After the shock of the conflict against the Indian Army in Sikkim in 1967 and the loss of almost 400 soldiers, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) pressed for resolving all territorial disputes by discussion only, without using force or firearms against one another. This book analyses the process of bulletless border management by the Indian Army against the PLA, presenting the history of this process over the course of half a century.

The US strike at Abbottabad which resulted in the elimination of Osama bin Laden is a turning point in the war of terror that began post 9/11. It is also a pebble in the pond whose ripples were felt across nations. The relationship of Pakistan and the US were strained to a large extent thanks to the US keeping the Pakistan forces out of the loop about the strike at the compound in which Osama bin Laden was killed. Since that incident Pakistan has seen internal turmoil and tried hard to come to grips with it. The Pakistan Army and ISI were literally caught with their pants down. The failed intelligence has stripped them of their supposed invincibility. The politicians in Pakistan are daring to make deals with the US without the blessing of the Pakistan Army. The balance of power in the nation is shifting and new players are emerging in the game. Pakistan is not the only nation which is adversely affected. Afghanistan is also worried about just how the 2014 withdrawal of NATO troops is likely to affect its very sovereignty with the Taliban, a fast ally of the Al Qaeda, resumes terror attacks as part of its ''Spring Offensive.'' The repeated bomb blasts around Kabul is a sign that the Taliban is very much around and waiting for its chance to over throw the present government. India lives with the uncertainty of volatile neighbours. It may be the largest nation, but it is not clearly the most powerful. Dealing with an unreasonable enemy whose sole rallying point is maintaining India as a common enemy for its various factions ensures that India will not be breathing easy even after Abbottabad.

India entered the 21st century with multiple challenges - both external and internal - and a history of tackling these challenges mostly softy, or not as hard and effectively as they should have been tackled. In 2014 general election the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) got voted into power with a massive majority. Almost a year earlier the BJP had declared Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. Despite a concerted campaign of vilifying him, his appeal grew and spread and he finally became the Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy. The 2014 mandate stands out as the first ever one giving a clear majority to a non-Congress party. This is an unprecedented mandate with many inherent messages. Modi's message of development and good governance combined with the economic agenda of growth attracted the attention of young and aspiring India. His government must achieve on diverse subjects like economy, foreign policy, food security, external and internal security, job creation, administrative reforms etc. The people of India have high hopes and expectations from Modi's government and they will be impatient to see how Narendra Modi will out his agenda. It is an opportune time to for him to restore people's faith in democracy and India's glory. The contributors have tried to bring out some of the relevant issues with hopes that the compilation would be useful to take India to greater heights.