Chandan Sarkar writes political biography in its most useful form — using the life of a figure to explain the institutions that made them possible. He has written on prime ministers and party leaders, and reports closely on the Hindi belt.
Recent work
India Holds the Indus Line: Water as Strategic Asset, Not Concession
India's MEA has reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack, dismissing Pakistan's warnings as irrelevant while Islamabad continues sponsoring cross-border terrorism. India also condemned Pakistan's airstrikes into Afghanistan, which killed civilians, further isolating Islamabad across multiple diplomatic fronts simultaneously. The moment marks a structural shift in how India treats water — from a concession instrument to a strategic lever.
Anthropic's AI Blockade Exposes India's Technology Sovereignty Challenge
Anthropic blocked access to its most powerful AI models for foreign nationals, including Indian developers, citing US national security directives. The incident underscores India's vulnerability to Western tech gatekeeping and reinforces the strategic importance of building indigenous AI infrastructure.
Delhi Fire Tragedy Exposes Medical Tourism Safety Gaps as Foreign Patients Bear Brunt
A fire at a Delhi bed-and-breakfast killed 21 people, including 18 foreign nationals primarily from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and African countries who were medical tourists. The tragedy reveals serious safety lapses in accommodation facilities serving India's growing medical tourism sector.
Jaishankar and Rubio Shape Strategic Partnership as India Asserts Multi-Alignment Doctrine
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held comprehensive bilateral talks in New Delhi, with discussions spanning West Asia, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and Ukraine. The engagement marks Rubio's first official visit to India as Secretary of State, setting the tone for India-US relations under the new American administration.
Trump Questions Taiwan Arms Deal After Beijing Summit With Xi Jinping
Donald Trump has cast doubt on a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan after meeting Xi Jinping in Beijing, raising questions about US commitment to the island. The President dismissed 1982 commitments as outdated and prioritised avoiding war over arms sales, unsettling allies across Asia.
The Case for Piyush Goyal at Kartavya Bhavan: How India’s Trade Architect Became Its Most Consequential Economic Voice
With seven FTAs, record exports of $825 billion, and an unprecedented electoral mandate from Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu, Piyush Goyal’s elevation to Finance Minister is the most logical economic decision of Modi 3.0.
Delimitation Vote Shows India's Federal Architecture Working as Designed
The Lok Sabha's April 17 vote on the Delimitation Bill demonstrates India's constitutional architecture functioning as intended. The supermajority requirement protected federal equity while the government's withdrawal for reconsideration showed institutional maturity in balancing women's reservation with demographic representation.