Full Spectrum: India’s Wars, 1972-2020

About Full Spectrum: India’s Wars, 1972-2020

Full Spectrum: India’s Wars, 1972-2020 is a military history by Arjun Subramaniam that covers India’s conflicts and military operations from 1972 to 2020. If you want a readable account of India’s wars in recent decades, meaning not just the big conventional wars but also insurgencies, peacekeeping and border standoffs, this is the book to pick up. Please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock, including the publisher and number of pages.

It continues the story from the author’s earlier book on India’s wars from 1947 to 1971, and it treats the word war broadly. Together, the two books give a wide view of how India’s armed forces have fought, adapted and changed. Subramaniam writes for general readers, so you do not need a military background to follow him.

What Full Spectrum: India’s Wars, 1972-2020 is about

• Insurgencies in the North-East, including the Naga counterinsurgency.
• Proxy and terror conflict in Jammu and Kashmir, and the idea of hybrid war.
• Separatist violence in Punjab and the IPKF mission in Sri Lanka.
• Siachen Glacier operations, the Sumdorong Chu standoff, Kargil and Operation Parakram.
• Continuing tensions along the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control.

India’s wars after 1972 look very different from those before it. Instead of a few short conventional wars, the country faced long internal conflicts, high-altitude confrontations and a steady stream of proxy violence, and Subramaniam explains why the term full spectrum fits. The book also includes human stories: how soldiers experience conflict and how commanders deal with casualties and hard decisions. Reviewers have described it as balanced, neither glorifying nor harshly criticising the armed forces. Because the book deals with contested conflicts, including Kashmir, readers will find it most useful as an informed military account that they can read alongside other perspectives.

About the author, Arjun Subramaniam

Arjun Subramaniam is a retired Indian Air Force officer who rose to the rank of Air Vice Marshal and later became a military historian. He is also the author of India’s Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971. His service background gives him an understanding of how operations work in practice, while his historical training helps him step back and look at the larger picture of strategy and politics.

Why Full Spectrum is worth reading

Most general histories of modern India give the military a small role, and India’s wars are often reduced to a handful of dates. Full Spectrum fills that gap by showing how war and internal security have shaped the country over almost five decades. It is clear about how conflict has changed, from set-piece battles to shadowy proxy wars. For readers interested in strategy, geopolitics and the stories behind headlines such as Kargil or Siachen, it provides context and detail that news coverage rarely does. It is also a useful reference when you want to look up how a specific operation fits into the wider story of India’s wars. The writing is plain and the chapters are organised by theatre and theme, so you can read straight through or jump to the conflict that interests you most.

Who should read this book

• Defence aspirants and civil services candidates.
• Readers of military history and strategy.
• Students of political science and international relations.
• Anyone who wants to understand Kargil, Siachen or the North-East beyond the headlines.
• Families of serving and retired personnel who want a thoughtful account.

How to get the most from this book

Because India’s wars in this period overlap with political events such as the rise of insurgencies and economic reform, it helps to keep a general timeline of modern India nearby. Read it with a map and a timeline beside you, since the book moves across regions and decades. If you are new to the subject, begin with the chapters on conflicts you already know, then branch out. Compare the author’s account with memoirs and other histories to form your own judgement. Readers who like the book may want to look at the earlier volume covering 1947 to 1971.

Frequently asked questions

Does the book cover Kashmir?
Yes, including proxy conflict and hybrid war there, written as a military account.

Is it only about conventional wars?
No. It also covers insurgencies, peacekeeping and border standoffs.

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