Reflections from a Strategic Gathering
At a time when geopolitics is in churn and the nature of power itself is being redefined, the launch of a new strategic volume “Navigating the Geopolitical Churning – India’s Defence and Security Challenge” at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 07 Apr 2026, offered more than a ceremonial moment—it offered clarity. Edited by Navin Berry—whose long editorial journey lends both credibility and cohesion—the book brings together sixteen distinguished practitioners from India’s strategic, military, and diplomatic community to examine India’s strategic reality with clarity and candour. What makes this volume significant is not merely the stature of its contributors but the coherence of its central message: India stands at a decisive inflection point, and the choices it makes now will shape its trajectory towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Unveiled by General J J Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd), Former COAS, Indian Army and Former Hon’ble Governor, Arunachal Pradesh, the book represents continuity between India’s strategic past and its unfolding future. It also reflects that continuity—rooted in experience, yet oriented toward transformation. The association of General J.J. Singh lends weight to the enterprise. His presence bridges generations of strategic thought, reminding readers that while technologies evolve, the principles of leadership and national purpose endure.
These 25 essays traverse a wide strategic canvas—ranging from geopolitics and neighbourhood dynamics to defence innovation, cognitive warfare, and economic resilience. Yet, despite this diversity, a unifying theme emerges: national power today is multidimensional. It is no longer defined solely by military capability, but by the integration of security, technology, economic strength, and societal cohesion. Importantly, the volume also underscores the centrality of infrastructure in national power. Infrastructure is no longer a passive enabler of growth; it is an active instrument of strategic influence.
At the global level, Ajay Bisaria sets the tone, describing the world as in an “interregnum,” where power is diffused but not yet stabilized. India’s strategy of multi-alignment, he argues, is not indecision but design—an attempt to shape rather than merely navigate the emerging order. Ashok Sajjanhar, in his essay on India–Central Asia relations, reminds us that geography still matters. Central Asia is not just a region of historical ties but a strategic necessity—rich in resources, pivotal for connectivity, and increasingly contested. Turning inward, Kamal Malhotra underscores that external ambition must rest on internal strength. His focus on health, education, inequality, and R&D is a sobering reminder that geopolitical power cannot be sustained without domestic resilience. Strategy, in his view, begins with governance. Iqbal Chand Malhotra adds a deeper philosophical layer, urging India to reclaim its strategic mind. His argument is that a civilization of India’s depth must think in longer arcs, moving beyond reactive policymaking to anticipatory strategy.
The security dimension is explored with equal depth. Lt Gen AB Shivane lays out the expanding spectrum of threats facing India—from conventional warfare to hybrid and grey-zone challenges. He stresses the need for doctrinal agility and technological adaptation. His analysis is complemented by Maj Gen Jagatbir Singh, who maps the enduring instability of India’s subcontinental environment, highlighting that threats are persistent rather than episodic. He establishes that cognitive warfare can no longer be confined to the periphery anymore. In a similar vein, Maj Gen Suresh Mohanty, in examining the narrative aftermath of Operation Sindoor, highlights a critical shift: victories on the battlefield must now be sustained in the domain of perception. Information, he argues, is no longer an adjunct to war—it is central to it. This idea is taken further by Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor, who has examined the contours of India-China power dynamics in the post Op Sindoor era. He has further analyzed Chinese airpower, its actual limits, and how it would impact the airpower equation between the two Asian giants.
Infrastructure emerges as a strategic enabler in Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry’s essay. He convincingly argues that today, power is projected through the flow of energy, data, capital, and goods. This shift has given rise to Infrastructural Geopolitics, which defines national sovereignty and puts Strategic Infrastructure as the Fourth Arm of National Power. Technology and innovation are placed at the centre by Lt Gen PJS Pannu, who sees R&D as the backbone of future readiness. His emphasis on indigenous capability aligns with the broader theme of strategic autonomy. This theme finds its most emphatic articulation in Lt Gen Tarun Chawla’s contribution. Chawla advocates for Atmanirbharta in defence as the “spine of a superpower.” He argues that national strength must be both state-driven and society-enabled. Vice Admiral Anil Chopra has revisited national security and examined how non-traditional security constructs like energy and food are affected by military action, as witnessed during the current Gulf War. He has therefore focused on India’s intangible vulnerabilities, which need equal attention and resolution.
The book’s engagement with Jammu and Kashmir is both nuanced and grounded. Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, drawing from deep operational experience, presents the region as transitioning from a phase of kinetic conflict to one of political consolidation. His essay captures the changing nature of conflict—less visible, but no less significant. Air Vice Marshal Rajeev Hora elaborates on the age-old concept of Anti-Access/Anti-Denial and explains how it has acquired new meaning in current politico-military strategic paradigms. With threats becoming multi-layered, the response will have to be cross-domain and multi-layered. Maj Gen V K Singh emphasizes the need to recalibrate the Nuclear Doctrine. He questions the adequacy of India’s existing nuclear posture in a changing threat environment, advocating recalibration without abandoning core principles. Maritime security receives due attention through Commodore Anil J Singh’s exploration of submarine dynamics in the Indian Ocean. Beneath the surface lies a silent contest of significant consequence, one that will shape regional balance.
One of the most compelling takeaways from the book is the emphasis on preparedness as a continuous process. The contributors argue that India must remain agile, adaptive, and open to course correction. In a world where conflicts are increasingly fought across domains—cyber, space, information, and economic—strategic complacency can be as dangerous as strategic weakness. The discussions around the book also highlighted the evolving nature of threats. From the fusion of China–Pakistan collusivity to the rise of cognitive warfare and AI-driven battlefields, the challenges are complex and interlinked. Addressing them requires not just capability, but clarity of thought and unity of purpose. That is where this book makes its most valuable contribution. It does not offer a single doctrine or a prescriptive roadmap. Instead, it provides a framework for thinking—encouraging policymakers, practitioners, and citizens alike to engage with the strategic questions that will define India’s future.
The launch event itself reflected this spirit of engagement. The audience, comprising veterans, scholars, policymakers, media, and young professionals, engaged in discussions that were both wide-ranging and deeply informed. It was a reminder that strategic discourse in India is no longer confined to closed rooms—it is increasingly becoming part of the public conversation.
As India moves towards its centenary of independence, the importance of such intellectual efforts cannot be overstated. Nations are shaped not just by their actions, but by the ideas that guide those actions. In that sense, this book—and the dialogue it seeks to foster—arrives at an opportune moment. The message from the evening was simple yet profound: in an uncertain world, ideas are power. And India must harness them wisely.
