USI GOLD MEDAL ESSAY COMPETITION 2023

Open to All Officers

Subject: ‘Ukraine Conflict: Military Lessons for India’

Strategic analysts posit that the Ukraine Conflict is a classic manifestation of the ‘New Great Game’ between the major powers.  Ukraine conflict clearly demonstrates the New Generation Warfare is quintessentially a Multi-domain warfare that encompasses domains such as political, economic, diplomatic, technology, and military.  The military campaign is being prosecuted through multitude of means: state players, non-state actors, military, non-military, linear and non-linear, kinetic and non-kinetic all applied seamlessly across the spectrum of conflict and up the escalation ladder.  From the Russian perspective the war (Special Operation) was expected to achieve politico-military objectives in about two weeks.  In reality, the war has continued for more than a year, with no end in sight.

Future is mired with critical uncertainties and with risks of nuclear brinkmanship that may result in devastating nuclear wars.  Ukraine conflict poses a wide-array of questions such as geopolitical causes of conflict, strategic intelligence failure, military doctrines, operational philosophy, tactical concepts, and, above all, uses of niche and disruptive technology.  The war offers India a plethora of lessons at the geopolitical, strategic security, and military level.  Significant among the foresaid are strategic balancing with contesting powers, defence import dependence, and military lessons in relation to the nature of operations at the LOC/LAC in a hybrid scenario under a nuclear overhang.  Strategic communication is yet another notable feature of Ukraine conflict that merits heed and reflection.

In light of the abovementioned, carry out an objective analysis of the Ukraine-Russia Conflict with the theme: ‘Ukraine Conflict: Military Lessons for India’. Among other points that the author may wish to cover, the essay must address the following: 

1. Background and geopolitical causes for the conflict in brief.

2. Analysis of nature of military campaign with focus on military strategy, employment philosophy, conduct of operations, use of niche and disruptive technology, and battle of narrative.

4. Finally, recommended road map for India in view of the lessons learnt for the conflict.

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION OF INDIA

USI GOLD MEDAL ESSAY COMPETITION - 2023

RULES

1.  The competition is open to all commissioned officers, of the Defence Services of India, officers of the Territorial Army, Assam Rifles and the Senior Division of National Cadet Corps, and Gazetted Officers of the Civil Administration in India including retired officers.

2. Essay may vary in length between 3,000 to 4,000 words. The word length should be shown in brackets at the end of the essay. Entries violating the length are liable to be rejected.

3. Essays should be written in the English language and printed on one side of the paper in double space and should be submitted in TRIPLICATE in hardcopy. A softcopy should also be sent by email to [usiessaycompetition@gmail.com]. The subject of the email should be the motto which is defined in para 5 below. There should be No Signature Block in this email. The email should just state ‘my entry for the USI Gold Medal Essay Competition is attached’.

4. Entries will be strictly ANONYMOUS. No details pertaining to the individual are to be mentioned on the essay or in the covering letter. The individual is to select a MOTTO (which should not be more than ten words) and type it on the first page of all copies of his essay. One sealed envelope is to accompany the essay with a paper indicating the MOTTO, personal number, rank, name, date of commission and unit address (if applicable), e-mail and contact number of the individual written on it. On the outside of the envelope, only the MOTTO is to be written. These envelopes will be opened during the USI Council meeting, after the judges have given their decision. Essays violating anonymity rule will be rejected.

5. The essay must be an individual’s personal and original effort without plagiarism and not a cut-paste job. Jointly written essays are not accepted. The soft copy will be used for a plagiarism check at the USI. Entries for which a soft copy is not received will be rejected.

6. Three judges chosen by the USI will adjudicate. Marks will be given on the basis of the following:

• Understanding of the subject.

• Thought, logic, development of theme.

• The extent to which the contribution throws fresh light on the subject.

• Language / expression.

• Whether in the whole or in large part it is in a form suitable for publication.

7. The award of the judges will be final. They may recommend the Gold Medal to the winner and/or a cash prize of Rs.15,000/- as well as cash prize of Rs 10,000/- to the runner-up. USI life membership will be given to the Essay Competition Winners on gratis basis. The names of the winners of the essay competition will be published in the USI Journal. Winning essay in each group, if found suitable will be published in the USI Journal.

8. The Institution reserves the right not to make an award if none of the essays submitted are of a standard which the judges consider adequate. Cases of plagiarism will invite disqualification.

9. Copyright of all essays submitted will be reserved by the United Service Institution of India.

10. All essays should be sent to the Director General, United Service Institution of India, Rao Tula Ram Marg, Post Bag No. 8, Vasant Vihar PO, New Delhi-110 057, to be received not later than 15 September 2023. 

STYLE SHEET

1. General

(a) All diagrams, charts and graphs should be referred to as 'Figures' and consecutively numbered. Tables should carry only essential data and should complement the text rather than repeat what has already been said. These should carry a short title, be numbered and carry the source at the bottom.

(b) The paper should have centre, group, paragraph and sub-paragraph headings to make it more reader-friendly.

(c) Use English (UK) (British) spellings.

(d) Write dates beginning with the day followed by the month and the year (e.g., 11 September 2014).

(e) In the text, write numbers in words till number nine and then in numerals (e.g., two, four, nine; then 10, 11, 12 and so on).

(f) Write 'per cent' and not % or percent.

(g) Acronyms and abbreviations should carry the full form at the first mention with the acronym in bracket; and thereafter use the abbreviated version.

(h) Names of books, journals, newspapers and foreign terms in the body of the text should appear in italics, e.g.: Asian Security in the 21st Century; Strategic Analysis; The Hindu.

(i)  While referring to currency, use Rs. 2,000 crores, not 2000 crores of rupees. Similarly, $ 8.5 million, not 8.5 million dollars.

2.  References / End Notes

(a)  It is desirable that the author furnishes complete details of the articles/books/journals referred to in the article as endnotes. This includes full name of writer of article or book referred to, title of book/article, journal in which published (in case of articles); issue details, and page numbers. Besides end notes, if the author so desires, bibliography may also be included.

(b) While referring to a book, follow the example below:

Lt Gen CK Kapur, Chinese Military Modernisation, (New Delhi: Manas Publications, 2003), pp. 17-18.                            

(c) While referring to an article in a journal, follow the example below:

Lt Cdr Neeraj Malhotra, “Pratap Singh of the Indian Legion”. The Journal of the United Service Institution of India, Vol. CXXXIV, No. 556, p.283.

(d)  While referring to a website, follow the example below:

(e)  "Escalation Control in a Nuclear Environment", Report of a Seminar organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies on 17 November 2004 at New Delhi. Available at: www.ipcs.org. Accessed on 08 February 2005. Use of Wikipedia as reference must be avoided. Entries quoting Wikipedia as reference are liable to be penalised.

(f) If two successive citations/references refer to the same source, use Ibid.

(g)  If the same reference is to be cited after a few other references or citations, write the name of the author followed by the citation number e.g.: Imran Khan, op. cit.

(h)  Essays without footnotes or bibliography will be penalised.

USI GOLD MEDAL ESSAY COMPETITION 2022