Land Warfare

Focused analysis on land combat doctrine, infantry modernization, battlefield tactics, force structure evolution, and lessons from recent ground conflicts.

Navigating the Cautious Calibrations of Sino-Indian Relations

Navigating the Cautious Calibrations of Sino-Indian Relations Beyond the Reset: Interview of Maj Gen Dr Asthana by World Geostrategic Insight, Italy

The discourse surrounding India-China relations is often caught between the extremes of inevitable confrontation and optimistic reconciliation. However, the reality on the ground is a sophisticated "cautious re-engagement"—a strategic management of competition in an increasingly turbulent global order.

In my recent interview with an Italian international journal World Geostrategic Insights, I delve into why the 2025 "Tianjin Reset" between PM Modi and President Xi is more than just diplomatic optics. We explore the "special problem" India faces with its northern neighbor—a complexity that transcends trade and enters the realm of unsettled borders and collusive threats.

How is Iran Standing up to Trump? Decoding Strategies and Limits of Military Power

The Iran–Israel–US conflict highlights a critical lesson in modern warfare: tactical military success does not guarantee strategic victory. Despite overwhelming airpower, the US–Israel coalition has struggled to achieve decisive political outcomes against Iran’s resilient, asymmetric defence model. By leveraging geography—especially the Strait of Hormuz—Iran has turned energy flows into a strategic weapon with global consequences. The conflict is accelerating a shift toward a multipolar world order while exposing vulnerabilities for energy-dependent nations like India. Ultimately, without a clear political end-state or exit strategy, even the most advanced military campaigns risk becoming long-term strategic setbacks.

Coexistence as Strategy in the India–China Reboot

My latest article in Business Standard Blueprint (Defence & Geopolitics) analyses how and why India and China have moved towards a limited tactical reset since late 2025. I argue that the current engagement “is a product of necessity amid global turbulence, not trust” and is best seen as “cautious re‑engagement, not reconciliation.” The reset offers breathing space from US tariff pressures and global uncertainty, but it does not resolve the underlying structural rivalry or the unresolved boundary dispute.

Evolution of Operational Art and Strategy: Application in Modern Conflicts        

Sharing a chapter of mine published in a book jointly published by United Service Institution of India, New Delhi (Oldest Think Tank in India) and Army War College, Mhow, India, titled “Modern Conflicts and Changing Character of Warfare: Implications for…

One Year of Conflict: Strategic and Operational Dynamics Between Israel, Iran, and Their Proxies

As Israel deliberates the targets in Iran to be engaged in its counterstrikes, Sharing an objective military analysis of mine published in Moderndiplomacy World (European Union) on the subject, evaluating aims, strategies, implementation and outcomes of opposing sides involved in…

Unpacking Strategies, Operational Art, and Technologies in One-Year of Conflict in the Middle East

Sharing an analysis of mine published in Economic Times ETGovernment regarding strategies and application of operational art adopted by opposing sides in the ongoing war in West Asia (Middle East) between Israel and Iran plus its proxies, in the last…

Trending now

Major General (Dr.) S. B. Asthana (Veteran) standing at a podium delivering a strategic keynote on India's Security Policy at the Atal–Kalam Research Park, Ahmedabad.
India’s Security Policy: From Regional Security to Global Stability
Trump, Xi and Cold War 2.0: Managing Rivalry in a Fragmented World