ORF

Non–partisan, independent analyses on security, strategy, economy, development, energy and global governance.

[ORF @orfonline]

#NewRelease

.@orfonline presents The Defence Cable – Issue II, a monthly insight on military affairs and defence technology, analysing the most critical developments in global defence and security.

This edition examines the Indian Navy's latest indigenous warships, India's booming defence startup ecosystem, China's AI race with the US, Germany's AI-powered fighter jet, RIMPAC 2026, and Bangladesh's reported plans to acquire China's J-10CE fighter aircraft.

Authors: @mutuneer & Archishman Ray Goswami

Read here 🔗https://t.co/MZ8OaaTZ5l

#Defence #NationalSecurity #Geopolitics

[ORF @orfonline]

This issue brief by V.P. Naik & Akash Godbole argues that defence today demands expertise in military affairs, technology, geopolitics, acquisition, finance, and strategy. India should consider creating a specialised civil service stream within the Ministry of Defence to build deep domain knowledge and policy continuity. https://t.co/M0UCrf6KL6 #India #Defene #NationalSecurity

[ORF @orfonline]

The real question is no longer whether the Quad matters, but how. Can it evolve from a strategic dialogue into a credible provider of maritime public goods? The future of the Indo-Pacific may depend as much on what the Quad delivers as on what it deters: @sayantan_h https://t.co/8gKbCVUn15 #Quad #IndoPacific #MaritimeSecurity

[ORF @orfonline]

From #Hormuz to #Malacca, maritime chokepoints are reshaping #India's strategic priorities. The renewed momentum behind Sabang Port in #Indonesia, alongside the #GreatNicobar project, could strengthen India's presence near one of the world's busiest sea lanes: Manoj Joshi https://t.co/WWEQxUg72W #IndoPacific #Maritime Security

[ORF @orfonline]

Information sharing for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is not primarily a technology problem—it is a political one. #Satellites, sensors, and AI can generate data, but sovereignty concerns, intelligence sensitivities, and strategic mistrust often determine whether that information is ever shared: @PratnashreeBasu https://t.co/oHfklwkDDQ

[ORF @orfonline]

Only 31 percent of working-age #women in #India are in the labour force, compared to 54 percent across other major economies. But even where women do participate, the deeper problem is that they remain excluded from the institutions that actually govern urban markets: Ramanath Jha https://t.co/7gWhQIa49f #GenderEquality #PublicPolicy

[ORF @orfonline]

Teacher-facing #AI can support lesson planning, assessment and multilingual instruction, but only if it is curriculum-aligned, locally tested, and subject to teacher review: @arpantulsyan https://t.co/YTAaZOFJ96 #PublicEducation #AIforTeachers #DigitalEducation

[ORF @orfonline]

#Pakistan's generals see a hot war with #India as relief from their domestic crisis. They believe #India is isolated, #Trump is on their side, and #OperationSindoor proved they can hold their own. India's move: take this seriously, stay "locked and loaded," don't bank on Pakistani "rationality.": @sushantsareen https://t.co/a8m7usf8sW

[ORF @orfonline]

#AI is changing shipping, but not everything can be automated.

@Reshma_Nilofer discusses the realities of piloting ships, the limits of AI, and why humans remain at the heart of #maritime safety.

Watch now.

https://t.co/hBRJxH2yzb

[ORF @orfonline]

Iran's enrichment programme, missile development, stockpile reductions, and regional proxy networks have all been deferred to future talks. The agreement lowers tensions but does not settle the core dispute: @ProfHarshVPant https://t.co/mv6VxxcTTN #Iran #US #Geopolitics #Diplomacy

[ORF @orfonline]

For Census 2027, the government has promised encryption, multi-factor authentication, ISO 27001-compliant data centres, and regular security audits. Given the volume of data that will be handled across 30 lakh devices, independent security assessments would go a long way towards building public trust: Khush Advani https://t.co/OOD9WGb1y7 #DataSecurity #Census2027

[ORF @orfonline]

#China refines 19 of the 20 strategic minerals the IEA tracks. The #US produces less than a quarter of its own refined rare earth demand. Beijing's latest export controls did not create this vulnerability — they simply pointed to it: Veer Puri https://t.co/gTfSuh4dyF #CriticalMinerals

[ORF @orfonline]

Quality Control Orders (QCOs) are becoming the foundation of trust in online commerce. But as platforms become the enforcement layer, standards policy is no longer just about product safety—it is also about marketplace governance: @BasuChandola https://t.co/cadYcQfoDd #DigitalEconomy #TechPolicy

[ORF @orfonline]

Three fixes before India adds more platforms: standardise datalinks on IRSA, rebuild the ground digital layer, and design Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) for the Integrated Rocket Force before it reaches operational maturity: Abhishek https://t.co/0KLhQzRBeZ #DefenceTech #India #Defence

[ORF @orfonline]

India's nuclear deterrent is maturing faster than its doctrine. A growing submarine fleet, longer-range missiles, and China's expanding arsenal are driving India toward more operational readiness — even as No First Use stays the official line: Manoj Joshi https://t.co/KU6JMe7vzt #India #NuclearWeapons #NationalSecurity

[ORF @orfonline]

Solar power peaks by day while demand rises after sunset, and renewable-rich regions sit far from industrial centres. The real constraint on India's energy transition is no longer generation but integration — and this is where Europe's decades of grid experience can help: @Aparna_R1 https://t.co/gCcK8VItlq #EnergyTransition #EnergySecurity #India #EU

[ORF @orfonline]

The Iran war has strengthened China's clean tech advantage. Surging oil prices and supply disruptions increased the appeal of alternatives to fossil fuels, creating fresh demand for Chinese solar panels and lithium batteries: Mohammed Sinan Siyech https://t.co/VyUIR0A7QL #China #US #IranWar #EnergySecurity

[ORF @orfonline]

Pax Silica reflects a shift from digital sovereignty to "innovation sovereignty." The US argues that technological leadership will come from trusted partners contributing complementary strengths—not every country building the entire AI stack alone: Emanuele Rossi https://t.co/NS5DxPLT1t #AI #TechPolicy #PaxSilica

[ORF @orfonline]

The growing Russia-China-North Korea axis makes European and Indo-Pacific security inseparable. NATO's choices on burden-sharing and defence readiness will shape how the #US balances commitments across both regions: @RachelRizzo https://t.co/Er1EWCMZWY #NATO #Russia #China #IndoPacific

[ORF @orfonline]

From the Human Genome Project, to #OpenAI's founding, to today's Chinese open-source labs—when one actor dominates, the winning answer has always been the same: go open, and collaborate. #Europe should do it again.
✍️: @Ngranati https://t.co/stQ8DGzzlO