Sometimes, one decision can alter the entire course of destiny. For Jammu and Kashmir, that decision came on 26 October 1947. On this day, Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of the princely state, signed the Instrument of Accession, choosing to join India that is Bharat, Kashmir’s home, its own civilisation. Illustration by The Geostrata The decision was made during immense external aggression at the hands of Pakistan. Within days of independence, Pakistan activated Operation Gul

The United States continues to maintain an extensive military presence in West Asia, which represents one of the most enduring features of post-Cold War geopolitics. Many analysts describe the American military presence in West Asia as a stabilizing influence. However, its actual effects have proven more complex than traditional narratives suggest. Illustration by The Geostrata US leaders from both Republican and Democratic administrations have used military capabilities to p

In the 19th century, the “Great Game” was the strategic competition between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia over the domination of Central Asia. This historic competition is resurfacing in a modern form, with new players, new tools, and billions of dollars at stake. Central Asia, which had long been viewed as a geopolitical backwater, has emerged as a critical front line in the contest for supremacy among great powers. Illustration by The Geostrata Today, China, Russia,

The clouds of tension are looming large, and we see a storm stirring up. Now, before scratching your head, wondering what storm we are talking about and who is stirring what, let us make things clear. Illustration by The Geostrata A new chapter in US-China ties has begun, defined by increasingly hostile discourse, reciprocal sanctions, and limited people-to-people interaction. Additionally, if the current string of tensions continue, the prospect of a long-term strategic riva

The analysis of psychological profiling of world leaders, or for that matter, any individual, cannot be fulfilled without mentioning ‘The Father of Psychology’, Sigmund Freud. In 1932, in a letter from Albert Einstein to Sigmund Freud, under the title “Why War?” Einstein asked several crucial questions pertaining to the present world stratum.  Illustration by The Geostrata One of them is “ Is it possible to control man's mental evolution to make him proof against the psychos

Critical minerals   are present on the nodules of major minerals, holding immense industrial and manufacturing potential for companies, countries, and economies alike. The contemporary discourse on critical minerals is highly dependent on the prevailing socio-economic developments and disparities, largely defined by technological advancements. Illustration by The Geostrata Though there may be different classifications of which mineral is critical, nevertheless, they are vital

India's maritime policy is experiencing a robust transformation that now emphasises technological innovations, smart diplomacy, and regional leadership. India is expanding its reach from coastal defence to the entire Indo-Pacific region through contemporary definitions of maritime power grounded on Artificial Intelligence and multilateralism. Cover by The Geostrata India's maritime policy reflects its maritime aspirations, with doctrines like SAGAR and the Indo-Pacific Oceans

On Thursday, June 29, 2025, a striking video released by China's state broadcaster CCTV caught the attention of military analysts and policymakers worldwide. The video showcased an animated depiction of what appears to be a newly developed graphite bomb - nicknamed a "blackout bomb". This weapon, designed to cripple an adversary's power grid without causing direct physical destruction, underscores China's ongoing efforts to expand its arsenal of non-kinetic warfare tools. Ill

In the current day and age, a new phrase has emerged, gaining massive traction across the globe. Brain drain is a condition where a nation is deprived of its highly skilled citizens due to their departure to other countries for a host of reasons, including economy, policy gaps, personal interest, and better opportunities. Globally, India is known as a hub of excellence, with institutes like IITs, AIIMS, and IIMs producing world-class talent. The global influence of the Indian

In international relations, a "sphere of influence" (SOI) refers to a spatial region or concept division where a state or organisation has a level of cultural, economic, military, or political exclusivity or predominant control. It remains one of the most pervasive phenomena in the practice and history of international relations, yet only rarely have they been taken up analytically. This concept had gained its base mostly in the post-World War II era, which is also known as t

In the last twenty years, China has managed to turn a formerly scattered group of amateurs into a government-sponsored cyber army operating at the international level. A carefully constructed network of competitions, academic programs, military units, and private contractors, combined with judicial statism, has enabled Beijing to exploit hacking skills as an effective tool of state influence and leverage just as authorities and agencies remain outwardly silent and resistant t

The land of unfulfilled promises and contested identities-Balochistan- stands as one of South Asia’s most complex and misunderstood...

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was promised as a “game changer” upon its initial arrival in 2015. Modern infrastructure,...

In the 21st Century, the global power structures have dramatically changed, with geopolitics now being decoupled from geoeconomics,...

India's move to electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy is causing a huge spike in the need for batteries. Batteries power electric...

India has a unique neighbourhood, with terrorism spilling over borders, political unrest shaking its periphery, and instability brewing...

China’s assertion on Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls “Zangnan” (South Tibet), is based on historical ties to Tibet and a rejection of...

Operation Sindoor marks a pivotal moment in South Asia’s national security apparatus, following a brutal terrorist attack in April 2025, in Pahalgam, claiming the lives of twenty six civilians. In response, India launched an appropriate and precise retaliatory strike on May 7, targeting nine key terror camps across Pakistan and PoK. The operation underscored a significant shift in India’s counter-terrorism strategy. Cover by The Geostrata This report offers a comprehensive a

In 2018 , the United States initiated a Section 301 investigation, exposing China’s allegedly discriminatory and unreasonable trade...

‘If China wants Tibet to stay with China, then China must create the necessary conditions for this. The time has come now for the Chinese...