Indian cricket is in an unusual place. On paper, it is the most powerful cricketing ecosystem in the world. It has the richest cricket board, the biggest fan base, the most lucrative franchise league, arguably the deepest talent pool and, over the past few years, remarkable success in ICC tournaments. India lifted the T20 World Cup, followed it with the Champions Trophy, and continues to produce cricketers capable of competing with the very best.
Yet beneath those achievements lies an uncomfortable truth. Every series, every squad announcement and every major selection seems to trigger the same questions. Why does the team lack continuity? What exactly is the long-term plan? Which players are being backed, and why? Is Indian cricket preparing for the future, or simply reacting to the present?
These are not questions born out of one disappointing tour or one defeat. They have existed for years. Winning trophies merely pushed them into the background. Recent setbacks have brought them back into focus. The curious case of Indian cricket is not that it loses occasionally. Every great team does. The curious case is that despite possessing unparalleled resources, Indian cricket often appears uncertain about its own direction. Read More
On 26 July 1999, India declared the successful completion of Operation Vijay. After nearly three months of intense fighting in some of the world's most inhospitable terrain, Indian soldiers had reclaimed every major position occupied by Pakistani Army along the Kargil sector. It remains one of the defining military victories in independent India's history, not merely because territory was recovered, but because it demonstrated extraordinary courage under impossible conditions.
Every Kargil Vijay Diwas rightly honours those who fought and those who never returned. Their sacrifice deserves remembrance beyond ceremonies and speeches. Yet the true legacy of Kargil lies not only in honouring the past, but in preparing for the future.
The greatest tribute any nation can pay to its fallen soldiers is ensuring that the lessons learned through their sacrifice are never forgotten.
Kargil was the last major conventional conflict India fought under circumstances that now seem almost simple compared to today's strategic environment. The mountains remain where they were, but the battlefield has expanded beyond them. Read More
For decades, one principle quietly underpinned American nuclear diplomacy in the Middle East: civilian nuclear cooperation should not create new pathways toward nuclear weapons.That principle may now be changing.
The United States has announced a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. On paper, the objective is straightforward: helping the Kingdom diversify its energy mix, reduce dependence on hydrocarbons and build a modern civilian nuclear industry.
Yet beneath the technical language lies a geopolitical shift whose consequences could reverberate across the Middle East for decades. This is not merely an energy agreement. It is a strategic signal. The question is no longer whether Saudi Arabia will generate electricity through nuclear reactors. The real question is whether Washington has begun reshaping the region's nuclear architecture. Read More
Every Monsoon Session has its share of political confrontation. Governments introduce Bills. The Opposition raises uncomfortable questions. Television debates become louder than parliamentary debates, and by the end of the session the headlines are usually dominated by disruptions rather than legislation. This year feels different.
The government has already announced several important Bills for the session. But alongside the official legislative agenda, another conversation has quietly taken over political circles. Over the past several weeks, major newspapers, television networks and senior political commentators have repeatedly suggested that the government may be preparing to introduce one of the biggest constitutional reform packages seen in decades. Nothing has been officially confirmed.
Yet the frequency of these reports has become impossible to ignore. At the centre of the speculation lies a simple question. Will Parliament once again debate the Women's Reservation Bill? Read More
Only weeks ago, there was cautious optimism that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran could provide an opportunity for diplomacy.
At The Centre, however, our assessment was that the ceasefire was unlikely to become a lasting peace. The issues that had brought Washington and Tehran to the brink of confrontation had not been resolved. The pause reduced military activity, but it did not reduce strategic mistrust. Recent events appear to have validated that concern.
American military operations against Iranian targets have intensified. Iran has responded by increasing pressure around the Strait of Hormuz, while reports of attacks on commercial shipping, disruptions to maritime traffic and an Indian seafarer reported missing demonstrate how quickly a regional confrontation can acquire global consequences. The ceasefire has not merely weakened. It has effectively collapsed. Read More
For several days, Pakistan occupied Kashmir has witnessed one of its most significant waves of public unrest in recent years. Protesters have accused Islamabad of political repression, economic neglect and heavy handed policing. The demonstrations have drawn attention not only because of their scale but also because of something far more unusual.
Some protest leaders have openly appealed to India for help. The appeals have generated discussion across India. But they also raise a fundamental question that goes beyond the immediate crisis.
What can India actually do?Read More
When India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960, the agreement was widely regarded as a remarkable diplomatic achievement. Despite the bitterness of Partition, both countries agreed to create a framework that would ensure the uninterrupted sharing of one of the world's largest river systems.
The underlying philosophy was simple: if water was removed from political disputes, it would reduce mistrust and contribute to long-term regional stability.
More than six decades later, that assumption deserves to be revisited. Read More
Europe's recent heatwaves, with temperatures crossing 40°C in several regions, highlight how rapidly the continent's climate is changing. Once considered exceptional, such extremes are becoming increasingly common, bringing new challenges for public health, agriculture, cities and energy systems. The growing intensity of European summers serves as another reminder that climate change is reshaping life across the globe. Read More
The resignation of Union Minister George Kurian following the completion of his Rajya Sabha term has fueled speculation about an impending Union Cabinet reshuffle.
Reports of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with President Droupadi Murmu and growing discussions in political circles have only intensified expectations that changes may be on the horizon.
Yet focusing exclusively on who enters or exits the Cabinet may miss the larger political story. The more important question is whether the Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing its political machinery for the next phase of electoral and organizational expansion. Read More
