India’s Drone Imperative: Securing Air Superiority Against China and Pakistan by 2030
India faces a critical 2030 deadline to achieve drone superiority against China’s AI-enabled warfare capabilities and Pakistan’s asymmetric drone strategy. Despite progress with MQ-9B acquisitions and indigenous development, supply chain vulnerabilities and bureaucratic gaps threaten India’s goals. A unified National Mission for Unmanned Systems is essential for strategic security.
Silent Deterrents: India’s Undersea Gamble Amid China’s Indo-Pacific Surge
India’s nuclear submarine program aims to counter China’s Indo-Pacific expansion but faces significant challenges. With only two operational SSBNs versus China’s six, India struggles with limited missile range, stealth vulnerabilities, and infrastructure delays. Achieving credible sea-based deterrence may require 50-60 years amid intensifying regional maritime competition.
Xi Jinping is wooing America’s economic partners
A China that is more open to imports will help rebalance the global economy. Until that happens, trade deals with the US will remain a high priority for much of […]
Trump’s world, Russia’s opportunity
Whether it leads to a lasting shift or a temporary reprieve, Trump’s presidency undoubtedly opens a door that Moscow is eager to step through. It gives Russia room to manoeuvre, […]
DeepSeek’s Sputnik moment: 5 ways in which US-China AI race plays out for India
One is the strategic salience of the moment. Historical comparisons are odious, but in terms of the sheer shock it produced, DeepSeek reminds us of the Soviet Union’s launch of […]
Pakistan, China, US: How Manmohan Singh navigated India’s most challenging relationships
Turning around the US relationship amidst widespread political, intellectual, and bureaucratic hostility will go down as Manmohan Singh’s greatest strategic legacy as prime minister. It complemented and reinforced his contribution […]