S1E34: What future for the famed Gurkhas?

Asian Insider

Revered as soldiers, the Gurkhas are Nepalis who are recruited into the British Army, the Singapore Police, the Indian Army, and recently, even the Russian army.

Synopsis: Join The Straits Times' senior columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the Asian continent.

In this episode, Ravi speaks with one of the most highly decorated officers of the Indian Army, retired Lt. Gen. Shokin Chauhan, on the future of Gurkhas, the famous warriors from the hill tribes of central Nepal. Gurkhas, who form the largest ethnic component of the Indian Army, have also lately been in the news after it was reported that some of them died fighting for Russia in the Ukraine War.

A celebrated scholar-soldier and a retired second generation Gurkha Rifles officer of the Indian Army, Lt. Gen. Chauhan and Ravi discuss recent changes to India’s military recruitment policies that led Nepal to ban Gurkha recruitment by New Delhi, whether Nepal’s Maoist government will permit Nepalese soldiers to continue participating in UN peacekeeping operations, and the relevance of foot-soldiers in the era of robotics in warfare.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:00 Why Gurkha troops are special

08:50 Special height provisions for Gurkhas in British, Indian armies

11:15 Why Gurkhas go abroad to fight; Gurkhas in Russia

14:40 How India’s new recruitment policy hits Gurkhas

18:00 Could India’s Gurkha Regiment be disbanded?

22:50 Nepal and UN peace-keeping operations

25:00 Future of Gurkhas and infantry in the age of robotics

Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([e-mail]) and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [e-mail]

Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Ravi Velloor on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

---

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#STAsianInsider

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luvut

1. What future for the famed Gurkhas? (00:00:00)

2. Why Gurkha troops are special (00:02:00)

3. Special height provisions for Gurkhas (00:08:50)

4. Why Gurkhas go abroad and fight (00:11:15)

5. How India's new policy affects Gurkhas (00:14:40)

6. Could India's Gurkha regiment be disbanded? (00:18:00)

7. Nepal & UN peace-keeping operations (00:22:50)

8. Future of Gurkhas & infantry in robotic age (00:25:00)