the Indian armed services. Investment in Small Satellites should assume greater salience in Indian defence planning in the coming years.
A.I. in the Chinese Military: Current Initiatives and the Implications for India, 2020
The different service arms of China’s armed forces are all undergoing
substantial transformation,... more The different service arms of China’s armed forces are all undergoing
substantial transformation, including exploring the possibilities of
integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost their combat power and
effectiveness especially in a time of war. This paper evaluates the
significance and potential of AI in improving China’s military
capabilities. Chinese official documents and their enunciation of
military doctrine indicate that the country’s leaders see massive
promise in AI’s utility and are working to leverage this emerging
technology into their force posture. Already, the country has made
important investments in AI R&D. How effective will China be in
adopting AI for military applications? The paper explores the question,
while highlighting the implications for India.
Occasional Paper , 2019
The country’s principal rival in the
space military arena, China, has significantly more expansiv... more The country’s principal rival in the
space military arena, China, has significantly more expansive and
diverse capabilities. Although KEWs as part of its counter-space
programme are not a panacea for India’s increasing space-military
deficit vis-à-vis China, they are critical instruments of deterrence and in
extreme contingencies proffer benefits for asymmetric escalation.
Indian decision-makers would do well to not prematurely foreclose
strengthening India’s KEW capabilities. However, a more diversified
kinetic capability coupled with particularly space-borne Directed
Energy Weapons (DEWs) such as laser and microwave weapons can help bridge the gap in space military power between China and India. The expansion of India’s space military capabilities to service a range of
missions is vital to the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
Chaitanya Ravi, A Debate to Remember: The US–India Nuclear Deal. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 332, 2018
ORF Issue Brief, 2018
Cyber war is a subject that is highly contested among strategists and experts. This brief assesse... more Cyber war is a subject that is highly contested among strategists and experts. This brief assesses the impact of cyber operations against strategic targets and demonstrates that while cyber war is a real phenomenon, it is far from producing decisive outcomes. The cyberspace is a medium to conduct military operations and several countries have made investments in capabilities to both attack and defend against cyber-attacks. The brief evaluates the relative strengths of offence and defence and the extent to which it favours the strong against the weak. It considers whether cyber capabilities create asymmetric advantages, thereby undermining nuclear deterrence and strategic stability. The extensive use of cyberspace creates opportunities as well as challenges and vulnerabilities for countries that possess cyber capabilities.
This paper evaluates the importance of a space military strategy for India against China. It argu... more This paper evaluates the importance of a space military strategy for India against China. It argues that in light of China's advances in space weapons, New Delhi needs to seriously consider developing at least a limited menu of space weapons and integrate them into India’s defence posture. It draws on conceptual literature on nuclear deterrence, air power and sea power to show that space weapons, at least some variants, are usable military instruments and must be related to objectives.
ORF Occasional Paper , 2018
The extant scholarship on India's nuclear doctrine, while problematising the credibility deficit ... more The extant scholarship on India's nuclear doctrine, while problematising the credibility deficit in the strategy of massive retaliation, fails to provide a policy alternative. This study examines the alternative of flexible response available for India and makes an assessment of whether it provides a solution to this problem in India's nuclear doctrine. Even when flexible response is often cited in India's strategic circles as a likely alternative, the contours of such a strategy have hardly been deliberated. This paper seeks to develop the concept of flexible response as India confronts a rapidly changing strategic environment. It charts out the various parameters on which an alternative nuclear doctrine of flexible response can potentially be based. However, such a policy-shift must correspond with India's deterrence objectives and its nuclear wherewithal.
As Sino-Indian enmity in the maritime domain intensifies, the
relationship between space assets a... more As Sino-Indian enmity in the maritime domain intensifies, the
relationship between space assets and maritime capabilities in this
constantly evolving rivalry remains understudied. This paper fills the
gap with a comparative analysis that brings to the fore the importance of
space sensors in the conduct of naval operations for both India and
China.
Book Reviews by Kartik Bommakanti
Books by Kartik Bommakanti
Routledge Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, Structures and Doctrines, 2020
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Papers by Kartik Bommakanti
substantial transformation, including exploring the possibilities of
integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost their combat power and
effectiveness especially in a time of war. This paper evaluates the
significance and potential of AI in improving China’s military
capabilities. Chinese official documents and their enunciation of
military doctrine indicate that the country’s leaders see massive
promise in AI’s utility and are working to leverage this emerging
technology into their force posture. Already, the country has made
important investments in AI R&D. How effective will China be in
adopting AI for military applications? The paper explores the question,
while highlighting the implications for India.
space military arena, China, has significantly more expansive and
diverse capabilities. Although KEWs as part of its counter-space
programme are not a panacea for India’s increasing space-military
deficit vis-à-vis China, they are critical instruments of deterrence and in
extreme contingencies proffer benefits for asymmetric escalation.
Indian decision-makers would do well to not prematurely foreclose
strengthening India’s KEW capabilities. However, a more diversified
kinetic capability coupled with particularly space-borne Directed
Energy Weapons (DEWs) such as laser and microwave weapons can help bridge the gap in space military power between China and India. The expansion of India’s space military capabilities to service a range of
missions is vital to the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
relationship between space assets and maritime capabilities in this
constantly evolving rivalry remains understudied. This paper fills the
gap with a comparative analysis that brings to the fore the importance of
space sensors in the conduct of naval operations for both India and
China.
Book Reviews by Kartik Bommakanti
Books by Kartik Bommakanti
substantial transformation, including exploring the possibilities of
integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost their combat power and
effectiveness especially in a time of war. This paper evaluates the
significance and potential of AI in improving China’s military
capabilities. Chinese official documents and their enunciation of
military doctrine indicate that the country’s leaders see massive
promise in AI’s utility and are working to leverage this emerging
technology into their force posture. Already, the country has made
important investments in AI R&D. How effective will China be in
adopting AI for military applications? The paper explores the question,
while highlighting the implications for India.
space military arena, China, has significantly more expansive and
diverse capabilities. Although KEWs as part of its counter-space
programme are not a panacea for India’s increasing space-military
deficit vis-à-vis China, they are critical instruments of deterrence and in
extreme contingencies proffer benefits for asymmetric escalation.
Indian decision-makers would do well to not prematurely foreclose
strengthening India’s KEW capabilities. However, a more diversified
kinetic capability coupled with particularly space-borne Directed
Energy Weapons (DEWs) such as laser and microwave weapons can help bridge the gap in space military power between China and India. The expansion of India’s space military capabilities to service a range of
missions is vital to the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.
relationship between space assets and maritime capabilities in this
constantly evolving rivalry remains understudied. This paper fills the
gap with a comparative analysis that brings to the fore the importance of
space sensors in the conduct of naval operations for both India and
China.