In a culture where children take up the profession of their father, her becoming a politician was seen as natural and acceptable.
Significantly, these 12 officers would form a major part of the team that the new army chief will inherit, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
Pakistan's former spy chief Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years in jail by a military court after being found guilty of violating the Official Secrets Act and engaging in political activities. This marks the first time a former ISI chief has been convicted.
'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'
Small parties have the capacity to play both ends against the middle. Puducherry could be heading that way, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh witnessed the spectacular Thar Shakti capability demonstration at the historic Longewala battlefield, showcasing the Indian Army's integrated prowess in Jaisalmer on Friday, October 24, 2025.
'General Paddy was amongst the last line of generals who stood by his convictions and brooked no interference in matters which were his domain.' Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah (retd) salutes his former chief who passed away on August 19.
Aware of simmering dissensions within the top echelons of the army, Munir has moved slowly in reshuffling senior generals, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
'If you go by the capital expenditure, this is a good defence budget. But we will have to see if the government can keep defence spending at 2 per cent or higher in 2027-2028.'
Virat Kohli on Monday announced his retirement from Test cricket, after a 14-year career.
Developing relations with the Taliban is needed, but plunging headlong into Afghanistan without due thought will be akin to the rooster entering a KFC outlet, warns Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (Retd).
Nepal's claim on Lipulekh and Kalapani reopens a 200-year-old border dispute, while historical maps and treaties show the area belongs to India, asserts Lieutenant General Shakti Gurung (retd).
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station, has been awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. The award recognizes his contributions to the Axiom-4 mission and India's advancements in human space exploration.
The revelation may have come late in the century but the Congress disclosed on Thursday, May 29, 2025, that the Indian Army conducted six surgical strikes against Pakistan during UPA-2, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's second term in power.
Keeping trusted men in key positions at Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar has become vital for Bajwa, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
Notably, Siachen is the highest battlefield of the world, which sits on the nuclear tri-junction of India, Pakistan and China.
'China's basic purpose of taking the Shaksgam Valley was access to the Indian Ocean.'
'Being a serving officer or wearing a uniform does not make an officer more competent than one who has retired.'
'The unexpected turn of events and assertion of sovereignty by the Taliban has baffled the Pakistan security establishment.'
If General Asim Munir, Pakistan's new army chief, wants to help defuse the current polarised atmosphere and shepherd civilian politicians towards negotiations on an acceptable date for elections, he may need to distance himself from any perception of needless hostility to Imran Khan, explains Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
'No, India and China were not about to go to all-out war over a few rocks of Galwan.' 'The full picture of what went on at the highest level between two heads of State will not be known for a very, very long time and rightly so,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
10 Heroes of the 1965 War which ended on September 23 60 years ago.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
According to recent media reports, a portrait capturing what one general called India's greatest military achievement in 1,000 years -- Pakistan's surrender on December 16, 1971 -- has been removed from the army chief's lounge and been replaced by another painting.
120 Bahadur is not just a war movie. It is a tribute, a history lesson, and an emotional journey into the heart of military courage, states Lt Gen Devendra Pratap Pandey, Retd.
'Pakistan does not have the capacity to fight a war with us. They do not want to fight a war. It does mischief as per its policy of 'bleed India through a thousand cuts'
Veteran politician and former railway minister Mukul Roy, a key figure in West Bengal politics, has died due to cardiac arrest, marking the end of a significant era.
Army commanders visited the Kashmir Valley to review the security situation at the Line of Control on Monday.
Political parties and residents in Jammu and Kashmir celebrate the Union territory's Ranji team's first-ever title win, praising the team's resilience and unity.
Asim Malik's shift to the important DG, ISI post comes as something of a surprise now, but it indicates the army chief's confidence in him, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
From a surge in startups to crewed mission preparations, 2025 marks a transformative year as India eyes $44 billion space economy by 2033.
The talks over the hotline were previously scheduled at 12 noon. The reason for deferring the talks by few hours is not immediately known.
The Chief of Army Staff reviewed operational preparedness and the security situation along the LoC.
"We have not hit Kirana hills, whatever is there," Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said at a media briefing on Operation Sindoor.
'By convention, the prime minister is technically kept in the loop for the DG, ISI's appointment.' 'It remains to be seen if Prime Minister Imran Khan is able to indicate any preference by then,' says Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan Desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
'Threat assessment, intelligence analysis, (battlefield) situation review -- what has transpired in the last three hours -- was conducted with the help of AI.'
Having control over both digital media and NGOs, it was easy for the US to topple the government and destabilise Nepal -- to undercut Chinese influence and pressure India, argues Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (retd).
Managing the senior generals has proven to be quite a headache for General Asim Munir, even as he and his team of loyal henchmen labour hard to dispel the sense of unhappiness among the public about the army's overbearing presence and interference in matters 'civilian', notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
All three service chiefs of the Indian armed forces will be from the 61st batch of the National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla after the army chief-designate Lieutenant General Manoj C Pande takes over as the 29th chief of army staff on April 30, 2022.
