Redefining Horizons

  The Big Bang The Iran war started with a bang, in fact, a series of big bangs. Unlike the big bang that is said to have started the universe, the bangs from the 30-odd bombs dropped over multiple locations in Tehran were meant to create a new world order. The precision-guided air-launched ballistic missiles that first climbed into their sub-orbital trajectory in the “near space” and darted down at extremely high speeds onto the secure compound where Ayatollah Khamenei lived. It was Operation Epic Fury, unveiled. Immediately thereafter, Prime Minister Benjamin Nethenyahu and President Trump declared that the ‘evil regime’ has been decapitated.  This was on 28 Feb 2026.  The world waited to see the high-speed evolution where the Iranians took to the streets in multitudes, overturned the regime, chased the mullahs out, and installed someone Uncle Sam, the benevolent and righteous, liked. After all, the Iranians under a repressive regime deserved redemption. All sorts...

    Caveat The present is always a continuum of the past and the future, though unpredictable, cannot detach itself from today and today’s past. The past always makes its presence felt. This is not a political article. It does not take sides. It is meant to be a cogent presentation of historical facts and figures available in the public domain. Readers are free to infer whatever they want.  Ominous Signs in Geneva ?  The intense day-long meeting on 26 February 2026 concluded with Badr al-Busaidi, the Foreign Minister of Oman, announcing that the talks had concluded  “after significant progress.”  It was also reported that both sides displayed  “unprecedented openness to new and creative ideas”  during discussions on nuclear constraints and potential sanctions relief. The Iranian officials declared that these were among the most intense talks so far and indicated that they had reached a  broad understanding on many elements  of ...

  In the previous part of the article, we dealt with the political situation in Pakistan in 1965.  India Post-Independence Despite the 1962 war, India's internal politics were generally peaceful. Attention was focused on the growth of the country. The country had inherited an economy in a dire state. Much of the population was living on farm-related income. Industrialisation was the need of the hour. Strong foundations had to be put in place. Political leaders of that time realised the necessity of long-term planning to ensure the nation's progress and prosperity. The concept of five-year plans was thus born. The first five-year plan (April 1951 to March 1956) was launched by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Interestingly, the total outlay of the first 5-year project was ₹2,069 crores, which was later revised to ₹2378 crores. Irrigation and energy (27.2%), transport and communication (24%), agriculture and community development (17.4%), and social services, including education and hea...

  Ferocity, in battles on the land and duels in the air, was the hallmark of the second Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. Many books have been written, on both sides of the border, about the war and its battles, both in the air and on the land. Carefully researched facts, figures, and diagrams outlining the progress of operations lend an essence of authority to the work. Each story, replete with grit and valour, with all the attendant ghastly details finely woven in, makes compelling narratives that deify domestic military heroes and demonise the adversary. Straying from the truth while writing about battles is an honourable compulsion, soaked in nationalism. After all, war has never been about absolute truth, and history, the narrative of the victor.  But what happens when both parties declare themselves victors? Deja Vu? This article, like the previous three on India’s unparalleled wars, will not take us through individual battles. We will navigate mostly through the causes to...