Deepak Raina covers Kashmir — the politics, the displacement, the security landscape, and the long memory of communities shaped by conflict. His reporting draws on first-person testimony and archival detail, and he writes from the conviction that the Kashmiri Pandit story is not a footnote in India's modern history but a central chapter in how the republic navigates identity, territory, and belonging.
Recent work
Assam Floods Again: When Six Wooden Boats Carry the Weight of a Nation's Unfinished Business
Floods have swept across five districts of Assam, killing three people and affecting more than 1.36 lakh residents as 335 villages and over 15,000 hectares of cropland go under water. The annual disaster follows a familiar script — state relief operations, ministerial visits, corporate donations — while a deeper structural vulnerability, India's inability to secure binding hydrological data from China on Brahmaputra flows, goes unresolved. This year's flood season in Assam is not just a humanitarian event; it is a test of whether India can convert its diplomatic standing into concrete water security.
India Widens the Door for Diaspora Scientists — But Who Will Walk Through?
The PM Research Chair Scheme has extended its 2026 application deadline to August 15, aiming to bring Indian-origin scientists and academics settled abroad into premier institutions such as IITs, IISc, and national laboratories. The extension signals active effort to widen the applicant pool — but the scheme's deeper test lies not in attracting applications but in whether India's public research environment can absorb and retain the talent it courts. Administrative inertia, autonomy deficits, and bureaucratic friction remain the real obstacles between policy ambition and research output.
The Taj Mahal in Court: ASI's Custodial Authority Meets a Persistent Legal Claim
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India to file counter-affidavits in a writ petition asserting that a Hindu temple called the Agreshwar Mahadev Nagnatheswar Virajman Tejo Mahalaya exists within the Taj Mahal complex. The petition, filed on July 3, challenges district court orders that had twice refused to appoint an advocate commissioner to survey the premises. The case deepens a broader juridification of India's heritage disputes and carries implications for ASI's statutory authority, India's binding UNESCO obligations, and the international standing of its most recognisable monument.
Putin's 'Difficult Period' and the Supply Chain India Cannot Afford to Ignore
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged a 'difficult period' at a United Russia party congress as Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries deep inside Russian territory, including the Slavyansk facility in Krasnodar. For India, the acknowledgment is more than a diplomatic signal — it lands directly on two pressure points: a defence supply chain built over decades on Russian hardware, and an energy import flow that re-oriented toward discounted Urals crude after 2022. The question New Delhi must answer is whether it treats this moment as leverage or merely absorbs the risk.
TMC Parliamentary Split Strengthens NDA Coalition as Constitutional Crisis Tests Anti-Defection Laws
TMC faces its biggest parliamentary crisis as rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claims 20 MPs are merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party to collaborate with NDA. The move tests India's anti-defection laws while potentially strengthening the ruling coalition's parliamentary position.
India Reinforces Strategic Foothold in Afghanistan Through Humanitarian Diplomacy
India's Ministry of External Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan's welfare through humanitarian assistance and development projects, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasizing support for food security, healthcare, and education. The approach maintains India's strategic presence while avoiding formal recognition of Taliban governance.
India Reinforces Energy Security Strategy as Middle East Tensions Reshape Regional Dynamics
The US House passed a resolution restricting Trump's military authority in Iran while Israel and Lebanon pursue ceasefire negotiations. These developments create new parameters for India's energy security planning and regional diplomatic strategy.
India-Japan Economic Security Dialogue Deepens Strategic Partnership Beyond Defense
The second India-Japan Economic Security Dialogue brought together senior officials from both governments to advance industrial collaboration across five strategic sectors. The dialogue reinforces Japan's role as a trusted technology partner in India's quest for supply chain diversification and economic sovereignty.
India's Indian Ocean Dialogue Charts Maritime Leadership Against Chinese Encroachment
India hosted the 10th Indian Ocean Dialogue with officials from IORA member states, emphasizing maritime security and blue economy cooperation. The forum reflects India's strategic bid to counter Chinese influence while establishing itself as the region's primary security provider.
India's 2047 Diplomatic Blueprint Takes Shape at Annual Strategic Coordination
The 11th Heads of Mission Conference brought together India's top diplomats to coordinate strategic messaging and operational priorities under the theme 'Reforming Indian Diplomacy for 2047'. Prime Minister Modi and EAM Jaishankar provided guidance on advancing India's national interests through future-ready diplomatic approaches.