Sushant Singh
@sushantsingh.bsky.social
Lecturer, Yale University || Consulting Editor, The Caravan
[More: http://tiny.cc/YaleSushant]
Earlier: Indian Army || Indian Express || Centre for Policy Research
Books: Mission Overseas || Note by Note: The India Story 1947-2017
[More: http://tiny.cc/YaleSushant]
Earlier: Indian Army || Indian Express || Centre for Policy Research
Books: Mission Overseas || Note by Note: The India Story 1947-2017
Pinned
What really happened during the India-China border crisis, including at Galwan? Then army chief Gen MM Naravane's memoir provides extensive details, of political decision making, restrictions on the military and the disengagement process. That's why it perhaps remains unpublished till date.
This is how sovereignty is eroded in practice. Not through spectacular treaty signatures but through a sequence of executive actions & side letters that align a country’s long-term choices with another power’s national security and economic interests without any real domestic debate about the costs.
India-US trade pact demonstrates how sovereignty is eroded in practice
The framework reads less like an agreement between partners and more like a probation order written by the stronger side.
themorningcontext.com
February 13, 2026 at 9:32 PM
This is how sovereignty is eroded in practice. Not through spectacular treaty signatures but through a sequence of executive actions & side letters that align a country’s long-term choices with another power’s national security and economic interests without any real domestic debate about the costs.
Was a commentator on this Carnegie discussion on two papers on nuclear escalation yesterday. It was a learning experience. www.youtube.com/live/nsnLPPc...
Nuclear Flashpoint? How Pakistan and India Manage Escalation
YouTube video by Carnegie Endowment
www.youtube.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Was a commentator on this Carnegie discussion on two papers on nuclear escalation yesterday. It was a learning experience. www.youtube.com/live/nsnLPPc...
Had a superb conversation on @thenewsminute.com's South Central podcast this week with hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna, and fellow guest MK Venu - on
my essay in The Caravan on Gen Naravane's memoirs, the banned animated toon of The Wire, criminal defamation of journalists and much more
my essay in The Caravan on Gen Naravane's memoirs, the banned animated toon of The Wire, criminal defamation of journalists and much more
Naravane Memoir, LAC China Claims & Questions for the Govt | South Central Podcast
YouTube video by The News Minute
youtu.be
February 13, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Had a superb conversation on @thenewsminute.com's South Central podcast this week with hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna, and fellow guest MK Venu - on
my essay in The Caravan on Gen Naravane's memoirs, the banned animated toon of The Wire, criminal defamation of journalists and much more
my essay in The Caravan on Gen Naravane's memoirs, the banned animated toon of The Wire, criminal defamation of journalists and much more
"Cricket has survived this storm, but does not emerge stronger from it. The incentives now reward brinkmanship, not stability, and the precedent of political concessions assures that this crisis will not be the last."
I write on the T20 world cup Pak-India denouement
I write on the T20 world cup Pak-India denouement
Life on the Brink
SS on cricket's latest brush with realpolitik
www.cricketetal.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:27 AM
"Cricket has survived this storm, but does not emerge stronger from it. The incentives now reward brinkmanship, not stability, and the precedent of political concessions assures that this crisis will not be the last."
I write on the T20 world cup Pak-India denouement
I write on the T20 world cup Pak-India denouement
I spoke to Nidheesh Tyagi of Harkara on Gen Naravane's revelations and the issues raised by my essay on his memoir in The Caravan magazine. (in Hindi)
youtu.be/oaqmW94yeYs?...
youtu.be/oaqmW94yeYs?...
जनरल नरवणे की किताब का सच: लद्दाख में मोदी सरकार की सबसे बड़ी नाकामी? सुशांत सिंह #harkara
YouTube video by Harkara हरकारा
youtu.be
February 8, 2026 at 2:03 PM
I spoke to Nidheesh Tyagi of Harkara on Gen Naravane's revelations and the issues raised by my essay on his memoir in The Caravan magazine. (in Hindi)
youtu.be/oaqmW94yeYs?...
youtu.be/oaqmW94yeYs?...
Where I speak to Vishanu Sharma about The Caravan cover story on Galwan clash, buffer zones, political restrictions on opening fire on PLA and why August 2020 operations were not quid pro quo operations. Beyond the 'Jo uchit samjho' political directive to the army chief. (In Hindi)
Gen Naravane's Book: संसद में चर्चित रिपोर्ट के लेखक Sushant Singh का इंटरव्यू | Baatcheet Ep 43
YouTube video by The Caravan Magazine
youtu.be
February 7, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Where I speak to Vishanu Sharma about The Caravan cover story on Galwan clash, buffer zones, political restrictions on opening fire on PLA and why August 2020 operations were not quid pro quo operations. Beyond the 'Jo uchit samjho' political directive to the army chief. (In Hindi)
I spoke to Karan Thapar about the The Caravan magazine's February cover story about the stunning revelations on China border crisis, beyond "jo uchit samjho", in Gen Naravane's unreleased memoir. We discussed the Galwan clash, firing restrictions, buffer zones and so much more.
Sushant Singh, author of essay on Gen. Naravane's book that's stalled Parliament; what does it say?
YouTube video by The Wire
www.youtube.com
February 6, 2026 at 3:49 PM
I spoke to Karan Thapar about the The Caravan magazine's February cover story about the stunning revelations on China border crisis, beyond "jo uchit samjho", in Gen Naravane's unreleased memoir. We discussed the Galwan clash, firing restrictions, buffer zones and so much more.
"Pakistan’s chaos is a tragedy for its own fans; the BCCI’s calculated weaponisation of the sport is a global threat. ... Pakistan is indeed a mess, but the BCCI’s power may turn out to be a more dangerous illusion."
I write at Cricket et al on Pakistan decision: www.cricketetal.com/p/armageddon...
I write at Cricket et al on Pakistan decision: www.cricketetal.com/p/armageddon...
February 2, 2026 at 6:14 PM
"Pakistan’s chaos is a tragedy for its own fans; the BCCI’s calculated weaponisation of the sport is a global threat. ... Pakistan is indeed a mess, but the BCCI’s power may turn out to be a more dangerous illusion."
I write at Cricket et al on Pakistan decision: www.cricketetal.com/p/armageddon...
I write at Cricket et al on Pakistan decision: www.cricketetal.com/p/armageddon...
What really happened during the India-China border crisis, including at Galwan? Then army chief Gen MM Naravane's memoir provides extensive details, of political decision making, restrictions on the military and the disengagement process. That's why it perhaps remains unpublished till date.
February 1, 2026 at 4:25 AM
What really happened during the India-China border crisis, including at Galwan? Then army chief Gen MM Naravane's memoir provides extensive details, of political decision making, restrictions on the military and the disengagement process. That's why it perhaps remains unpublished till date.
“Poor governance has become the hallmark of Modi’s era, not the aberration… Policy is too often driven by optics, centralisation, and an urge to shock rather than steady, iterative improvement.”
On why the gap between India’s great-power rhetoric and its ability to protect citizens is widening.
On why the gap between India’s great-power rhetoric and its ability to protect citizens is widening.
January 30, 2026 at 3:41 AM
“Poor governance has become the hallmark of Modi’s era, not the aberration… Policy is too often driven by optics, centralisation, and an urge to shock rather than steady, iterative improvement.”
On why the gap between India’s great-power rhetoric and its ability to protect citizens is widening.
On why the gap between India’s great-power rhetoric and its ability to protect citizens is widening.
"Too often, military history is taken over by symbolism. But Ikkis sides with the soldier, not the slogan. It respects bravery while acknowledging the futility of war. Its ending reinforces that military virtue lies in conduct, not celebration."
I write on Sriram Raghavan's new film, Ikkis.
I write on Sriram Raghavan's new film, Ikkis.
By refusing to shout, Ikkis gets war right
Ikkis sides with the soldier, not the slogan. It respects bravery while acknowledging the futility of war.
caravanmagazine.in
January 16, 2026 at 3:42 PM
"Too often, military history is taken over by symbolism. But Ikkis sides with the soldier, not the slogan. It respects bravery while acknowledging the futility of war. Its ending reinforces that military virtue lies in conduct, not celebration."
I write on Sriram Raghavan's new film, Ikkis.
I write on Sriram Raghavan's new film, Ikkis.
"What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?" Where Hartosh and I discuss cricket beyond the sport - from the lens of CLR James - and thus, how today's Indian cricket represents the dirtiest bits of Indian politics, society and economy.
youtu.be/p6i8lbwzsyk?...
youtu.be/p6i8lbwzsyk?...
Shahzada's Cricket: Jingoism is the name of the game | The Caravan Long View Ep 6
YouTube video by The Caravan Magazine
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 4:43 PM
"What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?" Where Hartosh and I discuss cricket beyond the sport - from the lens of CLR James - and thus, how today's Indian cricket represents the dirtiest bits of Indian politics, society and economy.
youtu.be/p6i8lbwzsyk?...
youtu.be/p6i8lbwzsyk?...
"The hope in New Delhi, as January 2026 unfolds, rests almost entirely on Sergio Gor, the new US ambassador to India. But what happens if Gor cannot move the needle? What happens if he, like so many others, cannot bridge the gap between India’s needs and Trump’s demands?"
I write on India-US ties
I write on India-US ties
India needs to stop courting the US and look for a solid plan B
It’s never a good sign when your foreign minister needs a lobbyist to meet US officials. The recent events signal a breakdown in the Modi government’s ability to operate in today’s Washington through ...
themorningcontext.com
January 9, 2026 at 8:43 PM
"The hope in New Delhi, as January 2026 unfolds, rests almost entirely on Sergio Gor, the new US ambassador to India. But what happens if Gor cannot move the needle? What happens if he, like so many others, cannot bridge the gap between India’s needs and Trump’s demands?"
I write on India-US ties
I write on India-US ties
"India’s cricket dominance now poses a threat to cricket itself. Cricket is supposed to be a multi-national sport, a space where competition is divorced from ethno-nationalism and petty politics."
I write on what Fizz's expulsion from IPL and Bangladesh's refusal to play T20 WC in India tells us.
I write on what Fizz's expulsion from IPL and Bangladesh's refusal to play T20 WC in India tells us.
Mustafissure
SS on an alarming crack in the cricket world
www.cricketetal.com
January 4, 2026 at 10:06 PM
"India’s cricket dominance now poses a threat to cricket itself. Cricket is supposed to be a multi-national sport, a space where competition is divorced from ethno-nationalism and petty politics."
I write on what Fizz's expulsion from IPL and Bangladesh's refusal to play T20 WC in India tells us.
I write on what Fizz's expulsion from IPL and Bangladesh's refusal to play T20 WC in India tells us.
Where Siddharth and I discuss with Jahnavi and Sravasti the year that 2025 was for India, from diplomacy and security to economy and film critics. How has been the year for India and Indians? And how bad has it been for Modi? And much more. [Video]
2025 Rewind: Whither Vishwaguru? | The Wire Wrap
YouTube video by The Wire
www.youtube.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Where Siddharth and I discuss with Jahnavi and Sravasti the year that 2025 was for India, from diplomacy and security to economy and film critics. How has been the year for India and Indians? And how bad has it been for Modi? And much more. [Video]
I write in The Telegraph: Putin got the global images he craved of a leader not wholly shunned. Yet, by harder metrics that should concern India, It underlined a deeper failure. It showed that despite the setbacks of 2025, Modi’s foreign policy is still organised around optics rather than outcomes.
December 24, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I write in The Telegraph: Putin got the global images he craved of a leader not wholly shunned. Yet, by harder metrics that should concern India, It underlined a deeper failure. It showed that despite the setbacks of 2025, Modi’s foreign policy is still organised around optics rather than outcomes.
The crisis, with JioStar threatening to pull out of ICC's Indian media rights, is not rooted in Indians suddenly falling out of love with cricket. Rather, it exposes fundamental fault lines in India’s economy, governance, and the manner in which concentrated power shapes global cricket.
My piece.
My piece.
India Sneezes, World Catches Cold
SS on the JioStar fiasco
www.cricketetal.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:57 AM
The crisis, with JioStar threatening to pull out of ICC's Indian media rights, is not rooted in Indians suddenly falling out of love with cricket. Rather, it exposes fundamental fault lines in India’s economy, governance, and the manner in which concentrated power shapes global cricket.
My piece.
My piece.
For Delhi, 2025 was annus horribilis, the year India learned it wasn't indispensable on the world stage.
Not merely a bad year, but one that exposed every vulnerability hiding beneath India's foreign policy claims. Three structural failures surfaced simultaneously, with the US, China and Russia.
Not merely a bad year, but one that exposed every vulnerability hiding beneath India's foreign policy claims. Three structural failures surfaced simultaneously, with the US, China and Russia.
Annus horribilis: 2025 was the year India learned it wasn't indispensable
It is the logical consequence of foreign policy built on a decade of illusion rather than the realities of power. The question is whether anyone in the government has the courage to admit it.
themorningcontext.com
December 5, 2025 at 11:39 PM
For Delhi, 2025 was annus horribilis, the year India learned it wasn't indispensable on the world stage.
Not merely a bad year, but one that exposed every vulnerability hiding beneath India's foreign policy claims. Three structural failures surfaced simultaneously, with the US, China and Russia.
Not merely a bad year, but one that exposed every vulnerability hiding beneath India's foreign policy claims. Three structural failures surfaced simultaneously, with the US, China and Russia.
The Delhi blast matters not only because it represents a security failure, but because it reveals the deeper failure of Modi’s strategic approach. I write in The Caravan on why Modi did not go on a Pakistan-bashing spree after the Delhi blast. caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
Why Modi did not go on a Pakistan-bashing spree after the Delhi blast
A car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort killed at least 15 people. Unlike after the November 2008 attack or even post Pahalgam Narendra Modi's rhetoric has been different.
caravanmagazine.in
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
The Delhi blast matters not only because it represents a security failure, but because it reveals the deeper failure of Modi’s strategic approach. I write in The Caravan on why Modi did not go on a Pakistan-bashing spree after the Delhi blast. caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
"When the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP has itself come down under Modi, how can defence manufacturing take off? Unless Indians elect the political leadership they deserve, defence manufacturing — like Delhi’s pollution — will remain the nation’s most glaring governance failure."
November 26, 2025 at 7:36 AM
"When the share of manufacturing in India’s GDP has itself come down under Modi, how can defence manufacturing take off? Unless Indians elect the political leadership they deserve, defence manufacturing — like Delhi’s pollution — will remain the nation’s most glaring governance failure."
Modi's silence on Mamdani’s victory reveals what terrifies Hindutva supporters. Young, progressive, interfaith, anti-establishment and unafraid, Zohran represents everything whose existence the Hindu Right has spent decades trying to deny.
I write in The Caravan
caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
I write in The Caravan
caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
Narendra Modi's silence on Zohran Mamdani’s victory reveals what terrifies Hindutva supporters
Zohran Mamdani represents everything whose existence the Hindu Right has spent decades trying to deny.
caravanmagazine.in
November 11, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Modi's silence on Mamdani’s victory reveals what terrifies Hindutva supporters. Young, progressive, interfaith, anti-establishment and unafraid, Zohran represents everything whose existence the Hindu Right has spent decades trying to deny.
I write in The Caravan
caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
I write in The Caravan
caravanmagazine.in/politics/mod...
The viciousness of the Far Right's attack on Indian-Americans was striking, but few mainstream voices rushed to defend the Indian-American community. The uncomfortable truth is that the narrative resonates as a clever mix of economic problems and social anxieties that can’t be politically negated.
MAGA’s battle against Indian-Americans: wrong in its particulars but effective alright
The far-right’s anti-India narrative offers simple answers to complex problems while drawing on real grievances that many Americans share
themorningcontext.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The viciousness of the Far Right's attack on Indian-Americans was striking, but few mainstream voices rushed to defend the Indian-American community. The uncomfortable truth is that the narrative resonates as a clever mix of economic problems and social anxieties that can’t be politically negated.
"Modi’s response to this crisis is to avoid rooms where Trump might be present. This strategy of evasion cannot hold.
...India needs its prime minister to show up, to defend its interests, to negotiate from whatever strength remains, and to stop pretending..."
My piece in The Telegraph, Kolkata
...India needs its prime minister to show up, to defend its interests, to negotiate from whatever strength remains, and to stop pretending..."
My piece in The Telegraph, Kolkata
October 31, 2025 at 3:06 AM
"Modi’s response to this crisis is to avoid rooms where Trump might be present. This strategy of evasion cannot hold.
...India needs its prime minister to show up, to defend its interests, to negotiate from whatever strength remains, and to stop pretending..."
My piece in The Telegraph, Kolkata
...India needs its prime minister to show up, to defend its interests, to negotiate from whatever strength remains, and to stop pretending..."
My piece in The Telegraph, Kolkata
"Hindutva ideology alone does not explain the Ladakh tragedy. Equally culpable is the staggering incompetence that characterises the Modi administration’s actual governance. ...In border regions like Ladakh, this incompetence becomes lethal."
My piece in The Caravan magazine.
My piece in The Caravan magazine.
The Ladakh bloodshed is an outcome of the government treating its population as internal enemies.
With central forces killing four civilians in Ladakh, the Narendra Modi government has exposed its administrative incompetence as well as its ideological malevolence.
caravanmagazine.in
October 19, 2025 at 2:28 PM
"Hindutva ideology alone does not explain the Ladakh tragedy. Equally culpable is the staggering incompetence that characterises the Modi administration’s actual governance. ...In border regions like Ladakh, this incompetence becomes lethal."
My piece in The Caravan magazine.
My piece in The Caravan magazine.
Hindu Right has an Israel envy. It is reflected in the desire to copy Israel's lobbying model in the US. That has failed miserably in the past few months.
In @themorningcontext.bsky.social I look at the reasons for this failure, where Modi wasted a decade of India's foreign policy energies.
In @themorningcontext.bsky.social I look at the reasons for this failure, where Modi wasted a decade of India's foreign policy energies.
When it comes to lobbying in the US, Indian-Americans are not Jewish Americans
India tried to build an Israel-style lobby in Washington, DC. But money, race and ideology have kept Indian-Americans from becoming a political force.
themorningcontext.com
October 11, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Hindu Right has an Israel envy. It is reflected in the desire to copy Israel's lobbying model in the US. That has failed miserably in the past few months.
In @themorningcontext.bsky.social I look at the reasons for this failure, where Modi wasted a decade of India's foreign policy energies.
In @themorningcontext.bsky.social I look at the reasons for this failure, where Modi wasted a decade of India's foreign policy energies.