Introduction General Sundarji was the Army Chief from February 1986 to May 1988. This 820-day […]
Category: India Today
The Governance of Acceleration: When Progress Outruns People
Human civilisation is entering an age of “Compressed living” – where technology expands faster than […]
From Blueprint to Breakdown: Why India’s Infrastructure Keeps Failing Its People
India stands on the cusp of becoming the world’s third-largest economy. The numbers are dazzling: […]
Brahmaputra Tunnel and Dibrugarh Emergency Landing Facility: Redrawing India’s Eastern Military Geometry
India’s Strategic Infrastructure Deterrence China’s strategy along India’s eastern frontier rests on speed, intimidation, and […]
Schools That Shape a Republic
At precisely eight each morning, long before the language of “holistic education” entered policy frameworks, […]
AIIMS Madurai: Temple of Health
Madurai greets you long before you enter it. The skyline begins to change subtly — […]
India’s AMCA Fighter Jet: A Watershed Moment
India’s Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme has reached a critical juncture with Tata Advanced […]
ACT 1: Venezuela: A New Chapter in Global Power Play
How Will it Play Out, for Others including India? An exclusive Cross Section Conversation, featuring […]
Thoughts on this Republic Day!
Strengthen the Republic, Unite our People as One Collective Force on the Global Arena In […]
Operation Venezuela: Parallels with Tibet’s annexation 75 years ago
Editor’s view: A fascinating parallel between Venezuela now and Tibet, 75 years ago. The editors […]
India’s Neighbourhood First Policy
Urgent Need to Recalibrate Purpose with Strategy The Delhi Forum for Strategic Studies (DFSS), under […]
Ajit Pawar Passes On! What’s Next for Maharashtra
Ajit Pawar had the unique ability to build bridges and get things done. In today’s […]
China’s Trade Surplus: A Boon Domestically but a Threat Abroad
An unprecedented US$ 1.2 trillion excess of exports over imports is not sustainable As much […]
India’s Defence Budget 2026–27: Reading Numbers Through Strategy, Not Optics
Defence budgets are usually read backwards. Attention gravitates first to the headline number, then to […]
Is this Cricket, or More? A Controversy that was Best Avoided!
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman — a well-known left-arm fast bowler — was picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders […]
Defence Budget 2026: Strategic Signals, Structural Gaps and the Quest for a Surakshit Bharat
Beyond Headline Numbers: Why Surakshit Bharat Precedes Viksit Bharat The aspiration of a Viksit Bharat […]
Stability Over Surprise
A Perspective on the Union Budget 2026 The Union Budget 2026–27, presented on February 1, […]
Fiscal Prudence Essential for a Viksit Bharat Realization
A Perspective on the Union Budget The Union Budget 2026-2027 (Union Government’s estimated receipts and […]
The Two Last Stands
Rezang La At 18,000 feet in Ladakh’s frozen wilderness, where the air itself feels like […]
Empowerment of Women in India – Budget Impetus
Women’s economic empowerment in India remains a pressing concern. Traditionally, Indian society accorded women a […]
Discipline, Water and Will: The Army Rowing Node’s World Moment
One man’s view of how an Army vision, shaped over four decades, earned global recognition. […]
Beyond The Siliguri Syndrome: North East From Frontier to Fulcrum
For much of independent India’s history, the North Eastern Region (NER) was treated as a […]
Reflections on Army Day 2026: Valour, Reforms, Reciprocity
As the nation celebrates Indian Army Day 2026, it is equally a time to salute […]
SHANTI Act, 2025: Rewriting the Rules of India’s Nuclear Energy Future
India’s energy transition has entered a phase where scale, reliability, and decarbonisation must advance together. […]
Public-Private Partnership in Strategic Infrastructure Development
Introduction In contemporary security discourse, infrastructure is no longer viewed merely as an enabler of […]
Pushing a Tourism Narrative Around the Sights and Sounds and so Much Else (and Tastes) of Delhi
It’s No Easy Task, but begin we must, perhaps start small, but confidently, as Delhi […]
A Year-End Conversation: Issues we must Tackle in 2026
At this exclusive conversation, we bring keen and most perceptive minds to debate on some […]
Key Economic and Social Priorities for Achieving India’s “Viksit” Aspirations
The Purposes of Development Indian Prime Minister Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) […]
The 6E Crisis: A Wake-Up call for the Air Transport Sector
What now for Indigo and for Indian aviation? A reprieve has been granted with a […]
India’s Territorial Disputes, Clashes and Settlements
In the 1947 partition of the British India, humanity collapsed and the politics of religion […]
Meditation in the Smog: Can Indian Cities save their Soul?
On December 21st, the world observed the second United Nations-designated World Meditation Day. For India, […]
The Partition of Bangladesh: A Befitting Testimony to the Valour of the Indian Forces, along with Political Resolve
A conversation on the release of the book “Bangladesh: Humiliation, Carnage, Liberation, Chaos”, authored by […]
Cleansing Coloniality to End Macaulay’s Long Reach
Unencumbered by having to defend Britain, the great American historian Will Durant asked his Western […]
Death of Nuance: Finding the Middle Path in a Binary World
Let’s be honest: we’ve become addicted to the binary. Our brains love a good toggle […]
Bridging the Last Mile: Securing the Himalayan Watershed
For millennia, the Himalayas stood as the Great Barrier—a silent, impenetrable wall of ice and […]
Time to Resolve the Naga Political Issue
“It is time for Muivah to abandon his stubborn position on a separate flag and […]
The Societal Roots of Radicalisation
A commentary on the recent terrorist incidents in India and Australia, and the rise of […]
India’s November Trade Data: Encouraging Signals, but Vigilance Remains Essential
India’s merchandise trade performance in November 2025 offers a measure of cautious optimism, pointing to […]
Currency Volatility: A Longer-Horizon Perspective
Overall, a falling Rupee redistributes gains and pains across stakeholders. Those who respond early with […]
Why Op Sindoor 1.0 Failed to Curb Pakistan’s Proxy War and Strategic Dimensions of Op Sindoor 2.0?
Op Sindoor 1.0 was launched as India’s response to impose consequences on Pakistan’s long-running proxy […]
Lessons From the 1971 War: A Need for “a Whole Nation Approach” to National Security
Spectacular Victory 16 December marks the day when 54 years ago, on 16 December 1971, […]
PPP: Private Party’s Problem ?
Indian heritage assets that are being revived, re-adapted, re positioned for contemporary usage, need a […]
RBI’s December 2025 Monetary Policy: A Calibrated Growth Push Amidst Global and Domestic Uncertainty
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), in line with broad market expectations, reduced the Repo rate […]
Geo-Moral: The Fourth Dimension
The past year has tested the world’s resolve like few others in recent history. Across […]
A Moment for Deep Introspection for both Indigo and Indian Aviation!
A rare moment of awakening for Indian Aviation Eco-system This was a tectonic moment for […]
Be a Tourist in Your Own City! Are Delhiites Sightseeing? Do we lack Energy or just lack of Interest?
IN this roundtable discussion held under the auspices of India Habitat Centre, we bring together […]
Economy Surging, Rupee Weakening
India’s macroeconomic fundamentals remain robust, with strong GDP growth, improving corporate earnings, healthy tax collections, […]
Delhi’s Pollution Crisis: A Public Health Emergency That No One Is Treating Seriously
A Public Health Emergency That No One Is Treating Seriously Every year, so this year, […]
You Get What You Deserve!
In effect, the Congress is at its worst in public perception. Nothing has changed, in […]
The New Grammar of Terror Impact of the Red Fort Blast
The Red Fort blast of 10 November and the unravelling of the Faridabad module mark […]
Constitution Day Celebrated with a Resolve to Uphold it’s Values and Spirit
75 years ago, India got its Constitution. To commemorate the day, the government set a […]
When Luck Runs Out, Wg. Cdr. Namash Syal laid down his life
It hurts. It hurts badly and hurts very deeply. We lost a young life during […]
Robust and Broad-Based Q2 Growth
India’s real GDP growth accelerated to 8.2% in Q2, marking its strongest performance in six […]
A Case of Lawful Command Above Religion
Background Every profession has its own nuances and peculiarities. Same goes for the defence forces. […]
The Unseen Debt Crisis: Navigating Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Syndrome in India
Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) has rapidly evolved from a niche fintech product into a mainstream payment and […]
India at an Inflexion Point: Firing on All Growth Cylinders
“Stick to the big questions, don’t get bogged down in the details.” — Tony Sanford […]
DEAFENING DEFEAT & SILENT TRIUMPH: Prashant Kishore’s Electoral Journey
Bihar has given its verdict- a thumping win for the NDA with 202 out of […]
Viksit Bharat Requires a Transformation in Surakshit Bharat Culture
Is 10/11 the Moment That India Must Recognise the Urgency of a National Citizen Security […]
The Unequivocal Bihar Verdict: Charting a Pathway to the Future
The NDA’s emphatic mandate was a staggering 202 out of 243 seats – a tsunami […]
India’s 10/11: The New Face of Urban Terrorism
Will Cities become Next Frontiers for Terrorists? The car blast that tore open the evening […]
Over-tourism in India: The Paradox of Prosperity and the Pockets of Crisis
The discussion titled “Over-tourism in India: The Paradox of Prosperity and the Pockets of Crisis” […]
Exploring the Middle Path: Living in Shades of Grey
Is everything in just black or in white. Nothing in between? That is a timeless […]
For Whom Will the Bells Toll? Bihar Goes to a High-Stakes Poll with National Ramifications
Early this month, Bihar will head for a legislative assembly election. All Bihar elections are […]
Indian Economy: Resilient in an Uncertain Global Environment
This presentation was delivered at the Gokhale Institute, Pune, as Kale Memorial Lecture, last month; […]
Record Diwali Spending: Confidence vs. Pent-Up Demand and Inflation
A granular examination of record Diwali spending reveals a nuanced interplay between genuine consumer confidence […]
Implications of the new Central Pay Commission on Government Expenses
Introduction: A Fiscal and Policy Turning Point The Cabinet’s approval of the Terms of Reference […]
Piyush Pandey: The Man Who Gave Indian Creativity its Own Soul
When you think of Indian advertising, one unmistakable moustache comes firmly to the fore of […]
Central Banks’ Lapping Up Gold – Method in the Madness
In 2025, central banks’ record-breaking accumulation of gold is far more than an act of […]
Beyond Incrementalism: Reforms in Land Governance and Women’s Empowerment
India’s economic reform trajectory has, over the decades, acquired a broad political consensus. Today, across […]
Judiciary Needs to Bring Changes Ensuring the Fast-Paced Redressal Needed for a Viksit Bharat
Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, PM’s Economic Advisory Council, in a recent lecture, ‘prayed’ to the legal […]
All at Once, Everything, and Now!
A new book released shares perspectives for India to reach its goal of Viksit Bharat […]
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat: In the Big Churning, we will find our own Solutions!
Mohan Bhagwat in conversation, on the occasion of the book launch. Rooted in the soil […]
Accelerating India’s Journey to Becoming ‘Viksit’
It is a tough call, quite do-able. Having a goal is better than not having […]
The United Nations at 80: Needed More than Ever to Address 21st Century Challenges
History and Mandate As the High-Level Segment of the UN General Assembly is in session […]
Discipline: The Secret Sauce to Achieving the Dream of Viksit Bharat
It is one ingredient that is seriously missing in our daily lives. We see this […]
RBI’s October 2025 Monetary Policy: Balancing Growth and Inflation
The October 2025 review carries special weight, coming after a period of aggressive monetary easing. […]
Hidden Hands Behind Ladakh Unrest: Why NGO Funding Demands Urgent Audit
Ladakh is not just a major tourist attraction. It is one of India’s most fragile […]
Navigating a Difficult Intersection of Economics and Politics, Fed brings a Rate Cut!
Analytics of the Federal Reserve’s September 2025 Policy In line with market expectations, the Federal […]
Shifting Sands in South Asia: Sifting Mirages from Reality
Another edition of a round table conversation, convened by us, bringing together expert opinion on […]
Time for Moratorium on Issues that Divide All Indians
This Independence Day was very special. The global order has been mauled by President Trump’s […]
Decoding PM Modi’s Independence Day Speech
Prime Minister’s address to the nation on the occasion of Independence Day from the ramparts […]
PM Modi @ 75 This Month!
Like him! Like him not! His is not a persona that invites hollow smiles and […]
GST 2.0: Ushering Next Gen Reforms
In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Delhi, Prime […]
Bihar Elections: Time to Revisit Special Intensive Revision
THIS has been a year of good monsoon with no noticeable sandstorms save the dust […]
Raisina Hill gets started for the Makeover
The most ambitious redevelopment of the capital city, underway over last few years, around the […]
N K Singh Recalls the Legacy of Lord Swaraj Paul
First, he was a quintessential Industrialist. Unlike many of his contemporaries who sought easy fortune […]
The Tariff Proof Sector: Tourism can Deliver Transformative Results
The recent decision by the US to impose higher tariffs on select Indian exports, from […]
How Credible? Where is Pakistan Heading?
Pakistan’s army chief, Asif Munir’s nuclear sabre-rattling is causing alarm bells to ring in New […]
Emerging Contours-India-China Relationship
India’s Mounting Trade Deficit with China- Issues and Concerns India’s merchandise trade deficit with China […]
GST Reforms: Attempt to Lean Against the Tariff Wind
Trump’s staggering 50% tariffs have impacted about 70% of India’s goods exports to the U.S., […]
Before Theatre Commands, India Needs an Integrated Multidomain Battle Space
“Strength is not in merging theatres, but in dominating the battlespace and victory belongs to […]
Rudra Brigades: A Doctrinal Shift for Fighting in a Multi Domain Enviornment
Introduction On the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26 July 2025, General Upendra Dwivedi […]
The Leverage of Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad Vis-A-Vis the US Tariffs on India
1. Trade and Politics go hand in hand. President Trump has declared a special tariff […]
RBI’s August Policy: Context, Decision, and Emerging Contours
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but […]
Dishom Guru Moves On, Leaving a Towering Legacy!
Shibu Soren, the founder and architect of the state of Jharkhand, has moved on. Revered […]
Battle For Bihar: Who Will Win the Hindi Heartland?
Every state these days becomes a litmus test, for one reason or the other. And […]
Not Letting The Chinese Choke The Indian Economy
While President Trump goes after almost the entire comity of nations for his myopic, yet […]
The Dhankar Drama: Ill-health, a Conscience Attack, or Over Ambition
He has occupied the high stage ever since he became the voluble Governor of West […]
Making Rare Earth Minerals Ubiquitous: A New Challenge for Policymakers
As China tightens control over the export of rare earth minerals, India’s automobile sector has […]
90th Birthday Celebrations Turn Historic for His Holiness
The spiritual guru of Buddhists worldwide, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, celebrated his 90th birthday […]
Highways to Amrit Kaal : Progress, Potholes and Potential Reform
Road infrastructure is often called the backbone of the economy – and for good reason. […]
India–Uk Economic & Trade Pact: A Firm Statement Of Maturity On Both Sides
The India-UK FTA is finally through, in the presence both prime ministers, scoring the high […]
India First, we are all One Family, United and Strong!
On top of the mind is India First. A difficult proposition today as every country […]
India: Federalism, Unity in Diversity, and the Democratic Experiment
India’s story is inspirational. As we celebrate our Independence Day, it is once again an opportunity […]
Urban Mobility Chaos in India: A Crisis Demanding Integrated Solutions
Solutions cannot be left to fragmented local agencies. A coordinated national framework led by institutions […]
Time for India’s Resolve and Renewal
India has landed on the moon, put an Indian on the International Space Station and […]
Every Life Matters: Wake Up Call to our Conscience
My mind goes back to the need of listening to our conscience, before it is […]
The ‘Reel Peril’: Is Social Media Inducing More Crime in Society?
With an ever-increasing population, and complex socio-economic problems, the crime-rate in our country has witnessed […]
The politics of Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad
Air India AI171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash took place on June 12th 2025 at Ahmedabad […]
What If China Stops Brahmaputra’s Waters? A Geopolitical Myth That Doesn’t Hold Water
The idea that China could pull a lever and halt the Brahmaputra’s waters before they […]
Pakistan–China Collusivity: Does it Deserve the Blind Eye?
Introduction On 23 May 2013, as Premier Li Keqiang began his day-long visit to Pakistan, the […]
India’s Shifting Savings Landscape: A Wake-Up Call for Policy Reform
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but […]
Deterrence, Narratives, Acquisition Protocols, Adversaries and India’s Fight with Terror and Agents of Terrorism
CS Conversations convened an erudite panel of experts who know the business – diplomacy, global […]
The Ubiquitous Drone: Operational Dislocation Impacting Security Threats
Introduction The 01st June, Ukrainian drone strike on five airbases, deep inside Russian territory, prompted […]
50 Years since Dark Day of Emergency; Admit to Mistakes, is Best Policy!
June 25th, 1975 was a Black Letter Day in the history of independent India. Then, […]
All-party Delegations, Whom They Met, and the Shashi Tharoor Factor!
In the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor, from all accounts considered, the government of the […]
Long Road to Lipulekh: From Isolation to Integration
The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this July after a long hiatus marks not […]
Missing the Woods for the Trees: The Debate Around ‘Losses’ in Operation Sindoor
War and conflicts worldwide result in destruction and loss to both warring sides. This is […]
In Our Immediate Neighbourhood: What’s Simmering?
We focus on South Asia, India’s immediate neighbourhood. Here, we have some perspectives, solutions, on […]
The One BIG Takeaway
What’s the single takeaway from each of our panelists? Summing up, individually, how do we […]
India and the Iran–Israel Conflict: A Balancing Act in a Shifting Landscape
For this time, the war clouds seem to have blown over. But the warnings were […]
A Strategic Pivot Amidst Global Turbulence: RBI’s June 2025 Monetary Policy
The RBI justifiably prioritized fostering economic growth for sustained economic development, particularly because of controlled […]
The Learning Curve: What Does it Say for Indian Economy?
In conversation with Dr. Manorajan Sharma, Chief Economist, Infomerics Ratings & Former General Manager, Chief […]
In the Aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the Road Ahead for Viksit Bharat
Our economy is growing as witnessed in our growing consumption of energy. A confident India […]
Boeing’s Fall from Grace: A Cautionary Tale of Corporate Greed
Once the gold standard of aviation innovation, Boeing is today grappling with a credibility crisis […]
Trump’s Tariff Trilemma: Momentary Respite or Prelude to Prolonged Pain?
“History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” – Mark Twain Tariff Euphoria Gives […]
War Beyond Borders – Narratives, Influence and National Interests in 21st Century Conflicts
The global system is not driven by justice—it is dictated by interests. Ukraine is defended […]
Spiderweb: An Attack with far Reaching Implications
Operation Spiderweb is a military operation that can alter the nature of war into the […]
Operation Sindoor Success: A Showcase to our Indigenious Weapon Systems
Introduction Operation Sindoor has emerged, most of all, as a calibrated, precision and clinical military […]
Of Foreign Policy, the Sino-Pak Connection, the State & Non-state Actors in Pakistan
How has Operation Sindoor impacted our nation? In terms of self-reliance, foreign policy, and the […]
The Challenge of Being Atmanirbhar in the Face of Recent Hostilities
Operation Sindoor was not just a response to terrorist attack; it was a statement of […]
The War Game: Options Going Forward!
Deterrence is best gained by acquiring military strength. Diplomacy is also more tactical, when your […]
IMF’s Pakistan Bailout – The Dubious Case
“You have to be willingly ignorant of the past not to know where all this […]
Lessons Learned, Imbibed, and Followed Through!
Act where we Must, Pause where we Must. So much has been around us, Operation […]
IAF Chief highlights Project Delays that Impact Operational Readiness
Speaking at the recent CII Annual Summit in New Delhi, Air Chief Marshal A P […]
Strategic communication is the new dimension of conflict
Social media, propaganda/fake news and digital social engineering can be termed as the “triad of […]
Shifting Sands: The Mirage Wears Off as War Clouds Loomed
India and the US: Friends as in Quad? The last week or so has changed […]
India-Pakistan War: Different Market Dynamics At Play, to Each his Own!
“You cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you” – Late Golda […]
India Draws the Sindoor Line
A ceasefire is welcome provided there is a principled commitment to ending terrorism resulting in […]
Operation Sindoor: India Displays its Strength by Precision Strikes
From a ground reality perspective, this is not escalation per se, but a befitting response […]
India’s Nuclear Policy: Ready for Every Challenge !
In the current narrative, where threats and counter threats could be confusing to understand, the […]
Automobile Industry Outlook 2025: Bumpy Ride Ahead
India’s automobile industry has grown significantly, reaching Rs. 22 lakh crore (US Rs. 78 lakh […]
Piyush Goyal’s Clarion Call for Startups Makes All the Right Noises
Piyush Goyal’s takedown of the Indian startup ecosystem has touched a raw nerve, igniting a […]
India’s FY26 GDP may grow 6.5%; Trump tariffs to have limited impact
In an interview with Mint, Manoranjan Sharma, Chief Economist, Informerics Ratings shared his views on […]
Pahalgam: innocence massacred
The Incident At about 2.30 pm on 22 April 25, four terrorists came out of […]
War is Not the Solution : It is Only One of the Options
The dastardly attack in Pahalgam is etched in our memory for ever. Innocent tourists, harbingers […]
India’s Potential for AI Powered 24/7 Governance in Public Interest
Can it Play a Leadership Role in the Global South? The State of AI Development […]
Gold Achieves the ‘lakh’ Lustre Status this Year!
Gold achieved its ‘lakh’ lustre status this April, becoming the best-performing asset in 2025, gaining […]
Death in the Air
The idea of this piece is to give the reader a sneak preview into the […]
Shifting Sands: Congress is Unpredictable as the Sensex, but not Gaining over Time
In a recent gathering of Congress workers in Gujarat, leader of the Opposition and Senior […]
Shifting Sands: Delhi Government carves a Roadmap to the Capital’s Resurrection
In keeping with its promise to restore the lost ‘ease in living’ in the city, […]
Shifting Sands: Is Laughter the best medicine?
No longer, possibly, as humour is limited in our times, given numerous sensitivities, across our […]
Shifting Sands: A Justice Pleads for Justice!
In times like these, nothing is impossible. Nothing, really, some of it befitting a serial […]
Freebies, Sustainable Human Development Vs Structural Reforms
Freebies, Sustainable Human Development and the Need for Structural Reforms: edited version of an Interactive […]
Governor Starts Steady on a Seaming Pitch
RBI’s February 2025 Policy, which was entirely in conformity with our expectations, was formulated against […]
Tax cuts in budget will have multiplier effects. But measure them accurately
THERE IS A virtual tsunami of opinions on the historically unprecedented changes in the personal […]
The Plummeting of Arvind Kejriwal- Neither a Mystery nor a Conundrum
“The enemy doesn’t warn its target. Emergencies do not make appointments, and the greatest battles […]
India’s 5th Generation Fighter Dilemma: Su-57 vs F-35
The 13 Feb 2025 announcement by US President Donald Trump regarding the potential sale of […]
Shifting Sands: Events that captured our attention last month
The Saif drama unfolds; where it goes, wait and watch? So, as the story goes, […]
Balanced Budget: Need to Tread with caution to map India’s fiscal future
The Union Budget 2025 represents Union Government’s estimated receipts and expenditure from 1.4.2025 to 31.3.2026! […]



