Written with candour and clarity, Wider Horizons is a collection of published and unpublished articles and papers written by the author between 2012-2017 while still in service.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.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