Books
Whether one reads for pleasure or education, one consequence is certain. Over a period of time, the reader’s mind becomes trained to navigate ideas. With time, it becomes capable of not only processing complex concepts, but, with luck, even expressing some of those concepts. Reading induces a sense of mental fearlessness. The exposure to language facilitates structuring and expression of ideas. In short, reading is not a habit or a hobby. It is a tool for living.
While FORCE has always dedicated a few pages to books in most issues, September onwards, we start a dedicated books section. Running into a few pages, it will carry interviews with military authors, book extracts and reviews. Most importantly, it will carry a recommended reading list of ‘Must Read’ books from senior officers/ authors and even FORCE readers. Hence, we invite our readers to send us lists of their favourite books which they would like to share with others. Tell us why you recommend those books. So read, and write.
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How combining experience with out of the box ideas yield favourable results. An extract July 2025

China can contribute to the world in terms of peace and development. An extract June 2025

How caste and religious equations aligned in favour of INDIA in UP. An extract June 2025

Kashmir May 2025 May 2025

Reclaiming Bharat May 2025

Little Lhasa May 2025

Deterrence from Depth April 2025

Bravest of the Brave April 2025
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Raisina Chronicles April 2025

How politics, domestic imperatives and self-image coalesced to become Modi’s foreign policy. An extract March 2025

Rahul Bhatia, author of The Identity Project: The Unmaking of a Democracy March 2025

King Size Life March 2025

Unified Theatre Command February 2025

Lessons of a Lifetime February 2025

War December 2024 December 2024

Kashmir Under 370 December 2024

The Money Trap December 2024

India’s ties with France go beyond weapon-platforms sale November 2024

How JeM is using Muslim insecurities to radicalize them November 2024

Something lost, Something gained Hillary Rodham Clinton October 2024

An Extract: India’s Forgotten Country October 2024

Nuclear War October 2024

BUT I AM ONE OF YOU Edited by Samrat Choudhury and Preeti Gill September 2024

An Extract: Israel-Palestine War September 2024

An Extract: India’s Near East September 2024

An Extract | How long can the moon be caged? August 2024

An Extract | The Crossroads August 2024

An Extract | Shikwa-E-Hind August 2024

Prakash Singh, author of Unforgettable Chapters: Memoirs of a Top Cop July 2024

An Extract | Imperial games in Tibet July 2024

An Extract | Crafting A New Indian Art of War For Future Challenges July 2024

Book Chat | Nimbu Saab July 2024

GUNS UNDER MY CHINAR: KASHMIR’S COVERT WARS A.M. Watali June 2024

Book Chat | Ambassador K.V. Rajan and Atul K Thakur June 2024
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An Extract | Kathmandu Chronicle June 2024

The abiding challenge of building a secular, inclusive nation. An extract May 2024

How the government chose to selectively read Gautam Navlakha’s work to punish him. An extract May 2024

Lala Lajpat Rai’s perspective on India and Indian nationhood continued to evolve till the end. An extract May 2024
![Books | Their [IPS] Diverse Backgrounds Can Contribute to Strategic Planning, Effective Decision Making and the Implementation of Best Practices Within CAPFs](/media/thumbnails/Om-Prakash-Singh.jpg)
OP Singh, author of Crime, Grime and Gumption April 2024

An Extract | 2024 April 2024

Book Review | Shooting the Sun April 2024

An Extract | Bharat Jodo Yatra April 2024

An Extract | Conquering the Maharajas April 2024
![Their [IPS] Diverse Backgrounds Can Contribute to Strategic Planning, Effective Decision Making and the Implementation of Best Practices Within CAPFs](/media/thumbnails/Om-Prakash-Singh.jpg)
Reading List | OP Singh April 2024

An Extract | ULFA March 2024

An Extract | UNEQUAL March 2024

Reading List | Rajeev Bhattacharyya March 2024

How India Pakistan relations lurch from crisis to crisis. An extract February 2024

An Extract | Being Muslim in Hindu India February 2024

An Extract | Hyperwar February 2024

An Extract | Fault Lines in the Faith February 2024

Reading List | Ajay Bisaria February 2024

An Extract | Another India January 2024

An Extract | City on Fire January 2024

An Extract | Bullets and Bylines December 2023

An Extract | Red Sky over Kabul December 2023

An Extract | Breakup November 2023

An Extract | The Indian Village November 2023

An Extract | Bullets and Bylines November 2023

An Extract | Indian Air Force in its Centennial Decade August 2023

An Extract | Who Cares About Parliament August 2023

An Extract | The Peacemakers August 2023

An Extract | Nation Fast July 2023

An Extract | SWARM TROOPER July 2023

An Extract | VAJPAYEE: The Ascent of the Hindu Right July 2023

An Extract | The Next Major War June 2023

An Extract | End of an Illusion May 2023

An Extract | Police State May 2023

An Extract | Quick Reads April 2023

An Extract | Time Capsule April 2023

An Extract | Close to Peace April 2023

An Extract | Behind the Scenes March 2023

Reading List | Anuradha Bhasin March 2023

An Extract | A Fear That Refuses To Go March 2023

An Extract | Unheard Voices February 2023

n Extract | The Tragedy of Kashmir February 2023

An Extract | Vinay Lal : Insurgency and the Artist January 2023

An Extract | Andrew Quilty: August in Kabul January 2023

An extract | Always a Soldier December 2022

An extract | The Politics of History December 2022

Reading List | Manash Firaq Bhattacharjee December 2022

An Extract | Gp Capt. TH Anand Rao August 2022

An Extract | Louis A. Del Monte August 2022

Reading List: | Maj. Gen. B.K. Sharma (retd) August 2022

An Extract | Asian Hegemon July 2022

Reading List: | Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd) July 2022

An Extract | The World in a Flux June 2022

An Extract | Terror and Turmoil June 2022

Reading List: | Lessons in Self Reliance June 2022

An Extract | The Story up to March 1971 May 2022

Book Extract May 2022

An Extract | Pramod Kapoor, author of 1946 May 2022

An Extract | Gallantry & Glory May 2022

Book Chat | Sudeep Chakravarti April 2022

An Extract: A Profile in Courage February 2022

An Extract: The Great Escape February 2022

An Extract: A Man of Many Parts February 2022

An Extract: The Art of Victimhood February 2022

Book Chat: Christophe Jaffrelot February 2022

Book Chat: Maj. Gen. Vijay Singh January 2022

Book Chat: Brig. R.R. Palsokar January 2022

An Extract: Price of the Modi Years December 2021

An Extract: Courage and Dignity December 2021

An Extract: State Persecution of Minorities and Underprivileged in India November 2021

An Extract: 1965: A Western Sunrise November 2021

Book Chat: Shiv Kunal Verma November 2021

An Extract: Tibet Brief 20 / 20 October 2021

An Extract: Cyberspace in Peace and War October 2021

Book Chat: Martin C. Libicki October 2021

An Extract: The War That Made Raw September 2021

An Extract: Spy Stories September 2021

An Extract: The Silent Coup September 2021

Book Chat: Josy Joseph September 2021

An Extract: Flying Blind August 2021

Book Chat: A.S. Bhasin July 2021

An Extract: India Versus China July 2021

Extract: The Braided River June 2021

Book Chat: Samrat Choudhury June 2021

Extract: INDIA: The Last Super Power June 2021

Extract: India And Asian Geopolitics May 2021

Born a Muslim May 2021

Extract: AI AT WAR May 2021

Book Chat: Kingshuk Nag April 2021

Reading List: Turning Adversity into Advantage April 2021

Book Chat: Military Musings April 2021

Extract: Midnight’s Borders March 2021

Book Chat: Suchitra Vijayan March 2021

Extract: Himalayan-Challenge February 2021

Book Chat: Meha Dixit February 2021

Book Chat: Ayo Gorkhali: A History of the Gurkhas January 2021

Reading List: Books Are Integral One’s Progress as an Officer January 2021

Extract: National Security and Conventional Arms Race January 2021

Why the IPKF mission went horribly wrong. An extract December 2020

December 2020

A much-needed understanding of the vital role played by the BSF November 2020

How the evolving counter insurgency doctrine played out during operations in Iraq. An extract November 2020

November 2020

How Defence Services’ Staff College, Wellington, serves only a glass half full. An Extract November 2020

October 2020

A lifetime of memories, experiences and learning. An extract September 2020

How RAW’s mandate often went beyond spying. An extract September 2020

How Siraj-ud-Daulah’s fate was sealed well before the battle was joined April 2020

How cyber and emerging technologies will change society and warfare April 2020

How one man’s vision and determination led to unexpected breakthrough. An extract January 2020

Extract: India’s Battlefields: From Kurukshetra to Balakot January 2020

November 2019

September 2019

September 2019

August 2019

July 2019

June 2019

May 2019

April 2019

April 2019

September 2018

August 2018

June 2018

A must read for those involved in military selection, training, education or decision making March 2018

Internet will be the new battlefield for ISIS, says Edna Fernandes’ The Hollow Kingdom: ISIS and the Cult of Jihad March 2018

This is an extract from the ‘explanatory essay’ written by Sudheendra Kulkarni in his book August Voices April 2017

This essay by the author is part of the anthology called Himalaya March 2017
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