How can we increase membership from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal etc

[trackwhack]

Should we not proactively try to invite more members from our neighbouring countries? DFI should have its own 'Look East policy' and 'Connect Central Asia' policy.

Should we even think of some funding to increase such membership?

As India's global span increases, so should DFI's.

Of late we have a small surge of members from Phillipines and Vietnam, thanks to the CCP.

What do the mods and admins think?

Also as our global audience increases we should have code of conduct in terms of how we treat our guests. eg. If there are Sri Lankans on the forum, it shouldnt turn into a TN vs Sri Lankan shitfest.


Remember, today's forum members are tomorrows decision makers and leaders.

 

[LurkerBaba]

We had many members from Bangladesh in the past, some went inactive and others ran away because of overzealous Indian members

 

[BangersAndMash]

Are there many PIO members on DFI? Born and bred in the US, Canada, UK, etc?

 

[satish007]

throw a party, drinking and mocking China.

 

[thakur_ritesh]

As a general rule members need to realize that if a foreign member, from wherever, joins in, one doesn't need to bash, intimidate or gang up against the member or the ideas put in, but try and initiate healthy flow of ideas.

We've had members join in from immediate neighbourhood to far off places, but in general the response has been Indian members tend to be too aggressive and there isn't much left to discuss.

Members need to be more accommodating, open to ideas, and more importantly try and have healthy and decent discussions, which is what is a sign of a mature discussion group and you don't either need to chip in funds to generate interest through other means than content. Our foreign membership (excluding NRIs/PIOs) runs in 100s, a good number of them from the neighbourhood but extremely limited participation.

 

[Yusuf]

We got Heinz from SL. He was hounded by a few members. We had non trolling Pakis, they were hounded too.

DFI is an open forum. Maturity from posters to discuss with all sorts of people from different nationalities is required.

DFI members should take an effort to bring on board people from other nations. Especially those outside india and having friends from different countries.

 

[Tianshan]

As a general rule members need to realize that if a foreign member, from wherever, joins in, one doesn't need to bash, intimidate or gang up against the member or the ideas put in, but try and initiate healthy flow of ideas.

We've had members join in from immediate neighbourhood to far off places, but in general the response has been Indian members tend to be too aggressive and there isn't much left to discuss.

yes, but how can you have an indian defence forum, without some level of china-bashing?

that's like asking an arab forum to have no bashing of israel.

 

[Yusuf]

yes, but how can you have an indian defence forum, without some level of china-bashing?

that's like asking an arab forum to have no bashing of israel.

Every forum has a bit of jingoism.

Serious posters need to prioritize and post accordingly.

 

[trackwhack]

Thanks for the suggestions Yusuf. I will invite people I know. Other suggestions anyone else?

On the other hand, how do we avoid loosing members that do sign up, while preserving freedom of speech and debate?

 

[Singh]

A few members are hesitant to invite others to this board, lest they get a wrong idea about India.
I think it is imperative to realize that this board doesn't represent India, or Indians. Everyone here is an individual who expresses his/her opinion.

 

[Drsomnath999]

yes, but how can you have an indian defence forum, without some level of china-bashing?

that's like asking an arab forum to have no bashing of israel.

llollz go check chinesedefence.com ,& see the level of bashing (starting from racial slander & what shit language they use against INDIA ),EVen pak forums have some decency for us ,

 

[Ray]

throw a party, drinking and mocking China.

That would not be a fair statement.

If someone who joins just to mock others and showcase his land , then one reads the book by Harper Lee published in 1960. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbours, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old.

Guess the name of the book?!

 

[trackwhack]

It is always going to be difficult to get members from the West to take any sort of interest here - in other words a hard sell. (Respect to Ewald for putting up with a lot of abuse... cough cough)

However I think we should try to build an audience that is in line with our sphere of influence. I think it is really important that we have at least 100 members each from our immediate neighbours, with at least 20 of them actively contributing to our discussions.

Working around a plan with a set goal has always yielded me results. Should we work towards a goal in terms of number of foreign members. Similar to a corporation having a Mission and Vision statement, should we have these too.

We have many members in overseas locations. Others travel to many countries on business, like Yusuf does. Every one should chip in.

The initial question behind asking if we should consider funding such a push was in terms of creating awareness in foreign online communities about us.

Like everyone else mentioned, the most important thing however, is that though we are each voicing our individual opinions, for most outsiders it is still a reflection of our collective identity.

@Ray, nice one there

 

[Mad Indian]

Guess the name of the book?!

What is the name of the book Brigadier?

 

[trackwhack]

What is the name of the book Brigadier?

 

[Ray]

Track,

Thanks!

 

[LurkerBaba]

that's like asking an arab forum to have no bashing of israel.

I don't think that that analogy is correct

 

[Ray]

yes, but how can you have an indian defence forum, without some level of china-bashing?

that's like asking an arab forum to have no bashing of israel.

There will be bashers and there will be those who extend a hand of friendship.

It is only when one mocks the other or wants to project that one's country is way better (even in a subtle way), there starts the celebrations of Fourth of July, Diwali or the Chinese New Year!

 

[balai_c]

Actually, DFI has a very very high number of foreign (non-Indian), and the spectrum of opinion is quite astounding. This level of courtesy is indeed quite exemplary compared to forums catering to Pakistan and other countries. For example, Pakdef in the true sense of the word-Deaf & Dumb forum. The level of objectivity is so low, that sometime, it ceases to even entertaining.So is a website called World defense network.Compared to these DFI is an oasis of sanity.For a website catering to Indian Defense and strategy, it truly incorporates many point of view, truly living up to the ethos of India as an oasis of difference and diversity and contrast.

 

[Payeng]

This forum serves as an information pool rather then a quality debate.