Alone in the Ring

When General N.C. Vij was the Chief of Army Staff from 2003 to 2005, he made decisions that have continued to influence national security. In Alone in the Ring he looks back at the choices he made under difficult conditions and their consequences. A bold one, with great impact, was the visionary decision to construct a fence of 740 kilometres along the Line of Control from the river Chenab to Zozila Pass. Erected in just about a year, it has since changed the security dynamics of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state. 'Operation Khukri' gives a gripping account of the rescue of 222 Indian peacekeepers in Sierra Leone. He also examines in detail different perspectives of Operation Parakram. As the author of the cold start doctrine, General Vij masterfully discusses doctrinal issues such as jointness, integration and theaterisation, all of which are of major concern today. These reflect the ability of the Indian armed forces to learn from good and bad experiences and emerge even stronger. Alone in the Ring is a timely and significant book in a world of uncertainty with an ever-changing geopolitical landscape, where understanding the dynamics of decision-making is crucial for policy makers, military leaders, civil society and academics alike.