The emerging trends of terrorism in Asia have in the recent past challenged the conventional wisdom that dictated and defined violence by non-state actors. This, as the chapters in this volume suggest, is illustrated by its distinct characteristics, forcing the world at large to grapple with these threats, including volunteers from countries that had remained isolated from the contagion until now. Various facets of the challenge from the Islamic State (IS) and the unfolding contours of terrorism in Asia, have been analysed and written about in the past. Most of the perspectives have, however, been Western, with a sprinkling of Asian views. The present volume is a modest attempt to join the discourse on Asian terrorism from an Indian perspective. It is hoped that these essays will enliven and enrich the debate on the challenge of terrorism in Asia that is increasingly threatening peace and stability as well as values and ideals. The volume has been organised in four sections. The first deals with the ideological and technological aspects as well as the funding, communication and weapons of the IS and other terror groupings. The remaining three sections focus on West and Central Asia, South Asia, as well as China and Southeast Asia.

Five decades may not be a long time in a nation's history. It is however, long enough to take a dispassionate and objective look at events that change the path of history. The 1971 India-Pakistan War, along with the incidents that preceded it and followed its culmination, is perhaps one of the most important ones for the future of the Indian subcontinent. There have been a number of books, memoirs and articles over the years that have documented first-person and academic accounts of events that marked this period of history. Not surprisingly, most were written during the period succeeding the war and after the birth of Bangladesh. In contrast, this book is an attempt to evaluate events with the benefit of a five-decade time lapse. In doing so, the focus remains firmly on the military aspects of the war, accompanied by a brief account of political events, diplomacy, influence of major powers, public perception and the role of Mukti Bahini. The publication of this book coincides with the culmination of a year-long period during which a number of events were held to mark the momentous occasion.