Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain is Governor, the State of Bihar, and Former Commander of India's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps.

The Bay Of Bengal And The Return Of Civilisational Connectivity

Geopolitics

As older theatres of global engagement turn turbulent, Indo-Pacific is emerging as the natural arena of future connectivity. For India, rediscovering the Bay of Bengal as a civilisational bridge may be key to reinvigorating its Act East policy.

May 26, 2026 at 5:21 AM IST

istock.com

Restraint as Strength: India’s Strategic Message to the World

Operation Sindoor

India’s message to the world was both simple and profound. Strength lies not only in the capacity to fight, but in the ability to choose when and how to fight — and when to stop.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

May 7, 2026 at 4:13 AM IST

PIB

Durand Line Tensions Signal a Deeper Regional Reckoning

Geopolitics

Pakistan-Afghanistan border dispute is in fact a contest over sovereignty, security and post-war legitimacy, with consequences that could ripple far beyond the Durand Line.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

March 4, 2026 at 3:16 AM IST

Siraj Ud Din/Via WikiCommons

Escalation Pathways and Strategic Risk in the Middle East

Geopolitics

After the reported killing of Iran’s supreme leader, the conflict shifts from deterrence to strategic shock, raising urgent questions over containment and escalation pathways.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

March 1, 2026 at 7:27 AM IST

IRGC ARMY

When Kashmir Dreamed in Whites: It Was a Cricketing Spring in a Season of Turmoil

A decade after a grassroots cricket initiative in Kashmir, J&K’s Ranji final berth reflects how structured sport can reshape aspiration in conflict-scarred regions.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 28, 2026 at 4:37 AM IST

Via WikiCommons

Munich 2026 and The Limits of Strategic Comfort

Munich 2026 signals erosion of the US-led order as Europe seeks autonomy and India leverages strategic resilience in an era of competitive multipolarity.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 20, 2026 at 6:04 AM IST

Bangladesh After the Verdict: Normalisation, Borders and Strategic Patience

Geopolitics

Bangladesh’s verdict brought clarity, not closure. Stability now hinges on inclusive politics, secure borders, minority protection and patient India engagement.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 14, 2026 at 10:13 AM IST

BNP

Bangladesh at Risk: Elections, Radicalism, and India’s Strategic Nerve

Geopolitics

How political flux next door tests India’s discipline, deterrence, and diplomacy

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 9, 2026 at 5:11 AM IST

iStock.com

Pakistan’s Baluchistan Moment: Military Power Without Political Imagination

Geopolitics

A long-ignored insurgency resurfaces in Balochistan, exposing the limits of military force without political vision—and the urgent need for reconciliation over repression.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 6, 2026 at 3:11 AM IST

iStock.com

India’s Defence Budget: From Readiness To Endurance

Budget 2026

India’s Defence Budget shifted the focus from short-term readiness to endurance, lifting capital spend to prepare for conflicts ahead!

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

February 1, 2026 at 12:26 PM IST

Istock.com

What to Look for in India’s Defence Budget: Beyond Headline Numbers

Budget 2026

As India finalises its defence expenditure as part of the annual Budget exercise, the real issue is not the size of the allocation but what it signals about preparedness for conflicts that may extend beyond short, controlled crises.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

January 31, 2026 at 8:56 AM IST

iStock.com/Pavliha

Why MBZ’s Two-Hour Dash to New Delhi Matters

Geopolitics

When the President of the United Arab Emirates lands in New Delhi for barely two hours, it is not a courtesy call or a routine stopover. It is a signal.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

January 19, 2026 at 5:42 PM IST

PIB

Why the ‘Islamic Nato’ Will Remain a Strategic Mirage

Geopolitics

Turkey–Pakistan–Saudi Arabia and the Limits of Sunni Convergence

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

January 16, 2026 at 6:58 AM IST

iStock.com

Iran’s Internal Turbulence and the Myth of Imminent Regime Change

Geopolitics

Recurring protests in Iran revive predictions of collapse, but history, institutions, and security cohesion suggest a system under strain, not one on the brink.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

January 7, 2026 at 8:19 AM IST

iStock.com

Venezuela, Power, and Precedent in the Western Hemisphere

Geopolitics

India is expected to stick to cautious neutrality, wary of interventionist precedents but invested in stability, international law and predictable energy markets.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

January 4, 2026 at 5:04 AM IST

From Proxies to Lone Actors: The Changing Face of Terror in 2025

As mass attacks fade, terror is fragmenting into lone actors, micro-cells and tech-enabled networks—harder to detect, harder to deter, and more dangerous.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

December 31, 2025 at 5:40 AM IST

iStock.com/Pavliha

Pakistan, Gaza, and the Strategic Burden of Unmandated Peacekeeping

Geopolitics

In 2003, following the US-led invasion of Iraq, New Delhi was approached to deploy an Indian Army brigade for stabilisation duties. One of the brigades under consideration was based in Ranchi. However, the proposal was withdrawn when it became clear that this was not an UN-mandated operation.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

December 23, 2025 at 7:28 AM IST

Jaber Jehad Badwan/Via WikiCommons

The Middle East After Gaza: Strategic Stalemates and Uncertain Futures

Geopolitics

As 2025 ends, the Middle East remains in flux—Gaza quiet but unresolved, Iran under strain, Gulf cautious, and global powers navigating a region where pauses don’t mean peace.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

December 16, 2025 at 3:57 AM IST

Jaber Jehad Badwan/Via WikiCommons

Power Without Certainty: America at a Strategic Crossroads

Geopolitics

A first view commentary on the new American National Security Strategy

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

December 8, 2025 at 6:59 AM IST

White House/Via WikiCommons

Ukraine, NATO and the Limits of Power: Is the West Facing a Strategic Climbdown?

Geopolitics

For India, the strength lies in remaining strategically balanced — neither celebrating Russia’s endurance nor mourning Western recalibration.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

December 4, 2025 at 5:05 AM IST

iStock.com

The Bureau

Benchmarks End Lower, Post Monthly Losses Amid US-Iran Uncertainty

India Cuts Monsoon Rain Forecast to 90%

RBI Says Bond Yields May Face Upward Pressure If Global Easing Stalls

Cash Growth Outpaces Economy as Currency in Circulation Rises Nearly 12%

Large-Ticket Frauds Drive Sharp Rise in Bank Fraud Value Despite Fewer Cases: RBI Report

RBI to Sharpen Focus on Neutral Rate in Wider Policy Modelling Push

RBI to Transfer Record ₹2.87 Trillion Surplus To Govt, CRB Buffer Set Lower at 6.5%

Flawed Design, Poor Planning Make Extreme Heat Conditions Worse For Indian Cities

Learning to Shoot: I Tried to Fly Before I Could Walk