Life & Work
Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd) was Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi and Adjunct Fellow, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington, D.C. He was former Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi (January 2008-March 2012). He has co-founded two Delhi-based think tanks: Forum for Strategic Initiatives (FSI) and the South Asian Institute for Strategic Affairs (SAISA).
Brig Kanwal commanded an infantry brigade in the high-altitude Gurez Sector on the LoC with Pakistan in northern Kashmir (Operation Parakram, 2001-03) and an artillery regiment in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir Valley (Operation Rakshak, 1993-94). He has served as Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training) at HQ IDS, New Delhi; Director MO-5 in the Directorate General of Military Operations at Army Headquarters (dealing with threat, strategy and force structure); United Nations Military Observer in UNTAG, Namibia; Brigade Major of an infantry brigade and Instructor-in-Gunnery at the School of Artillery, Devlali.
He opted for voluntary retirement in December 2003 and joined the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, as Director, Security Studies and Senior Fellow. He has also served as Senior Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi; and, Senior Fellow, Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi. He has been a Visiting Research Scholar at the Cooperative Monitoring Centre (CMC), Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, USA, and in other think tanks in London and Singapore.
The books authored by Brigadier Kanwal include: “Nuclear Defence: Shaping the Arsenal”; “Indian Army: Vision 2020”; “Pakistan’s Proxy War”; “Heroes of Kargil”; “Kargil ’99: Blood, Guts and Firepower” and, “Artillery: Honour and Glory”. He has also edited and co-edited several books. the most recent being “The New Arthashastra: A Security Strategy for India”. In November 2012, he was nominated among 50 Thought Leaders by Mail Today. He was awarded the COAS Commendation Card twice. He has contributed extensively to various journals and leading newspapers, including a column in the Statesman for over two years. He was a regular speaker at well-known international think tanks and military institutions.
Honours
Participated in the month-long Symposium on East Asian Security organized by the United States Pacific Command at Honolulu, Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing along with 25 other international participants from the Asia-Pacific region.
Paper on “Emerging Trends in Military Intervention” posted on United Nations Foundation “Global Security Initiative” website
Appointed facilitator (Force Commander) in international seminar war-game on “Emerging Peace Operations”, organised by the Centre of Excellence, Hawaii at the United Service Institute, New Delhi
Presented paper on “Command and Control of India’s Nuclear Weapons” at the Conference on “Strategic Stability in South Asia” at the Centre for Contemporary Conflict, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey
Presented paper on “India’s Security Concerns and Prospects for Peace and Stability” at the Conference on “Strategic Stability in South Asia”, the launch conference of “South Asia Strategic Stability Unit” (SASSU) at the University of Bradford, U.K.
Paper on “Emerging Trends in Military Intervention” posted on United Nations Foundation “Global Security Initiative” website
Appointed facilitator (Force Commander) in international seminar war-game on “Emerging Peace Operations”, organised by the Centre of Excellence, Hawaii at the United Service Institute, New Delhi
Presented paper on “Command and Control of India’s Nuclear Weapons” at the Conference on “Strategic Stability in South Asia” at the Centre for Contemporary Conflict, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA
Presented paper on “India’s Security Concerns and Prospects for Peace and Stability” at the Conference on “Strategic Stability in South Asia”, the launch conference of “South Asia Strategic Stability Unit” (SASSU) at the University of Bradford, U.K.
Presented paper on “India’s Nuclear Doctrine and Force Structure” at the Cooperative Monitoring Centre, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, USA
Gave lectures on “The Emerging Doctrine of Intervention”, “Emerging Trends in UN Peacekeeping” and “Training Challenges for UN Peace-support Operations” at the International Peace Operations Seminar (IPOS), conducted by the Australian UN Training Centre
Visiting Faculty for the Twelfth Summer Workshop on “Defence, Technology and Cooperative Security in South Asia” conducted by the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS). Lecture subjects: “Indo-US Nuclear Deal: Implications for Non-proliferation” and “Weapons technology and Disarmament”
Gave a talk on “India’s Counter-insurgency Experience” at King’s College, London
Gave a talk on “India’s Internal Security Challenges” at the London School of Economics, London
Made a presentation in a round-table on “Demilitarisation of Siachen Conflict Zone” at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London
Presented a Paper on “Modernisation of the PLA: Implications for Asian Security” at the joint RAND-CEIP (Carnegie)-CAPS conference on The PLA in the Asia-Pacific Region: Implications for the Evolving Regional Security Order
Invited to speak at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to the South Asia team on “India’s Higher Defence Organisation, Civil-Military Relations and Military Modernisation”
Addressed a round-table at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., on the “Indo-US Nuclear Deal, India-Pakistan Rapprochement and India’s Military Modernisation”
Addressed a round-table on “India-Pakistan Rapprochement” at the Institute for South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore
Presentation on the “Changing Nature of Warfare” at the Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers – 2007, at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies
Presentation on “India’s Military Modernisation Challenges” at the US-India Business Council
Presented paper on “India’s Emerging Operational Environment” at a conference organised by HQ TRADOC, US Army
Presented paper on “India’s Cold Start Doctrine” at the Centre for Contemporary Conflict, Naval Post-graduate School
Lecture on “Indian Army’s Counter-insurgency Experience” at the Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS), at the Rajaratnam School for International Studies (RSIS)
Lecture on “India-China Security Relationship” at the Institute for South Asian Studies (ISAS)
Lecture on “Modernisation Plans of Indian Armed Forces” at the Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
Presentation on “India-China Strategic Relations” international conference organised by the Academy for World Watch
Presentation on “Command and Control of India’s Nuclear Forces” in international conference on a “Decade of Nuclear Learning” organised by the Centre for Contemporary Conflict, Naval Post-graduate School, Monterey, California, USA
Presentation on “Tackling Terrorism: Perspectives from India” at the King’s College, London round-table discussion on “A Regional Strategy for South Asia: Limitations and Possibilities”
Presented paper on “Demilitarisation of Siachen: An Idea whose Time has Come” at IPCS India-Pakistan round-table discussion
Lecture on “India’s Internal Security Challenges and Counter-insurgency Experience” at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, UK
Presentation on “India-China Nuclear CBMs and Cooperation in Space” at IPCS India-China round-table discussion
Paper on “India’s Strategic Perspective” at the Brookings Institution, seminar on “Myanmar/Burma: Outside Interests and Inside Challenges”
Presentation on “Afghanistan – US War Strategy: India’s Concerns”, at the Frederick Foundation round-table discussion during an India-Pakistan track two dialogue
Presentation on “India-US Strategic Partnership” at the Albuquerque Committee on Foreign Relations
Presentation on “South Asia Strategic Outlook: View from India” in conference on “South Asia Strategic Review” at the Cooperative Monitoring Centre, Sandia National Laboratory
Presentation on “Strengthening Deterrence: The Strategic Rationale for Dismantling Obsolete Systems” during Wilton Park Conference on Verified Dismantlement of Strategic Missile
Presentation on “India’s Cold Start Doctrine and its Impact on Strategic Stability” at the National Bureau of Asian Research Conference
Presentation on “Elimination of SRBMs from Nuclear Arsenals of South Asia”, at second meeting of the Colombo Group (sponsored by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA, USA)
Presentation on “Military Challenges and Defence Cooperation” at the Third Annual Symposium on “India and America: The Future of a Strategic Partnership”, hosted by the Wilson Centre at Princeton University
Presentation on military CBMs at “India-Pakistan: A Peace Process”, a conference hosted by Frederick Foundation, New Delhi
Paper on “SALW: Production and Export in South Asia” at a conference jointly hosted by Small Arms Survey, Geneva, and SIPRI, Stockholm
Presentation on “Elimination of SRBMs from Nuclear Arsenals of South Asia”, at third meeting of the Colombo Group (sponsored by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, CA, USA). Also attended an exercise on verifiable and transparent dismantlement of SRBMs at the Sofia Military Museum.
Presentation on “Precision Guided Munitions and ISTAR” in conference “Future Artillery India”, IQPC, New Delhi. Also conducted a workshop and participated in a panel discussion
Presentation on “Indo-US Strategic Partnership: Challenges and Prospects” at the “Indo-US Relations Working Group” meeting organised by the Lexington Institute, Washington D.C.
Presentation on “Development of Soldier Systems: Current Challenges and Technologies”, IQPC conference “Soldier Modernisation Asia”. Also conducted a workshop.
Presentation on “Is Military Force a Viable Option for India” in workshop on “Enhancing Strategic Stability in South Asia”, organised by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington D.C. at the Bellagio Centre, Lake Como, Italy
Paper on “India’s Nuclear Forces” presented at a workshop on “The New Indian Military”, Rajaratnam School for International Studies (RSIS), Singapore
Presentation on “Preserving Military Stability in South Asia: Regional Dynamics and Extra-regional Influences” at a round-table discussion organised by Landau Network Centro Volta (LNCV)
Participated in the Annual Strategy Seminar at the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, USA; presented a paper on “Great Power Rivalry in Asia: An Indian Perspective”
Participated in round-table discussions and workshops on “Elimination of SRBMs from the Nuclear Arsenals of South Asia” organised by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), California, USA, 2011-13. The project culminated in a short film on the subject.
Participated in the “Ottawa Dialogue” round-table discussions on “India-Pakistan Confidence Building Measures in the Military and Nuclear Fields” hosted by the Ottawa University
Participated in conference on “Living with Difficult Neighbours – Lessons Learned from the Israeli Experience”, at the Institute for National Security Studies
Participated in conference on “Escalation Management and Crisis De-escalation in South Asia”, organised by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Naval Post-graduate School
Undertook a lecture tour of the US; spoke on the theme “Strategic Stability in South Asia” at well-known centres and think tanks in California, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., including the Brookings Institution, CEIP, CSIS, NDU and the Atlantic Council.
Participated in a seminar on ISIS and West Asia at the National Defence University (NDU); spoke on “ISIS in India”
Participated in several discussions/ workshops, simulations/table top exercises on “Strategic Stability in South Asia” attended as part of control as well as team member.
Provided consultancy support to the India Policy Group of the Frederick Foundation, New Delhi for its project on Rebuilding Afghanistan, participated in several conferences in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Berlin and New Delhi