The Chinese military has just demonstrated its capability in the South China Sea triggering military exercises in Taiwan and creased foreheads in other countries daring to dispute China ’s claims in these waters. Luckily for these countries, the US President finally seems to have woken up to the diplomatic realities around the world and has hopefully understood that narrow economic considerations alone cannot drive the world’s agenda. In the backdrop of the air strike on Syria ’s chemical weapons’ facilities and mutual muscle-flexing in the South China Sea by US & Chinese ships comes news of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) GaganShakti 2018 exercise. A key part of the exercise, at least as far as the IAF has let on, has been demonstration of the capability of Su 30 MKI fighter aircraft to strike afar over the western seaboard with the help of its air-to-air refuelling as...