In this issue

This edition of Geopolitics is full of in-depth stories on our variety of issues concerning defence, national security and regional Geopolitics. The two cover stories on India's submarine fleet outline why India needs to urgently beef up the strength of subs if it has to be a true blue water navy in the region and a larger force in the Indo-Pacific. We also examine the government's ambitious target to have India among the top five exporting nations for defence equipment and the sort of road map that is required to achieve this goal. We also look at ISRO's Netra program which hopes to provide a proactive initiative to safeguard India’s interests in space by mitigating the risks posed by space debris and other hazards. We also have a piece on the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Bhutan and how that will impact the relationship between the two countries. All this plus all are regular features in the April of Geopolitics.

India's space economy set to soar

India's burgeoning space economy could see a substantial increase in its global share by 2040. At present, India's space sector contributes a modest $8 billion to the overall cake. However, the government has set its sights on an ambitious target, aiming for a five-fold surge in India's share of the global space economy.

2 mins

CRITICAL NEED TO BOOST CONVENTIONAL SUBMARINE FLEET

VENUGOPAL MENON explains why India cannot afford to view the critical deficiency in Submarine force levels lightly

8 mins

BEEFING UP OUR SUBMARINE FLEET

In the last week of March, the Indian Navy displayed its submarine prowess. Eight of its submarines operated together in the Western Indian Ocean Region, a first in three decades, and one of its Scorpene submarines sailed to the Andaman Nicobar Islands, overlooking the Malacca Strait, a critical choke point for China. But how is the comparison with China? RITU SHARMA reports

4 mins

ENHANCING CRUISE MISSILE CAPABILITY

India’s cruise missile capability has largely evolved as a credible conventional level deterrence since the turn of the new millennium. But much more needs to be done, writes AMARTYA SINHA

10 mins

BOOSTING DEFENCE EXPORTS

Earlier, India was known to be an arms importer. But today, the country has come out of its comfort zone and found a place in the list of top-25 arms exporter nations argues AMARTYA SINHA

10 mins

ENHANCING INDIA'S AIRBORNE SURVEILLANCE CAPABILITIES

Project NETRA represents a proactive initiative by ISRO to safeguard India's interests in space by mitigating the risks posed by space debris and other hazards, says GIRISH LINGANNA

8 mins

THE HIMALAYAN TRIANGLE: WHY INDIA KEEPS BHUTAN SAFE FROM CHINA

India, given its special relationship with Bhutan, has been very wary about the possibility of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the signing of a boundary agreement between Bhutan and China, writes SIMRAN SODHI

10 mins

TROOST, DESAI AND SANCTIONS

The Western sanctions against companies and individuals doing business with Russia have produced a complex set of reactions with lobbyists and shell companies working overtime to beat the rap. A GEOPOLITICS Bureau report

5 mins

THE KOREA-GATE

India attaches great importance to “three principles of inclusiveness, trust and reciprocity’” for creating the basis for working more closely with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific such as the Republic of Korea (ROK), better known as South Korea for “a free, peaceful and prosperous region”. Prakash Nanda dissects the relationship and the way ahead

7 mins

Pushpak RLV-TD successfully lands autonomously

ISRO achieved another significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology with the successful landing of Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, autonomously on the runway.

1 min

INDIA EXPANDS ITS SPR

India is the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer. As the country’s economy continues to grow, ensuring a stable and secure supply of petroleum products has become a top priority. India plans to build its first privately managed strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) by 2029-30, granting the operator the freedom to trade all of the stored oil according to Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL)

3 mins

LCA TEJAS MARK-IA MAKES MAIDEN FLIGHT

The first aircraft LA5033 of the Tejas Mark-1A series successfully soared in the sky after taking off from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru on March 28, the public sector aerospace and defence company said.

1 min

Future Of Space Militarization

GIRISH LINGANNA explains how the peaceful 'Space Race' has now been turned into Man's 'War-Fighting Domain'

10+ mins

HIRE TO FIGHT IF YOU CAN'T

Fearing interests among the young for a career in the military is increasingly becoming a global phenomenon.

4 mins

Earth observation takes centre stage with NASA-ISRO collaboration

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has made clear the purpose of its upcoming joint mission with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – the Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite.

2 mins

Chasing ambitious Martian dreams

India's space programme is poised for another giant leap with the planned Mars lander mission, tentatively scheduled for launch between 2028 and 2030.

2 mins

HOME MINISTRY TOM TOM'S DRUG SEIZURE RECORD

The Union Home Ministry highlighted the Modi government’s efforts in combating the drug menace.

1 min

DRDO SUCCESSFULLY FLIGHT TESTS VSHORADS

DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile on Feb 28th and 29th from a ground-based portable launcher off the coast of Odisha from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur.

1 min

BEYOND BORDER-FENCING

The central government’s decisions to scrap the Free Movement Regime in the border areas of India and Myanmar and to fence the entire Indo-Myanmar border may do more harm than good, argues VAISHALI BASU SHARMA

10+ mins

MINGLING-LIKE POMEGRANATE SEEDS

The tremendous development on the Tibetan side of the Sino-Indian border, particularly the String of model villages’, and also the incredible infrastructure development needs to be closely watched in Delhi, with suitable measures taken to improve the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control, argues CLAUDE ARPI

10+ mins

INDIA'S NEW NAVAL AIRBASE IN MINICOY ISLANDS

India lost its foothold in Maldives, the smallest country in Asia, to Chinese overtures. But, not losing its hold in the Indian Ocean Region, the Indian Navy is building a naval air base in the Lakshadweep Islands group. The Indian Isles, located in the Arabian Sea, is just 507 kilometres from the Maldives and is seen as an alternative to the Maldives. RITU SHARMA reports

3 mins

MISSION DIVYASTRA AND AGNI-VI

The successor to Agni-V Mark-2 Agni-VI) is expected to have a range between 9,000 km and 12,000 km with a 3-tonne nuclear payload, and a strike range between 14,000 km and 16,000 km with a lighter 1.5-tonne package, writes AMARTYA SINHA.

10+ mins

Does Technology Alone Win Wars And Lead To Victory?

RAJ MEHTA answers that despite the critical role of technology in fighting a war, human beings remain the most effective systems for determining its course. For, the conduct of war requires both science and art - leadership, quality soldiers, cohesive units/streamlined organisation

10+ mins

FOREIGN POLICY FROM BELOW

When I was a university student, the prevailing thought of the time was that “public opinion” should not matter in the conduct of a country’s foreign policy. It was argued that the public was grossly unaware of the nuances of foreign policy decision-making, which was the domain of elite opinion leaders and diplomats. The public opinion-foreign policy linkage, particularly in India, was considered to be “indirect at best” because foreign policy was a low-salience issue for the Indian public.

4 mins

RENEWED CIVIL WAR IN MYANMAR

With the junta losing its grip on power and rebels making gains, both India and China have to rework their strategies towards Naypyidaw, writes SIMRAN SODHI

8 mins

THE PATH TOWARDS ENHANCED MOBILITY

While the Indian Army has a significantly large fleet of lorries and utility vehicles, there is a need to further augment the capabilities by adding the latest platforms with better fuel efficiency, faster speeds, and enhanced load-bearing capacities. A special report by AMARTYA SINHA

10+ mins

BOOSTING ANTI-ARMOUR FIREPOWER

India’s evolving anti-tank guided-missile capabilities have undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. A Special Report

10+ mins

RED SEA ATTACKS: SHOULD INDIAN NAVY JOIN US-LED NAVAL COALITION?

India's rise as a global power and the growing expectations from its partners that it should play an active role in the Indo-Pacific appears to be on a test in the Red Sea, adversely affected by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. PRAKASH NANDA examines the pros and cons.

8 mins

BYTES TO BULLETS: INDIA'S MOUNTING CYBER CHALLENGES

In a connected world, digital footprints are everywhere. This is where future wars are likely to be fought. ANTARA JHA examines the developments and the impact that cyber threats pose to the nation.

8 mins

FIGHTING AGAINST VIRTUAL ENEMIES

The Indian government is in the process of executing some radical reforms which will completely transform the way wars are fought against unfriendly forces in the dimension of cyberspace, explains AMARTYA SINHA

5 mins

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Geopolitics Magazine published by Newsline Publications Pvt. Ltd. is a monthly magazine that covers a wide range of topics related to geopolitics, international relations, and national security, with a focus on the Indian perspective. The magazine is known for its in-depth analysis, insightful commentary, and expert opinions.

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