There are some emotions that do not announce themselves. They arrive quietly, sit beside us, […]
Category: India Today
From Hardship to the Podium
The Podium has a Story The podium has a way of making struggle disappear. It […]
Indian Economy: Resilience, Rebalancing and the Reform Imperative
India enters the second half of FY 2026–27 with a combination of strong headline growth, […]
From Boots to Bots
The Battlefield is Moving A soldier on tomorrow’s battlefield may never see the enemy he […]
Chasing an ideal, Equal Earth needed to Balance the Essentials
Every few years, wisecracking cartographers unveil some new map projection promising to fix how we […]
Bhagat Singh: The Revolution Beyond the Gallows
The Face that Refused to Fade Look at the face in the familiar hat: composed […]
UPSC@100: From Merit to Mission
Every year, lakhs of young Indians enter an examination that is far larger than an […]
Agnipath 2.0: From Four-Year Recruitment to a National Manpower Architecture
Agnipath at the Crossroads Agnipath was conceived in 2022 to give the Armed Forces a […]
Seemingly Elusive Pursuit of Perfection
At 10 a.m., when the RBI announces a policy decision, there is no luxury of […]
From Policy to Practice
Powering Maritime Excellence in an Age of Maritime Insecurity The Ocean is the Final Auditor […]
The Blank Cheque
The Soldier’s Covenant Is the Fauj a profession, a religion, a calling, or a way […]
The Geo-Morality of Peace: From Balance of Power to Balance of Humanity
The Irony of Peace Day Every year, 21 September asks humanity to pause and think […]
The Gunner Who Would Not Leave His Gun
The extraordinary valour of Havildar Umrao Singh, Victoria Cross For one and a half hours, […]
Kaladan: Connectivity, China and India’s Eastern Frontier
In geopolitics, alternative routes are not luxuries. They are insurance. That proposition acquires fresh meaning […]
Moreh: The Gateway India has Not Yet Fully Unlocked
Where India Meets the East There are places on a map that are important because […]
The Moral Pivot Back to the ‘80s
There is something curious about the way we remember the 1980s. We are surrounded by […]
India’s Inflation Crossroads: What the Signals Mean for RBI Policy
India has entered the second half of FY2026–27 with an unusual combination of strong economic […]
PM Narendra Modi and the Power of Thinking Big
I was beginning to lose hope that India’s ambition to develop its first green-field city […]
The Goddess Trap: How Indian Politics Worships Women—and Punishes Their Freedom
From sexualised AI propaganda to the rehabilitation of convicted rapists, “Nari Shakti” becomes an ornate […]
The XVIIIth BRICS Summit in India: Founders’ Vision and Objectives Sidelined
The Main Reasons for the Creation of the Original BRIC(S) One of the main reasons […]
Double Whammy of Mounting Oil Prices and an Inflationary Spiral: Manifestly Unedifying
Brent crude, which touched nearly $108 a barrel on September 14, 2026—its highest level since […]
The Moral Pivot Be Good, Do Good
There are moments when goodness asks for nothing in return. A man sees a stranger […]
AI at the Edge of Control
When machines start building the next generation of machines, the question shifts from what artificial […]
The Engineer We Need
Engineering is where a nation’s dreams acquire weight, shape and permanence. Every bridge that connects […]
UPI: India’s New Economic Passport
QR Code that Crossed the Border. A traveller in a foreign country opens his phone, […]
BRICS at 20: From Rhetoric to Economic Resilience
There was a time when BRICS was discussed largely as an idea, a grouping of […]
When The World Comes To Delhi
The Photograph that Should Make Us Think There are photographs that record an event, and […]
Saragarhi: The Greatest Last Stand
The Impossible Choice On 12 September 1897, twenty-one soldiers stood inside a small frontier post […]
The Last Stand
When Generals who once led soldiers into battle are made to fight the State for […]
BRICS in New Delhi: Can India Turn Ambition into Deliverables?
The 18th BRICS Summit, to be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 12–13 […]
The Recent Indian Economic Growth Controversy: Trust Deficit, Data and Methodological Challenges
While the current debate was recently triggered by the Government’s release of India’s Quarter 1 […]
Moon is Mine: When Geography Becomes Power
Map is Changing Again For most of the post-Cold War era, we persuaded ourselves that […]
Bhupen Hazarika: The Voice that Came From a River
There are singers who entertain us, singers who move us, and singers whose voices become […]
Why India Does Not Have Technology Sovereignty, and What Must Change
India claims to be a rising technological power. It builds rockets, runs the world’s largest […]
When Good Officers Walk Away
Rethinking the compact between politics, administration and the citizen When an honest and effective civil […]
Indian Economy, Resilience, Risks and the Road Ahead: September Update
India remains among the fastest-growing major economies, supported by domestic consumption and continued public investment. […]
The Invisible Borders Within
Language, Migration and the Price of Economic Fragmentation When Language becomes a Barrier There is […]
The Tragedies We Cannot Prevent— and Those We Can
There are moments when the numbers themselves become unbearable. Hundreds dead. Thousands missing. Entire settlements […]
Amrita Pritam: The Woman Who Turned Wounds into Words
Some writers belong to their age. A few manage to escape it. Amrita Pritam belongs […]
Book Review: A Century in Stirrups
Introduction A Century in Stirrups: Three Generations of Indian Cavalrymen is a historical non-fiction book […]
India’s Transformational Military Strategy Post Operation Sindoor
Prelude: Operation Sindoor, A Strategic Inflection Point Operation Sindoor in May 2025 demonstrated India’s military […]
A Nation on Lifelines, A State on Steroids
Pakistan’s Economic Fragility and Military Resurgence The Planes Are Landing There is something unsettling about […]
Surging Gurugram, Collapsing Civic Infrastructure—No Conundrum
The rapid growth of Gurugram highlights a sharp divergence in India’s urbanisation: soaring real estate […]
Breaking the Nomination Culture: The Missile ToT Decision and What Must Come Next
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s approval to transfer all DRDO-developed conventional missile technologies to private industry […]
Manufacture to Mastery: Looking Beyond “Made in India”
“Made in India” has become an important marker of India’s growing defence-industrial capability. The transformation […]
The Unseen Foundations of National Resilience
Lt Gen PJS Pannu’s recently published book, ‘Taramandal Sangram: Space Constellations at War’ set me […]
The Road Beyond Oil
Bitumen, Geopolitics and Green Infrastructure When Oil Becomes a Geopolitical Weapon Every Middle East crisis […]
The Impact of Affordable Drone Technology
Introduction The history of warfare is often told through increasingly sophisticated weapons: the machine gun, […]
Taramandal Sangram Sounds a Timely Warning on India’s Space Preparedness
Taramandal Sangram, authored by Lt Gen P. J. S. Pannu, was released at a distinguished […]
From Access to Aspiration: PM Modi’s Vision for A New India
PM Modi’s 15 August 2026 Independence Day address offers an expansive and confident account of […]
The Man Who Redefined Time
A humble tribute to Usain Bolt at Forty There are athletes who win races. There […]
The Enemy Within
Three internal taxes that could derail India’s growth trajectory There are moments in the life […]
Road to Accountability
From Pothole Detection to Digital Road Governance When Pothole Became an Evidence A Bengaluru engineer […]
Bajirao: The General Who Weaponised Speed
How a young Peshwa transformed mobility, manoeuvre and audacity into an art of war The General […]
Architecture of Atal Confidence
The Silence after Atal Eight years after Atal Bihari Vajpayee left us, there is something […]
Battlefield Transparency Concerns
Introduction Every major war reshapes how future wars are fought and expose weaknesses that peacetime […]
The War of Waiting
The Human Cost of War Beyond the Battlefield A warship can carry thousands of men […]
The Munde Phenomenon
From Individual Integrity to Institutional Excellence When One Officer Becomes a Phenomenon By now, Tukaram […]
India We Inherited, India We Leave Behind
My mother was born in 1944. She was three years old when India became free. […]
Guarding India’s Digital and Financial Borders
For most of India’s independent history, the idea of a national border conjured a fixed […]
Criticism Is Cheap, Contribution Is Rare
Across cultures and institutions, management practice may differ, but one principle commands wide agreement: praise […]
From Colonel to Carrot King
He Changed the Battlefield, Not the Soldier Within I have known Colonel Subhash Deswal long […]
Youth is Now
The Future Is Already Here Every generation has been told the same thing: the youth […]
Khudiram Bose: The Boy Who Walked Smiling to the Gallows
There are moments in a nation’s history when age becomes irrelevant, and courage becomes immortal. […]
Gurugram: The New Venice
Where Going Home Has Become an Expedition Gurugram has finally achieved what it has been […]
Mirabai Chanu: The Weight She Lifted Was Never Just Iron
Some heroes arrive with fanfare. They dominate headlines, command television screens, and bask in the […]
Where the Mind Is Without Fear
Eighty-five Years After Tagore, Are We Still Listening? Some poets write verses. A few write […]
The True Measure of Patriotism
If We Cannot Die for Our Country, Let Us at Least Learn to Live for […]
The Academy That Never Lets You Graduate
Whenever I look back on my life, I find that memory plays a curious game […]
RBI’s August 2026 Policy- Holding the Rate Steady
The forthcoming meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on August 3-5, 2026, will be held against […]
Kashmir 2026: The Quiet Reconstruction Behind the Attacks
How Pakistan-Based Terror Networks Rebuilt, Relocated and Resurfaced After Operation Sindoor Every terrorist incident in […]
Pizzas, Pakoras and Protests
Every generation reinvents the art of protest. Our parents marched with empty stomachs and full […]
When Politics Replaces Society: How Identity, Algorithms and Tribalism are Shrinking the Human Mind
The New Religion Politics has always shaped nations. It has inspired revolutions, toppled empires, built […]
Navigating the New Geoeconomic Landscape: India’s Roadmap to Economic Resilience
The global economy is undergoing its most significant transformation since the end of the Cold […]
Infrastructure for Inauguration: When Premature Failure Becomes the Costliest Tax
The Ribbon and the Ruins Barely sixteen days after its inauguration, a newly constructed bridge […]
Vaste Guna Huia!
Thirty Days Among the Natives The adventure began, as most modern adventures do, not in […]
Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy: Deciphering the Messi Magic
Lionel Messi’s seemingly relaxed style on the pitch conceals a razor-sharp strategic mind. During the […]
The Anatomy of Protests: The Mirror and The Mirage
Peaceful protest is a legitimate feature of every functioning democracy. It becomes a strategic and […]
Beyond Resignations: Why India Needs an Integrity Revolution
Protest and the Mirror The scenes at Jantar Mantar are both familiar and understandable. Thousands […]
The Mysterious Ways of the Stock Market
“Price is what you pay; value is what you get”. Warren Buffett Financial markets have […]
Strategic Autonomy Was Never Meant to Be Silence
India’s foreign policy establishment has a comforting habit. Whenever a hard question is asked, the […]
Kailash Mansarovar: Where Faith Climbs Higher Than Mountains
The Mountain Beyond Mountains There are mountains that challenge the body. There are mountains that […]
Truth Is Not a Team Sport
The Seduction of Certainty Every age has its temptations. Ours is the temptation to be […]
The Geometry of National Power
Why Great Nations Are Built by Alignment, Not Size Beyond the Arithmetic of Power Nations […]
The Newspaper Habit Under Siege
A short viral clip of a dog theatrically carrying a newspaper from one family member […]
The Strategic Value of Character
Why it Remains the Ultimate National Security Asset The New Obsession The vocabulary of national […]
Intense Passion, Unwavering Commitment—The Sky’s the Limit
Loving what you do is a necessary spark, but it is only the opening scene. […]
The Last Gentle Giant
Why the World Still Needs the Dalai Lama at Ninety-One The Smile That Survived History […]
Vivekananda’s India: A Strong Nation with a Fearless Soul
The Monk Who Awakened a Nation On the anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Mahasamadhi, India does […]
The Great Indian Sporting Paradox
Why Tiny Nations Reach the FIFA World Cup While India Watches Elephant Missing from the Stadium […]
Artificial Intelligence and the Quiet Seduction of Humanity
Artificial intelligence is often presented as a triumph of innovation, a tool destined to make […]
The Republic Begins With Me
The Invisible Character That Builds Great Nations World’s Favourite Conversation Every democracy has its favourite […]
It’s transition time, determining outcomes remain a challenge?
Let us examine the monthly contours of the Indian economy in the third article of […]
No Nation Can Outrun Ecological Collapse The Land Will Answer
Awards cannot save nations from ecological ruin; true strength lies not in false brilliance, but […]
Everything Important Is Outside the Syllabus
Walk into any college classroom and you will find bright young minds preparing for examinations […]
Just Wars or Justified Wars?
Who Decides When Killing Becomes Moral? Can Wars Be Just Wars do not begin with […]
Morabeza: Cabo Verde’s Greatest Victory
Every FIFA World Cup produces its fairy tale. This year, it belongs to Cabo Verde. […]
Empire Meets Karma: The Long Arc of History and the Law of Consequence
History has a curious habit. It rarely settles its accounts within a generation. Nations, like […]
The Soul of Strategy: From Dharma Yuddha to Digital Deterrence
The Evolution of Indian Way of War As Indian satellites watch over distant oceans, cyber […]
The Changing Face of Growth: India and the Global Economy
The global economy is being reshaped by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, shifting trade patterns, climate […]
Multiple Dimensions of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
A recent LinkedIn discussion, initiated by Professor Francesco Moscone of Brunel University London, sparked my […]
India Amid the New Global Fault Lines: AI, Climate and Geopolitics
The global economy entered the second half of 2026 confronting a convergence of forces that […]
Mental Decolonisation: India’s Next Freedom Struggle
Political independence was achieved in 1947. Mental independence remains a work in progress. The recent […]
Between Wars: Building an Anti-Fragile India for an Uncertain World
The Peace After the Storm The proposed peace agreement between the United States and Iran, […]
Geography Never Retires: Why India’s Strategic Century Will Be Decided by Mountains, Seas and Supply Chains
Napoleon blamed the Russian winter. Hitler blamed the Russian winter. In reality, both were defeated […]
Future Wars and India’s Multi-domain Preparedness, Kasauli’s Strategic Seminar Highlights Challenges
Present on the occasion, apart from the distinguished speakers, were the GOC-in-C Central Command, Gen […]
Why We Hate – and Why We Shouldn’t
The Age of Connection, the Era of Division The twenty-first century has witnessed extraordinary achievements. […]
Building Beyond Borders: BRO Videsh for Neighbourhood First and Act East
Connectivity is the New Currency of Power For much of modern history, power was measured […]
The Tyranny of Merit: When Young India Stops Believing the Game is Fair
The Promise and the Betrayal For generations, India has offered its youth a simple bargain: […]
RBI’s June 2026 Policy: Navigating Uncertainty with Prudence
The RBI finds itself on a sticky wicket ahead of its upcoming monetary policy meeting, […]
India Must End Bureaucratic Segregation in Defence Governance
Politico-Military Fusion for the Era of Multidomain Warfare “A wise man should restrain his senses […]
The Future Belongs to Nations That Occupy Space
History rewards nations that arrive before others recognise the frontier As nations race to explore […]
How the Ongoing Wars Reinforce the Primacy of Land Operations
Introduction Technologies such as drones, hypersonic ammunition and cyber warfare have been at the forefront […]
India in Global Turbulence: Risks and Resilience
“The preservation of the republic is no less than governing- what a thankless task it […]
Insightful Book
Shakti: Tales of Power and Promise by Ritu Sharma. Published by Kitabwale. 2026. Hardcover. Pages […]
The Nalanda Approach: India’s civilisational pathway to the Global South
The Nalanda Approach must become part of India’s larger diplomatic and cultural imagination India’s rise […]
The Real National Shame: From Vinesh Phogat to the Deep Crisis in Governance
Vinesh Phogat and the Cruel Irony When Vinesh Phogat stepped onto the mat at the […]
Rising India: Too Complex: Rethinking Global Ratings in the Age of India’s Rise
The Country The World Still Misunderstands Recently, the leading Norwegian newspaper chose to depict the […]
When Clubs Must Change: The Delhi Gymkhana and the Logic of Institutional Reinvention
The government’s notice to the Delhi Gymkhana Club — that it faces closure and repossession […]
Domestic Tourism is Becoming the Force Multiplier
India’s domestic tourism has been largely growing on its own steam. It is the growing […]
More British Than the British? India’s Elite Clubs and the Democratic Question
The recent debate around Delhi Gymkhana Club, Jaipur Polo Ground and The Race Club has […]
Smart Fences & Smart Fusion: Reimagining Borders through Integrated Sovereign Security Architecture
Fences, floodlights, bunkers, and patrol routes have long shaped the image of border security in […]
Petrol and Diesel: The Architecture of Consumer Protection
Three years of cuts during Ukraine, seventy-six days of absorption during Hormuz, and the contrast […]
The Soldier Who Built Roads: A Tribute to Maj Gen B C Khanduri
There are some men whose achievements can be measured in offices held, ranks attained, or […]
Why Rising Oil Prices are India’s Biggest Economic Headache?
Oil is never just about fuel; it is the ultimate economic wildcard. For a country […]
Reaching the Moon, Missing the Street Why India’s Greatest Challenge Lies in Everyday Life
In today’s India, the morning newspaper can simultaneously celebrate a successful Chandrayaan mission, report crores […]
IAF Airlift Journey, Strategic Implications and 60 new MTAs.
Every institution has its founding moment a single act that defines, forever, what it is […]
Counties and Corridors: China’s Blueprint for Control in the High Himalayas
Why India Must Respond Through Infrastructure, Posture, and Deterrence by Design A New County, An […]
Missiles, Not Men: Why India Needs an Integrated Rocket Force Right Now
When India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 following the horrific Pahalgam terror attacks, it […]
It’s Time Again to Count our Dollars: When Tourism Must be the Lowest Hanging Fruit!
All is hunky-dory till the next crisis comes onto us. Talking of foreign exchange reserves […]
The Summer of Stress: India Faces Heat, Water & Urban Chaos
From a Nation under a blazing sky to a Republic growing thirsty India Enters the […]
Prisoners of Cell Phones—or of Experience? A Critical Examination
We fuss over our phones all day, clutching them as if we can’t breathe without […]
Beyond Jointness: The Unfinished Agenda Before India’s Next CDS
The New Battle-space India’s next Chief of Defence Staff will assume office at a defining […]
Vijay’s TVK taking TN by storm.…. Victorious always indeed!
“There is always something to smile about in Indian politics” “My God, this guy Vijay […]
The Eastern Bastion: Victory in West Bengal signals Strategic Consolidation
Bengal Is No Longer Merely a State Election As the new government in West Bengal takes charge, […]
North Tech Symposium and the New Grammar of Indian Defence Eco System
The modernisation of the Indian military has often been measured by the number of platforms […]
Managing the Emerging Geopolitical Order
India treads on the tricky path of keeping its balance, as among the leading voices […]
TN Elections: A Googly
When Growth Met Gravity The dust has finally settled on the 17th Tamil Nadu Assembly […]
The Illusion of Choice: Development must come with Democratic Balance
If governance is to be judged by delivery, then that benchmark must be applied uniformly, […]
The Air India Debacle: What can be learnt?
Air India is presently grappling with the challenges of record financial losses, future strategy, and […]
Is Gold Still a Safe Haven?
Gold prices have dropped since the start of the conflict in Iran, raising doubts about […]
Zojila: From Seasonal Closure to Strategic Continuity
Receiving 50-80 feet of snowfall annually and enduring temperatures to -45 degree Celcius, Zojila is […]
One Year After Operation Sindoor: Has India Finally Broken the Deterrence Deadlock?
A year after Operation Sindoor, its significance lies not in the spectacle of precision strikes […]
Looking Back at an Operation that Reorientated India’s Security Doctrine
Introduction 06 May 2026, marks the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, a landmark military operation […]
Book Review: The Sky Warriors
Introduction Between 07 May and 10 May over a period of 88 hours, India and […]
The Eastern Vector–Fix, Stretch, Strike: The New Geometry of War Against India
From Siliguri to Nicobar, the emerging battle-space where disruption, delay, and sea control will shape […]
India at a Crossroads
India’s economy today is not fragile, but it is under strain in subtle ways. Growth […]
From Near and Far: Moments and Matters!
Pakistan’s Quiet Rebuild: Why India Should Pay Attention Pakistan is often viewed through the lens […]
Goodbye GPS, Hello NavIC: Crisis, Comeback, and India’s Sovereign Sky
NavIC is not meant to replace Global Positioning System globally, nor is it a one-for-one […]
‘BIG’ May be Beautiful, But Not Necessarily the Best
India’s appetite for building the “largest” — biggest statues, biggest stadiums, biggest infrastructure — is […]
India’s One Religion that All Religions Swear by!
Does it Relate to the Human Condition, that is Looking for a Greater Unity of […]
Never a Shut Door When It Comes to Reforms, with PM Modi, says Sitharaman at ET Awards ceremony
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was the chief guest at the recent ET Awards ceremony. The longest serving […]
The Window to Act is Still Open, but it is Narrowing, says a Bernstein analysis
A new open letter from the Wall Street brokerage says India risks falling short of […]
Rethinking India’s Nuclear Energy Future
The development at Kalpakkam has created room for policy, growth, sovereignty, and strategic choice. It […]
A Soldier’s Question to the Republic
When the Uniform Is Assaulted, the Republic Is Tested There are incidents that disturb a […]
India’s Steady Ascent: Outpacing the World, Shaping Its Own Trajectory
India’s growth story demands both clarity and context. No economy is ever complete, and no […]
Defence Self-Reliance Is India’s Strategic Insurance in an Unstable World
‘Making India “Self-Reliant” Is the only way to ensure that the 21st Century belongs to […]
Sustainability, Resilience, and Inclusive Development – Issues, Concerns and Roadmap
Introduction: The Closing of a Chapter, the Opening of a Path We are no longer […]
Artemis Launch: The Long Road Back to the Moon. And More!
It’s not about the Moon, about romance or just landings. It is serious leanings and […]
What Is Life? A Relentless Equation and the Discipline of Balance
I sometimes wonder what life really is. At first glance, it seems to tempt us […]



