Obama's Af-Pak Strategy

Re: # 506

Deprecating the customers is not very smart business. After all, they have to use the crappy stuff and suffer the consequences on the battlefield where there are lives at stake.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

nkg #505

{{defence reasearch was minimal at the hand of Indians...when Brits left, Nehru and his gang preferred to cut ties with UK.}}

Actually that is not completely true - they had some ties with both the UK and France in the 1950s. Remember India started from a very low base and funds were very short in the early years. As far as aircraft are concerned there was a big gap in the 70s when projects were abandoned and trained manpower basically rotted. Things had to be restarted from a low base in the 80s. I hope that by now enough people realize the importance of sustaining and building on a reserve of trained and capable people and giving them interesting things to work on. The money invested here will pay for itself many times over in terms of having capable people stay in India, foreign exchange saved, building up a network of local suppliers, and being immune to pressure from foreign nations.

Re: # 506
Aleph....
Indian material science is way behind Russia/USA/Japan/Israel...Even if we get the the design, we don't have the ability to manufacture according to the specification...this is truth....
Entire Dhruv was designed, with help of france...even the engine technology from TM....

Our manufacturing ability is realy very poor, so is design....it may be better some 10 years...but as of now, we depend on EU, Russia and Israel....

Re: # 500

I have met Stanford EE Professor Paulraj and seen one of his presentations on MIMO wireless at Intel Dev Forum. He is clearly a very smart man who left DRDO for greener pastures in 1992.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Just thought I would mention something here.

Remember anything that has "South Asia" in its name is basically a Paki organization. No self respecting Indian will ever associate or do business with such an organization. These organizations are created by Pakis who do not have courage to call it a Paki organization. It is designed to attract gullible Indians.. but, it ain't working.

Same holds for restaurants, the shameless cowards call their restaurants "Indian" but the point is this works ONLY once. That is why most close in about 3 months. Same with grocery stores.

So, I am really not surprised that this windbag Riaz calls his blog "South Asia" review. That is cowardice plain and simple. That is why he is here peddling his snakeoil on chowk 24x7.

Anyway, gotta run. You all have a nice time blowing a gasket. Good luck with the Taliban.

RiazHaq #495:

{{These articles quote India's top brass's public statements. Please research these facts and quotes before you dismiss Mail Today.}}

I have followed Indian defense reporting attentively for many years. Who are you trying to fool?

Senior serving (and, even more so, retired) officers are not *all* completely objective about the merits of indigenous programs - particularly when there was nothing of adequate quality available in the past; and when there is no money to made from indigenous procurement, and lots from Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Dassault. Not every officer is completely incorruptible, and many reporters may be on the take from foreign vendors.

Historically the Indian Navy was the service with the best attitude to building weaponry in India - they took major ownership of shipbuilding and other programs and had large-scale inputs in the design of the vessels they would eventually operate. With any luck, the IAF will come of age as well when they fully understand the value of owning every part of the weapon you use, having the original design data available at all times, and not being at the mercy of foreign nations.

Re: # 501
Aleph...

The transition from British to Indians, were not smooth...specialy the high positions in defence was held by british officers...defence reasearch was minimal at the hand of Indians...when Brits left, Nehru and his gang preferred to cut ties with UK...Our ability lagged so much, so that, we need foreign assistance for long time (may be for 10/15 years) consistantly to boost our ability for research and development and production...that has not happenned...I am not blaming DRDO employees...DRDO used to attract best of the scientists...but they engage in too many areas and they failed to produce result in key areas of defence....the level of technical collaboration with Russia was not enough...now, Israel is helping us....we are way behind Israel, France and Russia....France helped in both LCA and Dhruv project...Israel is chipping in...at least now, DRDO is not doing good...may be future will be something decent....

Madani dude, please remember to take your medication. Don't worry about Inidan elections. No party has been in a majority for around 20 years now. The Indian army has not stepped in. It ain't the Paki army.

All I am telling you to do is get packed. Liquidate all your property and move the cash to another country. Too bad you won't get a visa to any decent country. Your best bet is to walk east and ask for mercy. Don't worry, India will give you sanctuary. Good luck.

Re: # 486

Madani Sahib,

Thanks for asking but I am not a financial adviser. My blog (South Asia Investor Review) deals with macro issues affecting economy and investments in Pakistan, not specific investments.

Looking at the high level, investing in Pakistan at this time is not for the faint of heart. But, judging from the recent recovery of the market after a deep nose dive earlier, I am sure smart money is moving in to KSE-100 stocks now.

Just remember what happened from 2001 to 2007. Any one who invested in 2001 amidst doom and gloom, and remained invested till 2007, made 1000% gain in KSE-100. Even after the 50% fall since its peak, such investors have reaped 500% return since 2001.

Once again, we see the same kind of deep pessimism that prevailed in Pakistan in 2001. Although it is hard to predict, I believe KSE-100 is capable of repeating 2001-2007 performance again over the next six years, if we have at least half decent government policies. There is a lot of risk, but the rewards can be outstanding.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Re: # 498
ahmed...
ch ch....what a dream!!!!!!
why don't you sub-human species accept the human nature and behavior....? Indians will never act like bedunistic creatures,whatever Suzanne Roy etc...may say....and you Pakis will never be able to come out of beduinism...whatever way US may try to help...this is bilogical matter...

nkg #492:

DRDO has had many problems, but some projects have done very well for the money spent. If ISRO can excel on a shoestring budget, there's no inherent reason DRDO can't.

They do face constant opposition from a section of serving and retired officers who have their own (corrupt, or at any rate pecuniary) reasons for wanting to buy foreign - something that ISRO doesn't have to deal with. This happens to affect the newspaper reporting on programs like Arjun or even the LCA. Notice that you don't have the degree of negativity in reporting on ballistic missile programs that you do for tanks or aircraft - simply because the foreign alternatives are non-existent for plainly strategic weaponry. As I wrote in another post, Frontline is still the most reliable source for defense technology reporting.

Investment here is well worth it if it keeps talented people in India. The downturn in the IT industry should help DRDO to attract and retain talent; improving pay-scales should also help.

RiaqHaq,
"I personally know a lot of very smart Indian scientists who are doing ground-breaking research in many parts of the world, including Silicon Valley. But I don't think DRDO can attract or retain such scientists."

Know this guy?
http://www.stanford.edu/~apaulraj/

He spent a lifetime in Indian defence research.

Anyway enough entertainment for tonight. Halftime is over. The Taliban have started their "Purification" thrust again. The Paki army have started their "strategic" retreat again.

I want to see the much vaunted Paki Army kill 2,000,000 of them tonight from around 55 KM from Islam-ain't-bad.

Tomorrow, another 3,352,879 taliban killed at a town 45 KM from Islam-ain't-all-that-bad.

You know what? Did the Pakis get their strategic depth concept wrong? Maybe they should have asked Inida to accommodate them in the THAR in case of an attack from their west.

WOW!!! Anyway, I am off.

Mr. T ...there is too much talk about war, nuclear assets etc that is not good. Instead of that we need totalk about stocks, bonds, real estates, interest rates, trade and rising potential companies on KSE. I feel there is too much cloud of doom and depression.
India election farce is over then real nightmare will start when no party has majority and leading to chaos and violence and riots and finally fr first time army stepping in to take over to "save" country El pakisan Fauj take over and followed by destruction. I feel sad india is going to be finished by its own military and follow foot steps of pakistan and all that talk of india shining and sunset of indian democracy and Indian people accepting, worlds largest farcical democracy going to doom by its own dilectics. Shining India.Let us pray for indian people. Most celebrated and courageous person of India mrs Arundhati roy said here India is failed state and said indian democracy is total failure.
Good day.

Re: # 485
beduin32...
oh no...they will be enlightened by the gangster's manual ( Korun) and package them in gunny sack/hizab....
Islamic airways.....

Re: # 481

alephnull mian,

..... i know this might come as a surprise to you, but unlike the horrible hindoos who are obsessed with pakistan, pakis don't give a flip about india other than the bollywood bimbos, kashmir and betel nuts ......... unlike arjun mian who is a scholar of paki newspapers, most pakis have never read an indian newspaper ........ heck most pakis have never even met a hindoo and think you people run around naked and eat little children ....... so please don't bother us with the indian 'press' ..... i am sure it exists but we just don't care ..........