Edited by Jayadeva Ranade, the essays in Strategic Challenges: India in 2030 take a look at the fast-changing geopolitical landscape

Only a brave set of authors would go about making predictions in today’s fast-changing geopolitics spurred by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But led by the editor Jayadeva Ranade and contributors Vikram Gokhale, Vikram Sood, Arun Singh, PS Raghavan, Shekhar Sinha, et al, who have for decades made it their business at India’s highest echelons of security management, they, of course, cite China as the biggest danger. But India also risks the equally debilitating quicksand of “techno colonialism”, warn many of them. It remains on the outer bands of global supply chains and has been unable to develop meaningful indigenous capacities in any critical sector. The gap will become more glaring as the world’s leading nations move towards fusing the industrial revolution with the autonomous revolution.

While their take on the gross misreading about China’s intentions in Ladakh would require a braver effort, their take on the demons and devils who will be out to trip India in 2030, does bring out some nuggets. Bonhomie with Russia seems strong. But all signs point to a rethink about Moscow’s continued reliability because of its growing dependence on Beijing. But the contributors are divided on the all-important question. Should Delhi continue its tilt towards the US and become its frontline proxy in its war against China? Or is it time to press pause, contemplate, refashion and reset? But here, from waters to emerging and disruptive technologies, this is a primer on the inevitability of enmity.