Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | Akash Missile Could Be India's Next Big Export. But There's A Problem
India's reported sale of its indigenous Akash surface-to-air missile system to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan could mark an important step in the country's ambition to become a major global arms exporter. Beyond the commercial value of the deals, the entry of Akash into Central Asia would open a new market for Indian defence technology in a region whe...
- Thursday October 22, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | Marine Engines: Why India Must Own The Power Behind The Platform
India's warship-building story is progressively one of indigenous design, construction, and systems integration. But an uncomfortable contradiction lies at the heart of this progress: India can build sophisticated warships, yet remains dependent on foreign sources for some of the most critical machinery that actually makes those ships move - marine...
- Monday October 12, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | AI vs Skills: What Does Indian Economy Really Need?
India's quarterly GDP growth were revealed recently, and one thing is very clear: India needs manufacturing of greater scale. However, India's manufacturing debate is asking the wrong question. It is increasingly framed as a choice between two futures: one in which factories are powered by artificial intelligence, automation and autonomous machi...
- Wednesday September 30, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | India Wants A 6th-Generation Fighter. But A Lot Could Go Wrong
India might just be building too many fighter jets to focus on any one of them well. A recalculcation is needed.
- Thursday September 3, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | The Big Reset In How India Builds Its Defence Is Here
The real transformation underway in India's defence ecosystem is visible now in a new missile or a fighter jet, but in how India is building its military technology.
- Tuesday August 25, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | DRDO Is Being Restructured. But The Real Problem Remains Unsolved
Three big questions are ailing the DRDO and its progress
- Friday August 14, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | India's Defence Deals Have A Serious Problem Nobody Talks About
For over 20 years, India believed that its defence deals would help nourish the domestic industry. Now, a parliamentary report suggests that never quite happened.
- Friday July 31, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha
-
Opinion | Kaveri To J-20, How China Overtook India In A 40-Year-Old Race To Build Fighter Jets
Both launched ambitious military jet engine programmes during the 1980s. Both depended heavily on Soviet and Russian technology. Four decades later, however, the finish line tells two dramatically different stories.
- Tuesday July 21, 2026
- Opinion
- Manish Kumar Jha