• Gen Dwivedi to Retire June 30, Leaves Behind Army With 50,000-Plus Drones

    General Upendra Dwivedi will retire as Chief of Army Staff on June 30, 2026, concluding a tenure that saw the Indian Army’s drone inventory grow from a few hundred to more than 50,000 — a figure expected to double again within two to three years, according to defence sources. More than 25 Drone and Counter-Drone…

  • Defanging the Dragon: India’s Real Antidote to China’s Indian Ocean Strategy

    This report provides a strategic analysis of India’s options for neutralizing geopolitical and non-traditional security threats within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The primary threat stems from the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) ‘String of Pearls’ strategy, a network of dual-use (commercial and military) ports designed to encircle India, secure Chinese Sea Lines of Communication…

  • Drones to Decisions: Why the Tactical Sky Must Belong to the Soldier

    When India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) recently warned of a “third revolution” in warfare — the age of drones and counter-drone systems — it was not a metaphor. From Ukraine to Gaza, the decisive fights today unfold not at 30,000 feet but barely 300 metres above the ground. The soldier’s sky — the 0–3,000-metre…

  • The False-Equivalence Trap: How Bureaucratic Parity Erodes Military Dignity

    When India introduced Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) after the Sixth Central Pay Commission, the idea was simple: if career progression slowed because of limited vacancies, civil service officers would still move up in pay, pegged to their IAS batchmates. It was meant to reduce frustration in bureaucracies where promotions were scarce. But over the years, NFU…

  • Stuck with the 7th CPC Baggage: Why Old Anomalies Still Haunt the 8th Commission

    The Eighth Central Pay Commission is expected to chart the financial future of India’s government servants, including those in uniform. Yet, even as deliberations begin, the ghosts of the Seventh Pay Commission linger unresolved. For the Armed Forces, these anomalies are not just accounting disputes—they are matters of parity, morale, and national security. The Weight…

  • Who Will Wear the Uniform? Why Parity Matters as Much as Patriotism

    India’s Armed Forces continue to attract some of the country’s brightest and bravest, but the challenge of sustaining that appeal is becoming sharper. Beyond the call of patriotism and tradition, today’s youth weigh opportunities, progression, and recognition when choosing careers. In this calculus, the Armed Forces are at risk of being left behind—not because of…

  • Allowances and Dignity: Why Recognition Matters as Much as Pay

    In 2017, the government announced a sharp increase in the Siachen allowance: ₹42,500 per month for officers and ₹30,000 for junior commissioned officers and other ranks. It was a long-overdue recognition of one of the most inhospitable battlefields in the world. Yet beyond such headline gestures, a closer look at allowances across the Armed Forces,…

  • The Pyramid Paradox: Why the CPC Model Short-Changes India’s Soldiers

    Every Central Pay Commission (CPC) is expected to bring fairness across services. For the Armed Forces, however, it has repeatedly reinforced disparity instead of reducing it. The paradox is unmistakable: the institution with the steepest career pyramid, the shortest tenures, and the highest attrition is denied benefits extended even to cadres with assured progression. The…