Notables 

Everything All at Once positions India at the centre of six concurrent global transitions— geopolitical, economic, technological, demographic, ideological, and environmental. Rajiv Kumar and Ishan Joshi argue that steering India through these shifts calls for fresh policy frameworks grounded in realities, from Trump’s tariff shocks to balancing ties with China and the US, while securing growth, sovereignty, and long-term security amid this transition.

Donald Trump’s second term saw him impose aggressive protectionist policies and trigger tariff wars that have destabilised the global economic system built by America after 1945. As Philip Coggan explains, these policies disrupted supply chains and weakened multilateral institutions. Instead of reviving factory jobs or shrinking deficits, they raised costs for consumers, strained alliances, and eroded the rules-based order, leaving both the US and the world economy more fragile.

Eurasia has often been the centre of the fiercest contests in modern history, from the devastation of the two world wars to Cold War rivalries. Hal Brands draws on global strategists like Mackinder, Mahan, and Nicholas Spykman, illustrating how control of this vast “world island”—with its resources, population, and strategic frontiers—makes it one of the most contested and geopolitically sought-after regions. With China’s growing assertiveness, Russia’s resurgence, and the rise of authoritarian alignments challenging the liberal order, understanding the history and enduring significance of Eurasia becomes essential for navigating strategies that will shape international politics this century.

Since the onset of this century, the CIA has undergone two transformations: first failing to prevent 9/11, and producing its flawed intelligence report that resulted in the Iraq War. Tim Weiner, a veteran journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, traces the CIA’s path from Cold War covert actions and Nixon-era confrontations to post-9/11 activities, including secret prisons, torture chambers, and the development of drone warfare, before returning to intelligence operations involving Moscow and Beijing. With President Trump’s return to office, Weiner underscores the tensions between intelligence agencies, presidential authority, and safeguarding national security in the 21^st century.

From the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to the Galwan clashes in 2020, Tanushree Podder outlines the outstanding bravery of Indian soldiers—from Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Sekhon and Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey to Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman—illustrating their resilience and sacrifice on the battlefield. The stories trace the experiences of eighteen such men, from the Kargil heights to the streets of Mumbai during (and after) 26/11, highlighting their indomitable spirit in safeguarding national security.