Search

It is indeed tempting to wax eloquent about the shikaras full of tourists on the Dal Lake in Srinagar and the peace moves in the air between India and Pakistan. However, a pragmatic assessment of the military situation in the fifteenth year of insurgency reveals that a state of strategic stalemate now prevails in Jammu and Kashmir (J).

The focus on the Henderson-Brooks report creates a bias in our minds that the failure of 1962 was that of the Army. Perhaps that is what the babus and politicians wanted. In fact, the real failure was of the Nehru government's China policy and the management of that policy.

Trump’s self sufficiency route has short-term gains but Modi’s diversified sourcing is a better long-term bet

India’s strategic culture has evolved through millennia of civilisational continuity, philosophical introspection, and pragmatic statecraft. Rooted in traditions of intellectual enquiry and adaptability, it reflects an enduring synthesis of ideas drawn from its ancient texts, historical encounters, and modern experiences. From the principles of Kautilya’s Arthashastra to the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”), Indi

Compellence is a word derived from nuclear weapons theory.is being used in the conventional context in relation to India and Pakistan

Taking care of the urgent requirements, the new Cabinet Committee on Security of the Modi government should insist on a radical overhaul of the national security system before funding new acquisitions.

The discussion covered various aspects of video streaming ecosystem interspersed with insightful panel discussions.

India’s geopolitically sensitive location and complex relationships with neighbours, global powers, and non-state actors necessitate national security strategies that include the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) domain. This paper discusses the current threat scenario related to CBRN technologies; it makes a case for leveraging multilateral cooperation through alliances like the Quad and regional partnerships to strengthen

As the EU recalibrates for global turbulence, strategic ties with the Gulf are emerging as key to its economic, energy, and security resilience

This brief tackles the crucial role of public diplomacy in enhancing India's global influence. It argues that India should exert effort to communicate its rich cultural heritage and economic growth story to foreign audiences, and recommends a roadmap that involves linking public diplomacy to national security, the establishment of a specialised public diplomacy agency, and creating the position of a chief public diplomat. A well-structured public

The COVID-19 pandemic, in India, illustrated the need to enhance the country’s capabilities in confronting biological threats, particularly through early detection and timely intervention. Although the pandemic has ended, the threat of new and re-emerging zoonotic viruses remains, the most recent cases being the Nipah virus (NiV) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) outbreaks; there is also the risk of accidental or intentional biological threats

The question of municipal leadership is of great significance in urban governance in India. There are various models of the position of chief executive of an urban local body (ULB), predominantly tilting towards the ‘strong mayor’ model either through ‘presidentialisation’ of the office or through a ‘mayor-in-council’[1] system. In India, it is the ‘state appointed municipal commissioner’ model that holds sway, sitting over a popu

India’s membership in the Australia Group since 2018 and consistent diplomatic support for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) give it significant credibility, particularly among countries of the Global South. But in what ways is Delhi well-positioned to champion the diverse needs of the Global South and push for a modern, resilient BWC? See infographics for quick key insights.

Small satellites have gained considerable importance in recent years. Although small spacecraft have existed for decades, their military applications have recently gained prominence owing to technological advances in their development and integration into the armed services of the major spacefaring countries across the world. This paper analyses the significance of small satellites in the C4ISR capabilities of the three service branches of the In

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the formal schooling system in India, as it has across the globe, causing massive pressure on the online education sector. This paper analyses the state of digitalised education in India. It outlines current government guidelines on digital-mode schooling, and uses the case of Maharashtra’s five-year-old efforts at digitalising government schools to gauge preparedness for implementing the guidelines. It highl

Street vending was illegal in urban India for almost six decades until the passage of the Street Vendors Act in 2014. Despite the law having legalised the activity, however, the default policy in most cities across India is to clamp down on street hawkers. Yet street vending remains a viable source of employment for many. As the pace of urbanisation increases across India, it is only likely that a greater number of street traders will contest for

Safer cities are a product of technology, policing, community participation, education, and planning and architectural design. In the policy frame, focus should be on inclusive development, participatory approaches, identity mainstreaming, and sustainable urban development to create a more equal and tolerant urban society.

The political mess in Nepal presents a very difficult challenge for India. Nepal is geo-politically too sensitive for India to detach itself from developments there. We have to be ever watchful of the inroads China makes.

This return to business as usual is reflective of the wariness on both sides to escalate the crisis further and prevent it from metastasising into a new front of conflict.

While India is looking to the UN to manage the cyber challenges, America and China are exploring bilateral solutions that could eventually be imposed on the rest of the world. That is very similar to what happened in the nuclear arena five decades ago.

Like China did in the early 1980s, India needs to exploit the opportunity of good relations with the US to become a stronger economic and military power. Indeed, as a decisive leader, Modi could well transform the relationship with the US and enable it to reach its full potential.

This brief examines how transactional bilateralism has become a feature of American trade policy under Trump 2.0, and argues that economic coercion can lead to cooperation when the right structural conditions exist. Framed by the idea of ‘reciprocism’, it explores how cooperation can emerge among self-interested states when two conditions, namely, small-N participation and credible pre-play commitments that reshape incentives, are present. Th

As Modi resets ties with the Maldives with Sushma Swaraj's visit, he also has an opportunity to rethink the current Nepal policy which has entered a turbulent phase in the last few weeks. Nepal's election of a new PM, K.P. Sharma Oli, is a good moment to take a fresh look at the differences between Delhi and Kathmandu.

Subregional economic cooperation has become a prioritised agenda in India’s neighbourhood policy. Policymakers and scholars increasingly conceptualise subregions in the neighbourhood to promote economic and connectivity cooperation. However, the subregional notion is rarely discussed in the context of security cooperation. This raises an important question regarding the subregional approach, or its lack thereof, in building security cooperation

There is a natural affinity in political style that draws both leaders together.

Unlike the Indo-Pacific where the payoffs are limited, West Asia offers India vast energy resources that are vital for development and investment opportunities.

Recent policies and programmes such as the draft National Energy Policy (NEP), 2017 and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana have attempted to fill the critical gender gap by recognising the linkages of women to energy access.

Succession to the next generation poses a threat to the Saudi Kingdom's stability as it will create "a complex web of rivalry and political competition" among Saudi princes who wish to secure their family lines.

Pakistan remains trapped in its own propaganda