“The winds of change are with us now.” When U.S. President George H.W. Bush spoke these words in 1991, he expressed hope for a " new world order ." The Cold War was about to end, and the ideological hostility between Moscow and Washington was receding. This seemed to suggest that a much more cooperative international security system might be possible, one in which nuclear dangers could be contained through ambitious arms control measures .  Illustration by The Geostrata With

Faith, an individual’s glimmer of hope in trying times, the solace one seeks, takes an ugly turn when the state takes charge. The state, in the name of religion, begins to play god, the moral compass shifts and the dual-edged sword of balancing faith and individual liberty takes the limelight. Illustration by The Geostrata Theocratic states have consistently been ranked amongst the least free  countries, receiving the lowest scores on civil liberties and political rights. His

In the magnificent world of diplomacy, nations speak the language of friendship and trust, followed by the treaties, agreements, or pacts that promise solidarity, resilience, and cooperation. These pacts are signed and agreed upon in a spirit of warmth and confidence, marked by gestures of goodwill, photographs, and cordial handshakes; however, the dark truth lies deep in the shifting interests of nations. Illustration by The Geostrata History reveals the colder side of thes

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

The Taliban coming to power in August 2021 represents not only a regime change, but it also reinstated one of the most oppressive regimes towards gender in history. To decode their politics, two crucial steps need to be followed: firstly, the geopolitical realities of the Afghanistan-Pakistan relations, and secondly, analysing the usage of state-sponsored violence from a feminist lens. Illustration by The Geostrata As Moghdam states, Afghanistan is the most aggressive cases o

The global security and modern-day geopolitical landscape is increasingly defined by the sophisticated challenge of deterring hybrid warfare and state-sponsored terrorism, a problem acutely felt in the nuclear-shadowed rivalry between India and Pakistan. Illustration by The Geostrata For decades, India’s approach has been to follow a traditional military strategy focused on preventing attacks through sheer defense and maintaining its intelligence networks. Yet the character o

Across the shifting landscape of global politics, facts bend and twist under the weight of rival agendas. Global trade is no longer limited to goods; they trade choreographed realities. In that subterranean theatre, half-truths and outright fabrications stated briefly as “official facts”, their purpose not merely to deceive but to anchor diplomatic leverage, with an intention to lead allies down false paths of trust. Illustration by The Geostrata Similar to the society George

The legitimacy of Jammu and Kashmir as a part of India is established in law and history, constitutional practice, and not merely a political accident. That is to say, Jammu and Kashmir has a legitimate legal basis, as a result of the Instrument of Accession, the Indian Independence Act of 1947, and the subsequent constitutional integration into the Republic of India. Illustration by The Geostrata THE LEGAL BASIS: THE INSTRUMENT OF ACCESSION On October 26, 1947 , Maharaja Ha

Pakistan, a country often finding itself splattered all across the globe when discussions revolve around its unabashed association with terrorism , yet again finds itself in the spotlight, all for the wrong reasons. The World Economic Forum Global Gender Report 2025   ranks Pakistan as the world’s worst nation for women. Illustration by The Geostrata A country where a woman once held the helm of affairs, today, is struggling to ensure women’s rights to walk safely outside

When we talk about Pakistan, trade is not what we immediately think of; well, it comes naturally that the country is rather infamous for being enrolled in an economic crisis, surviving on loans and handouts by the IMF and its ‘AAKA’s from the Persian Gulf. Illustration by The Geostrata Rather than exporting goods and services, they export terrorism across the world. If we take a close look at their trade books, we can see that their aggregate annual exports stand at $ 36.5 bi

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 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,...

It's that time of the year again, with the bugle of cricket all in our ears. And this time it's the Asia Cup 2025  coming our way. And...

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

“Pakistan today has defied its own name, as there is nothing Islamic about it, no Republic in it and people do not live to see another...

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

Pakistan was given a much-needed boost to the economy in May 2025 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)  in the form of a $1 billion...

As Pakistan accelerates crypto adoption through state-led reforms and international deals, India faces serious national security and cyber threats. This article unpacks how digital currency could reshape regional power balances and how India must respond.