The Long View

In Episode 9 of 'The Long View' podcast series, host Prof. Ashok K. Kantha, the Subhas Chandra Bose Chair Professor of International Relations at Chanakya University, is joined by military expert and a leading voice on China Lt. Gen. S.L. Narasimhan (Retd.) for a strategic deep dive into China's military apparatus and its security implications for India. Titled "The PLA at 100: Purge, Power, the Taiwan Question and the India Front," the episode examines the sweeping purges across the senior ranks of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Central Military Commission.

The conversation critically assesses whether these high-level corruption clean-ups expose structural fault lines in China's military command and how they affect the PLA's operational readiness ahead of its 2027 centenary targets. Moving to regional flashpoints, Lt. Gen. Narasimhan evaluates Beijing's spectrum of military options regarding Taiwan—from grey-zone tactics to full-scale invasion—and what a cross-strait crisis would mean for New Delhi.

Finally, the discussion tackles India's defence preparedness, exploring how New Delhi can leverage asymmetric deterrence in the maritime domain while confronting a multi-domain threat across land, sea, air, cyber, and space. With border deployments settling into "armed co-existence," this episode offers crucial insights into the future of Sino-Indian deterrence.

In the 8th Episode of The Long View, Chair Professor Ashok K. Kantha explores the triangular dynamic between New Delhi, Washington and Beijing, with Ms. Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow in the Centre for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Ms. Tanvi is also the host of the Global India podcast and the author of the widely acclaimed book, The Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S- India Relations During the Cold War. In the episode, they examine how the changing U.S.-China relationship is reshaping India’s strategic choices. As the global order undergoes profound recalibration, the central question is no longer simply “Who is India aligned with?” but rather: “Are India’s partnerships helping it become stronger, more capable and more strategically autonomous?” 🎙 The Podcast Explores: 󰏝󰑔󰎩 The Fateful Triangle Revisited: How China has historically shaped U.S.-India relations, and why the triangular dynamic remains central to understanding India’s strategic choices today. Trump, China & the U.S.-India Relationship: How the Trump administration’s different approach to Beijing has reduced the China-driven strategic convergence between Washington and New Delhi, while leaving significant functional cooperation intact. External vs. Internal Balancing: Why India may need to place greater emphasis on building its own economic, technological, and military capabilities, even as strategic partnerships, particularly with the United States, remain vital. India’s Multi-Alignment Strategy: Is India becoming more inward-looking? Or is it recalibrating its diversified portfolio of partnerships across the U.S., Europe, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and the Global South? The De-Risking Dilemma: Why India needs to reduce excessive dependence on both China and the United States—while recognising that the nature and scale of those dependencies are fundamentally different. Can China Become an Enabler Again? From economic opportunity and diplomatic space to strategic obstruction, how India’s perception of China has changed and what would have to happen for that relationship to improve meaningfully. India in a Multi-Aligned World: How should India measure the success of its foreign policy, not by the number of partnerships it maintains, but by whether those partnerships deliver greater security, prosperity, autonomy and global influence?

Why are China’s most senior military commanders suddenly vanishing from public view?If you think the biggest threat to India’s national security is only on the Himalayan border, think again.In our latest episode of The Long View, host Ashok K. Kantha sits down with JNU’s Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli to decode the silent crisis shaking the People’s Liberation Army—and what it means for India’s own security footprint.What you will learn in this episode:The military purge: How the sudden investigations into General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli reveal deep civil-military friction under Xi Jinping.The 2027 Taiwan factor: Why disagreement over the 2027 invasion timeline triggered these high-level purges.India’s asymmetric deterrence: Does New Delhi possess a true strategic doctrine to deter its larger neighbour, or do we only have the vocabulary?Is India being squeezed by a rising global G2 overlay, or can we hold our own?

Ep 6: Countering the China Challenge in India's Neighbourhood | The Long View

How can India effectively counter the China challenge in its immediate backyard?

In the sixth episode of The Long View, dive deep into the theme of ‘India’s Neighbourhood’. Join Chair Professor Shri. Ashok Kantha—who brings decades of diplomatic experience as India's former Ambassador to China—and Ms. Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor at The Hindu, in this g

This episode unpacks the complex strategic realities of South Asia. Our guests explore:

The China Factor: How Beijing's growing regional influence and its close ties with Pakistan are actively shaping India's foreign policy.

The Global Geopolitical Overlay: An analysis of the recent recalibrations in US-China relations and the direct implications this shifting dynamic has for New Delhi.

Regional Cooperation: The urgent need for South Asian nations to collectively address shared vulnerabilities.

A New Playbook: How India can design and adopt a differentiated, more effective approach than China in managing ties with its neighbours.

Tune in to understand the shifting global equilibrium and what it means for India's strategic future.

Watch/Listen to the full episode tomorrow on Chanakya University’s YouTube and Spotify channels!

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/srvrmK4UMLo

#India #ForeignPolicy #InternationalRelations #SouthAsia #China #USA #Geopolitics

In this episode of The Long View Podcast, Dr Nishit Kumar, Assistant Professor at the Subhas Chandra Bose Chair on International Relations, speaks with Dr Sriparna Pathak, Professor of China Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University.The conversation explores the evolving and deeply interconnected dynamics of India–China relations, the strategic significance of the Indo-Pacific, and the broader geopolitical shifts shaping Asia today.The discussion also examines the role of narrative-building, agenda-setting, consensus formation, and regional hegemony in contemporary international politics. Further, the episode delves into the idea of MAHASAGAR and what it means for India’s maritime outlook, strategic partnerships, and future challenges in the Indian Ocean region.An insightful conversation for students, scholars, and practitioners of international relations, strategic affairs, and Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

In this episode of The Long View podcast, Dr Chetan Singai, Dean, School of Law, Governance and Public Policy, is in conversation with Prof Harsh V Pant, Director of Studies, Observer Research Foundation. This episode highlights the West Asian crisis, understanding our extended neighbourhood, India's BRICS presidency and several allied issues.

They also address and discuss the structural inequalities, the interconnectedness of international conflicts, and what are India's priorities during such uncertain times?

Prof Pant also sheds light on India-Iran's civilizational relations, technology, trade, and renewed polarity in the global issues. How India is going to navigate through its BRICS presidency amidst this ongoing controversy in West Asia?

Do listen to this engaging conversation, and subscribe to The Long View Podcast, for more such insights on contemporary issues from an India-centric perspective!

The Long View | Episode 3

In this episode of The Long View, Chair Professor Amb. Ashok Kantha is in conversation with T. C. A. Raghavan — former High Commissioner to Pakistan and Singapore, and one of India’s most thoughtful strategic voices on South Asia.

The discussion centres on India’s neighbourhood policy and the shifting regional landscape: India’s evolving relationship with Pakistan, engagement with Taliban-led Afghanistan, and how New Delhi positions itself within an increasingly fragile South Asian order. Drawing from decades of diplomatic experience, Dr Raghavan examines India’s foreign policy through a regional lens — asking not just how India deals with its neighbours, but how India fits within South Asia as a political and strategic space.

The episode reflects on a region marked by turbulence — from the coup and civil war in Myanmar to deep internal crises across multiple states. Institutions such as SAARC and BIMSTEC are arguably weaker today than a decade ago, leading to a thinning of the regional envelope that once enabled stronger bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Dr Raghavan outlines three key achievements of India’s neighbourhood engagement — foremost among them the resilience and robustness of most bilateral ties — and identifies three areas where course correction may be necessary.

A candid, strategic assessment of South Asia at a time of flux.

Watch the full episode now.

In this episode of The Long View, Prof. Sugata Bose, Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University, Grandnephew of Subhas Chandra Bose and Chairperson of the Netaji Research Bureau, joins Subhas Chandra Bose Chair Professor of International Relations, Ashok Kantha at Chanakya University.The conversation begins with Subhas Chandra Bose’s moral and strategic worldview, how he reconciled ethical conviction with geopolitical realism, his wartime strategic leadership, and the formation and legacy of the Azad Hind Sena (INA). Prof. Bose reflects on Netaji’s political afterlife and then the discussion moves to contemporary geopolitics, the idea of an “Asian Century,” multipolar Asia, India–China asymmetry, US–China rivalry, shifting global power equations, and India’s strategic choices in a turbulent international order.From history to contemporary international order, Episode 2 connects Netaji’s thought with India's current realities, exploring how New Delhi can navigate rupture, rivalry, and opportunity with clarity and confidence.

The Long View: Conversation. Context. Consequence — Episode 1 explores how Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s strategic legacy continues to shape India’s global outlook today.

Join Ambassador Ashok Kantha in conversation with Zakka Jacob as they examine India’s foreign policy evolution, neighbourhood strategy, India–US and India–China dynamics, and the geopolitical challenges defining the emerging world order.