Maj. Gen. Dr. Rajan Kochhar, VSM
Maj Gen Dr Rajan Kochhar, Adviser UPSC, is a strategic affairs and public policy analyst focusing on civil–military relations, national security, and governance reform. He writes on institutional effectiveness, leadership selection, and defence-administration linkages, with particular interest in aligning India’s governance structures to contemporary strategic challenges.
Latest Articles
Double Trouble: The Strategic Pivot from Hormuz to the Malacca Chokepoint
The US strategic shift from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca marks a transition from energy-centric coercion to systemic leverage over global trade.
Kharg Island – Iran’s fragile fortress: too big to lose, too...
Kharg Island - the heart of Iran's oil export machine, withstood the U.S. strikes and is today Iran's most exploitable weakness.
Iran’s missile arsenal: Structure, capability, and strategic employment against Israel
Iran’s missile arsenal is not superior, but resilient and adaptive but it can endure, regenerate, and integrate across multiple domains of warfare.
Iran: Post-War rivalry, and the future of West Asia
The ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States represents one of the most consequential geopolitical crises in West Asia.
The Buried Truth behind AnewZ TV’s documentary ‘Frontline Kashmir’
AnewZ TV's documentary ‘Frontline: Kashmir' presents the Kashmir conflict as a frozen humanitarian crisis, and demographic engineering.
Proposed 20-Year ban on military writings: Justified safeguard or suppression?
In February 2026, the Government of India initiated debate over a proposed mandatory 20-year cooling-off period after retirement - before former senior officials and military commanders — could publish books.
Chicken’s neck: India’s vulnerable chokepoint
The Siliguri Corridor also known as the Chicken's Neck—is one of the most critical and vulnerable terrestrial links in South Asia.
Defence Budget 2026–27: Capital, Technology, and Border Infrastructure
The Defence Budget 2025–26 allocated approximately ₹6.81 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence, retaining defence as the largest single item of Union government expenditure.
Economic Security & Military Might: Twin Pillars of India-EU Summit 2026
On January 27, 2026, India-EU announced the conclusion of a landmark Free Trade Agreement and formalization of Security and Defence Partnership
People without a state: Past, present & future of Rohingyas in...
The Rohingya crisis occupies a central place in discussions of contemporary ethnopolitical conflict, international law, and regional stability in Southeast Asia.
Boots, bytes, and business: Why is Germany betting big on India
Germany’s decision to accord India such diplomatic priority reflects a broader European reassessment of global strategy.
Beyond Comparison: Why ‘Kabul Rules’ can’t be applied in Bangladesh
In recent weeks, a provocative question has surfaced in Indian strategic circles: If India can talk to the Taliban in Kabul, why not engage whoever rules Dhaka today?
India needs to rethink how to select suitable candidates for the...
Clearing the Civil Services Exam conducted by UPSC, symbolises intellectual excellence, perseverance, and public service commitment
Architects of Victory: Gen Sagat Singh & Gen J.F.R. Jacob’s role...
The 1971 War produced many heroes, but few commanders left as deep imprint as Lt Gen Sagat Singh and Lt Gen J.F.R. Jacob
Chain of Command in limbo: The CDF notification crisis and...
Recently, Pakistan adopted 27th Constitutional Amendment. As a result, the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff will be replaced by a Chief of Defence Forces
Asim Munir, 27th amendment, and reshaping of power in Pakistan
The 27th Constitutional Amendment is a major shift in Pakistan's civil-military balance. The 27th Amendment restructures Pakistan’s defence command architecture.
Battle for Pokrovsk: Russian blitzkrieg to dominate the War
The ongoing war in Ukraine has undergone several phases of strategic and operational transformation since February 2022.
Can U.S. presence in Bagram threaten Chinese Nuclear assets?
Bagram today is less a military base than a geopolitical symbol — of who controls the flow of intelligence in the heart of Asia.
India’s participation in Russia-led Zapad-2025 military exercise: begining of a new...
As part of a longstanding defence relationship with Russia, India participated in the Zapad-2025 military exercise at Nizhny Novgorod in Russia in mid-September 2025.
Impact of Operation Sindoor: more questions than answers
It has been almost four months now since Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan.
Why is North Korea fighting the Russian war?
North Korea has joined the Ukraine conflict by deploying over 11000 soldiers in Russia. What was the compulsion for North Korea to send its troops to Russia?




















