In 1527, two armies clashed on a plain in northern India at the Battle of Khanwa. Across the field, Rana Sanga commanded a larger force, built on cavalry, tradition and numbers, an army that represented the established logic of warfare at the time. Babur stood opposite him. His army was smaller, but it carried something new: Gunpowder. What followed was not just a battlefield triumph, but a shattering of expectations. It was not only Babur’s victory, but a signal that the nat

Taiwan's coast guard reported on 6 June that a Chinese coast guard vessel and an oceanographic survey ship operated in unison around the Pratas Islands, the first documented case of paired civilian-coded assets at this remote atoll. The conventional read frames this as another grey-zone irritation, one of more than thirty annual incursions since February 2024, to be absorbed and ignored. Illustration by Geopolitics Next That reading misses the structural shift. Pratas sits as

“In war, the moral is to the physical as three is to one.” Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous maxim is frequently quoted in war colleges globally. Yet it remains one of the most difficult concepts for the modern strategic community to quantify. We spend our careers meticulously calculating the “physical,” the mechanized platforms, the ballistic missile trajectories, and the nuances of procurement budgets. Illustration by The Geostrata But the “moral,” the indomitable spirit, the sha

Over the past three decades, the strategic partnership between the People’s Republic of China and Pakistan has evolved from a transactional, opportunistic relationship into a deeply integrated and strategic, economic and geopolitical alignment. For Beijing, Islamabad serves as a crucial regional proxy, providing a geographic conduit to the Arabian Sea via the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and acting as a counterbalance to India’s regional hegemo

India’s next fighter decision is usually described as a contest between two aircraft. On one side is the Rafale F4 pathway: an upgraded French 4.5-generation combat system built around a fighter family the Indian Air Force already operates in earlier Rafale standards, and which India has also selected in naval form for the Indian Navy. On the other hand is Russia’s Su-57E, marketed as a fifth-generation stealth fighter and publicly offered to India with the possibility of dee

Operation Sindoor, which India launched last year in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, marked the defining moment in India’s counterterrorism response. In that 88-hour-long conflict, India redrew the lines of deterrence, making the harbours of terrorism know that no sanctuary of terror across the border is safe and India has the capability and resolve to destroy and hit everything. Illustration by The Geostrata Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery famously remarked, “

“The very ‘rules of war’ have changed. The role of nonmilitary means of achieving political and strategic goals has grown, and, in many cases, they have exceeded the power of force of weapons in their effectiveness.” ~ General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Illustration by The Geostrata The concept of warfare has been evolving, from ancient times to the current state of advanced technology-driven warfare. In the past

INTRODUCTION: WHY THE SEA MATTERS In nuclear warfare, power hinges not only on the number of weapons that a state possesses, but also their ability to survive enemy attacks and remain effective for counterstrikes. This is where the ocean assumes a decisive role; unlike land-based missile-silos, which can be mapped and targeted, or aircraft’s dependence on vulnerable, visible bases, a nuclear-armed submarine — almost indefinitely concealed and mobile beneath thousands of metre

In Myanmar, the ruling military authorities, namely, the State Administration Council, projected the 2026 elections as a move toward political normalisation. In reality, the polls occurred during a worsening civil war, forced migration and severe political repression. Massive chunks of the country’s territory remained beyond effective control of the state (the Tatmadaw), major opposition forces had refused to participate, and millions were deprived of their vote by insecurit

It was a question of when, not if. After weeks of the United States amassing a vast armada in the region and successive rounds of talks collapsing as a ruse to mask war plans, the axe finally fell on February 28th , when the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes across Iran. Illustration by The Geostrata Soon after, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that their objective went beyond obliterating Iran’s nuclear weapons

The events in early February 2026, specifically the synchronicity between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s irredentist declaration on February 5th and the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) operational threat on February 6th, are not coincidental, but they are coordinated. To view Sharif’s claim that “Kashmir will become part of Pakistan” as mere political rhetoric for the Muzaffarabad gallery is a dangerous simplification. Illustration by The Geostrata When viewed through the lens o

Myanmar represents far more than a neighbouring Southeast Asian nation to China; it is a strategically indispensable asset upon which Beijing has constructed an intricate system of economic, military, and political dependency. China, over the years, has increased its role in the nation, especially its hold in Myanmar, which has increased after the military coup of 2021. Illustration by The Geostrata The Chinese have made sure that Myanmar's dependency on them remains intact,

The Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025 is a revision of DPM 2009, which instates the rule for revenue procurement (spares, repairs, MRO, ICT, services). The DPM 2025 came into force on 1st November 2025. This roughly governs Rs. One Lakh Crore of annual revenue procurement by the three Services and MoD Organisations. Cover by The Geostrata DPM 2025 is divided into two volumes: Volume I- This highlights the principles, procurement methods, delegated authorities, contract ru

The US Department of War (formerly Department of Defense) submitted its latest annual report on Chinese military and security developments to the US Congress, highlighting Beijing's military expansion, both horizontal and vertical, its growing dominance in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cyber warfare, etc., leading to wider implications in the Indo-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. Illustration by The Geostrata The report also claims that the Indian northeastern s

For decades now, an enigma called Pakistan has been a question of perpetual quandary for analysts and strategists of the globe due to the hybrid nature of the polity the country follows, where the role of the military outwits that of elected civilian leaders. Many scholars have analysed this complicated relationship from many perspectives. Illustration by The Geostrata The most recent of those accounts will be The Zardari Presidency (2008-2013): Now It Must Be Told by Farhatu

The pattern is all too familiar. A jihadi group operating from Pakistani soil, with state backing, carries out a terror attack on India. If the assault is particularly atrocious, India suspends diplomatic engagement while mulling more punitive responses, including strikes on terror safe havens inside Pakistan and adopting more proactive security doctrines aiming to inflict high costs on state-sponsors of terrorism. Illustration by The Geostrata Pakistan, fearing its deterren

India has always been a land of many cultures ruled by various rulers who have passed on to us a complex set of traditions, ideas & thoughts. Many empires have coexisted on this land, which has led to the development of strong diplomatic relations, striking a combination of trade and military policies. It's time that we revisit our past and bridge it with the present. Illustration by The Geostrata REDISCOVERING ANCIENT WISDOM THROUGH PROJECT UDBHAV India is on its way to re

The Russia-Ukraine conflict of 2022 has triggered significant disruptions in the global value chain, particularly affecting the food and fuel sectors. Stemming from historical tensions and contemporary geopolitical dynamics, the conflict escalated, raising concerns about regional stability and global economic repercussions. Cover by The Geostrata This paper examines the multifaceted impact of the conflict, focusing on the disruption of oil supply chains and agricultural expor

Greetings, everyone, We are happy to launch the 2025 edition of the Geomaga. In a way the year 2025 has been a year of national security. From Operation Sindoor against Pakistan to strikes on Myanmar and from technological advancements in the defence sector to the renewed focus on self-reliance, these are the broad spectrum of issues that have dominated the popular intellectual discourse throughout the year. Cover by The Geostrata In this edition of the Geomaga, we have inclu

Strategic deterrence in the modern era has advanced well beyond single-warhead missiles. Today, nations rely on technologies that ensure credible retaliation, increase survivability, and complicate interception. The Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology is particularly important among these developments. One missile with MIRV capability can launch multiple warheads, each directed toward a distinct target. Illustration by The Geostrata A "bus" or