The transfer of Maj Gen Vardhan from Delhi’s Base Hospital has been officially justified as routine HR process. But there is more than what meets the eye.

The Modi government has initiated several defence reforms. But mere political acumen of the defence minister is insufficient to steer them.

India will soon witness a blame game — the Centre will blame states, govts will blame private sector and citizens. But the gaming of political system won’t be discussed much.

Death in a hospital, on an ICU bed and under effective medical care brings a level of mental satisfaction to family members, of having done their best to save a life.

Except for a brief period in 1998 when I was researching for a dissertation on ‘Non Military Threats’, I never ever focused on pandemics as a source of existential security threat to a nation.

We got caught unprepared due to some plain incompetency, lack of teamwork, power greed at political and administrative levels. We are paying an inordinately heavy price for it.