National Security involves multiple stakeholders working synergistically in a volatile and ambiguous security environment. In such a scenario, defence officers must develop multiple skill-sets to remain effective. Wider Horizon by Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam (Retd) is a commendable effort in pursuit of this larger objective. His passion for academic pursuit and research in areas related to military history and national security is praiseworthy.
— Arun Jaitley
Minister of Defence, India
Written with candour and clarity, Wider Horizons is a collection of published and unpublished articles and papers written by the author between 2012-2017 while still in service. Covering a truly astounding range of issues from national security, strategic culture, the India-China conundrum, air power, leadership, flight safety and surprisingly, a set of family travelogues, the book offers a peek into the restless mind of a fighter pilot-scholar. It is also a valuable contribution to understanding India’s armed forces better and hopefully, would bridge some of the existing gap that exist between the services and strategic policy makers.
Arjun Subramaniam
Arjun Subramaniam is a recently retired Air Vice Marshal from the Indian Air Force who has embarked on a second career in academia and writing. A fighter pilot with over 3000 hours on a variety of aircraft, he has primarily flown the MiG-21 and Mirage-2000. He has commanded a MiG-21 squadron in the eastern sector, a large flying base and held several prestigious inter-services, staff and instructional appointments in an illustrious career spanning over 35 years. An alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, National Defence Academy and National Defence College, he is a warrior-scholar of rare accomplishment with a Ph.D in Defence and Strategic Studies. He is a widely published strategic commentator and is the author of the critically acclaimed India’s Wars: A Military History 1947-1971.
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Into the Dive
A Review of the Author’s First Book i
Perspectives on National Security & Strategic Culture
• Role of Force in Statecraft: Declining Utility or Inescapable Necessity?
• Pillars of National Security
• Non-Alignment 2.0 or Strategic Autonomy?
• Who Says India Wants to be a Superpower?
• Ambiguity as a Strategic Tool
• Protecting India from Terrorism
• India’s Emerging Strategic Culture
• Simplifying the Indo-Pacific
• On Loyalty to the Service
• Don’t Trivialize Issues of National Security
• Clearing the Air
• Undermining National Security
• Missing the Point
• The Soldier and Indian Society
• Was Deng Xiaoping China’s Kautilya?
• Deterrence For Peace: A Strategy to Counter Chinese Assertiveness
• Who Really is Xi Jinping?
Full Spectrum Air Operations & Jointmanship
Strategies to Tackle Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW): A Joint Perspective
Air Power as a Tool of Statecraft in an Age of Uncertainity
Air Power and Contemporary Warfare
From Kargil to Parakram: An Experience in Forceful Persuasion
Surprise from the Sky
Thoughts on Military History & Professional Military Education
• Neglect of Modern Indian Military History & It’s Impact on India’s Strategic Culture
• Honouring the Legacy of the Master Strategist
• Nurturing the Soldier Scholar
• The Challenges of Writing, Publishing and Academic Endeavour in the Indian Military
• Talks and Vignettes on Leadership, Flight Safety and Travel Excellence & Leadership
• Getting Ahead & Staying Ahead
• Nurturing Strategic Leaders within Functional Constraints
• Fresh from the Oven: Leadership Lessons I Validated at Air Force Station Hindan
• Talk to Someone: It Helps
• Communicating with Generation Next
• The Critical Importance of Supervision in Military Aviation
• Exotic & Mesmerising Namibia
• Magical Bernese Oberland
• Laid Back Lake Geneva
• A Taste of Italy
• More Flavours of Italy: Tuscany & The Italian Riviera
• Charming Fontainebleau
• The Mighty SU-30
• Acknowledgements
• Sources
• Notes
Political Science
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