After #Pahalgam what is India’s ‘new normal’? Does it establishment deterrence? Does it lead to more rapid escalation? Does it ensure escalation dominance? Does it enable de-escalation without external involvement? I examine in “Conventional Operations Under the Nuclear Shadow

To establish deterrence, India must strengthen deterrence by ‘denial’-improve intelligence, surveillance & penetration of terrorist groups to block & plan for such attacks; enhance deterrence by ‘punishment’-raise the pain of punitive action. I write for CSDR

After consistently denying aircraft losses, first Air Marshal Bharti mentions on 11 May that “…losses are part of combat….”; on 31 May CDS states “..important to know why the jets were down….”. Such coy admissions don’t help shape narrative!

Thank you barkha dutt for moderating and to Tca Raghavan and Ajay Bisaria and The Quorum for a great conversation

Neither the Supreme Ldr’s fatwa against nucl wpns nor clean chit by IAEA that Iran isn’t making nukes, can satisfy Netanyahu. Iran is learning the hard way that being a nucl threshold state isn’t safe anymore theprint.in/opinion/iran-n… via @theprintindia I write for ThePrintIndia

Both US & Israel agree that Iran can’t be allowed to have a nuke; but Bibi Prime Minister of Israel opposes any talks or deal & favours regime change in Iran, however messy. I write for The Hindu Remaking the nuclear order in West Asia - thehindu.com/news/internati…

Iran’s ldrs have now realised that the threshold state is a dangerous place to be in. It doesn’t deter Israel which is a nucl wpn state. And Bibi Prime Minister of Israel is determined to keep Israel as the only nucl power in West Asia I write for The Hindu

Israel unwilling to accept another nucl power in West Asia. Hit Osirak reactor in Iraq in 1981 and Syrian reactor in 2007 and now in Iran, hoping for regime change but it opens a Pandora’s box….. Remaking the Nuclear Order in West Asia rakeshsood.in/2025/07/08/rem…

India needs a change of mindset to go through the comprehensive set of reforms- policy, legislative in the Atomic Energy Act, Liability law, tariff regulation and an independent regulatory authority.

Brilliant piece. Sushant Singh

In last 15 years, NPCIL has commissioned 2 Russian VVERs (2x1000 MW) and one 700 MW PHWR at Kakrapar. At this rate India won’t reach 20GW by 2047, against goal of 100 GW. rakeshsood.in/2025/07/23/red… I write for The Hindu

If India can play cricket with Pakistan, why can’t it trade? Why can’t it allow travel?

Privileged and delighted to start off the Spaceport SARABHAI conversations on geopolitics and technology. Thanks to Dr. Susmita Mohanty

Good ties between ldrs can help but cannot replace natl interests. To give these primacy only brings in egos & pomp. Modi and Trump egos have now come in the way of realising the natural promise of India-US relns. I write for Hindustan Times