In this episode of The Focus, host John Bruni is joined by Professor Harsh V. Pant — one of India’s foremost strategic thinkers — to dissect the geopolitical shifts shaping South Asia and beyond. From China’s expanding influence to Pakistan’s persistent provocations and the Modi government’s evolving doctrine, we explore whether India’s foreign policy is keeping pace with the region’s growing instability. What does a rising India mean for the world — and how will it respond when the next crisis comes knocking?

Harsh V. Pant Links:


X; @orfonline LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsh-v-pant-9218437/

Show Notes:
Most recent Articles - 

Operation Sindoor and Beyond: India’s Response and Pakistani Calculus
Co-authored with Yogesh Joshi
This analysis examines India's strategic response to Operation Sindoor and its implications for Pakistan's military calculus. 

Current Trends in India’s National Security 2025
Co-authored with Sameer Patil
This special report assesses the evolving security landscape of India, highlighting challenges such as the China-Pakistan nexus, internal insurgencies, and advancements in cyber and space domains. 

A Record Boom
Co-authored with Suchet Vir Singh
This article discusses the significant growth in India's defense sector, analyzing factors contributing to the boom and its implications for national security. 

Biden-Xi Meeting and the US-China Calculus
This piece explores the dynamics of the Biden-Xi summit and its impact on US-China relations, with a focus on strategic implications for India. 

India-China Power Play Gets New Life in Maldives
Co-authored with Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy
This article analyzes the renewed strategic competition between India and China in the Maldives, examining the geopolitical stakes involved. Books - 

India and Japan: A Natural Partnership in the Indo-Pacific (2024)
Co-authored with Madhuchanda Ghosh
This book explores the evolving strategic partnership between India and Japan within the Indo-Pacific framework.

Politics and Geopolitics: Decoding India’s Neighbourhood Challenge (2024)
An analysis of India's regional challenges and its geopolitical strategies to navigate complex neighborhood dynamics.

The Making of a Global Bharat (2024)
Co-authored with Sameer Patil
This work examines India's transformation into a global player and the domestic and international factors influencing this shift.

India and Global Governance: A Rising Power and Its Discontents (2023)
A critical look at India's role in global governance structures and the challenges it faces as an emerging power.

India Shows the Way: A Decade of Modi’s Foreign Policy (2023)
An edited volume assessing the impact and direction of India's foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi over ten years.

<blockquote>In&nbsp;this&nbsp;episode&nbsp;of&nbsp;The&nbsp;Focus,&nbsp;host&nbsp;John&nbsp;Bruni&nbsp;is&nbsp;joined&nbsp;by&nbsp;Professor&nbsp;Harsh&nbsp;V.&nbsp;Pant &mdash;&nbsp;one&nbsp;of&nbsp;India&rsquo;s&nbsp;foremost&nbsp;strategic&nbsp;thinkers &mdash;&nbsp;to&nbsp;dissect&nbsp;the&nbsp;geopolitical&nbsp;shifts&nbsp;shaping&nbsp;South&nbsp;Asia&nbsp;and&nbsp;beyond.&nbsp;From&nbsp;China&rsquo;s&nbsp;expanding&nbsp;influence&nbsp;to&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s&nbsp;persistent&nbsp;provocations&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;government&rsquo;s&nbsp;evolving&nbsp;doctrine,&nbsp;we&nbsp;explore&nbsp;whether&nbsp;India&rsquo;s&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;policy&nbsp;is&nbsp;keeping&nbsp;pace&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;region&rsquo;s&nbsp;growing&nbsp;instability.&nbsp;What&nbsp;does&nbsp;a&nbsp;rising&nbsp;India&nbsp;mean&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;world &mdash;&nbsp;and&nbsp;how&nbsp;will&nbsp;it&nbsp;respond&nbsp;when&nbsp;the&nbsp;next&nbsp;crisis&nbsp;comes&nbsp;knocking? Harsh V. Pant Links: <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.orfonline.org/people-expert/harsh-v-pant"></a> <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/harsh-pant"></a> X; @orfonline&nbsp;LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsh-v-pant-9218437/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/harsh-v-pant-9218437/</a> Show Notes: Most recent Articles -&nbsp;
Operation&nbsp;Sindoor&nbsp;and&nbsp;Beyond:&nbsp;India&rsquo;s&nbsp;Response&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pakistani&nbsp;Calculus Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Yogesh&nbsp;Joshi This&nbsp;analysis&nbsp;examines&nbsp;India's&nbsp;strategic&nbsp;response&nbsp;to&nbsp;Operation&nbsp;Sindoor&nbsp;and&nbsp;its&nbsp;implications&nbsp;for&nbsp;Pakistan's&nbsp;military&nbsp;calculus.&nbsp;
Current&nbsp;Trends&nbsp;in&nbsp;India&rsquo;s&nbsp;National&nbsp;Security&nbsp;2025 Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Sameer&nbsp;Patil This&nbsp;special&nbsp;report&nbsp;assesses&nbsp;the&nbsp;evolving&nbsp;security&nbsp;landscape&nbsp;of&nbsp;India,&nbsp;highlighting&nbsp;challenges&nbsp;such&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;China-Pakistan&nbsp;nexus,&nbsp;internal&nbsp;insurgencies,&nbsp;and&nbsp;advancements&nbsp;in&nbsp;cyber&nbsp;and&nbsp;space&nbsp;domains.&nbsp;
A&nbsp;Record&nbsp;Boom Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Suchet&nbsp;Vir&nbsp;Singh This&nbsp;article&nbsp;discusses&nbsp;the&nbsp;significant&nbsp;growth&nbsp;in&nbsp;India's&nbsp;defense&nbsp;sector,&nbsp;analyzing&nbsp;factors&nbsp;contributing&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;boom&nbsp;and&nbsp;its&nbsp;implications&nbsp;for&nbsp;national&nbsp;security.&nbsp;
Biden-Xi&nbsp;Meeting&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;US-China&nbsp;Calculus This&nbsp;piece&nbsp;explores&nbsp;the&nbsp;dynamics&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Biden-Xi&nbsp;summit&nbsp;and&nbsp;its&nbsp;impact&nbsp;on&nbsp;US-China&nbsp;relations,&nbsp;with&nbsp;a&nbsp;focus&nbsp;on&nbsp;strategic&nbsp;implications&nbsp;for&nbsp;India.&nbsp;
India-China&nbsp;Power&nbsp;Play&nbsp;Gets&nbsp;New&nbsp;Life&nbsp;in&nbsp;Maldives Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Aditya&nbsp;Gowdara&nbsp;Shivamurthy This&nbsp;article&nbsp;analyzes&nbsp;the&nbsp;renewed&nbsp;strategic&nbsp;competition&nbsp;between&nbsp;India&nbsp;and&nbsp;China&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;Maldives,&nbsp;examining&nbsp;the&nbsp;geopolitical&nbsp;stakes&nbsp;involved.&nbsp;
Books -&nbsp;
India&nbsp;and&nbsp;Japan:&nbsp;A&nbsp;Natural&nbsp;Partnership&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;Indo-Pacific&nbsp;(2024) Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Madhuchanda&nbsp;Ghosh This&nbsp;book&nbsp;explores&nbsp;the&nbsp;evolving&nbsp;strategic&nbsp;partnership&nbsp;between&nbsp;India&nbsp;and&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;within&nbsp;the&nbsp;Indo-Pacific&nbsp;framework.
Politics&nbsp;and&nbsp;Geopolitics:&nbsp;Decoding&nbsp;India&rsquo;s&nbsp;Neighbourhood&nbsp;Challenge&nbsp;(2024) An&nbsp;analysis&nbsp;of&nbsp;India's&nbsp;regional&nbsp;challenges&nbsp;and&nbsp;its&nbsp;geopolitical&nbsp;strategies&nbsp;to&nbsp;navigate&nbsp;complex&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;dynamics.
The&nbsp;Making&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;Global&nbsp;Bharat&nbsp;(2024) Co-authored&nbsp;with&nbsp;Sameer&nbsp;Patil This&nbsp;work&nbsp;examines&nbsp;India's&nbsp;transformation&nbsp;into&nbsp;a&nbsp;global&nbsp;player&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;domestic&nbsp;and&nbsp;international&nbsp;factors&nbsp;influencing&nbsp;this&nbsp;shift.
India&nbsp;and&nbsp;Global&nbsp;Governance:&nbsp;A&nbsp;Rising&nbsp;Power&nbsp;and&nbsp;Its&nbsp;Discontents&nbsp;(2023) A&nbsp;critical&nbsp;look&nbsp;at&nbsp;India's&nbsp;role&nbsp;in&nbsp;global&nbsp;governance&nbsp;structures&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;challenges&nbsp;it&nbsp;faces&nbsp;as&nbsp;an&nbsp;emerging&nbsp;power.
India&nbsp;Shows&nbsp;the&nbsp;Way:&nbsp;A&nbsp;Decade&nbsp;of&nbsp;Modi&rsquo;s&nbsp;Foreign&nbsp;Policy&nbsp;(2023) An&nbsp;edited&nbsp;volume&nbsp;assessing&nbsp;the&nbsp;impact&nbsp;and&nbsp;direction&nbsp;of&nbsp;India's&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;policy&nbsp;under&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Narendra&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;over&nbsp;ten&nbsp;years.
</blockquote>

The Focus is the flagship current affairs podcast of SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical  think tank.

Hosted by Dr. John Bruni—a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media—The Focus brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.

Produced by Neil Smart, The Focus cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.

The Focus&nbsp;is the flagship current affairs podcast of&nbsp;SAGE International, an independent, Adelaide-based geopolitical &nbsp;think tank.
Hosted by&nbsp;Dr. John Bruni&mdash;a veteran geopolitical commentator with over 24 years in the Australian media&mdash;The Focus&nbsp;brings a critical edge to global affairs. John's expertise is built on decades of experience, including time with the&nbsp;Royal United Services Institute of Australia, work as a university lecturer, senatorial foreign affairs adviser, analyst for&nbsp;Jane&rsquo;s Intelligence Review, and Gulf-based military analyst.
Produced by&nbsp;Neil Smart,&nbsp;The Focus&nbsp;cuts through the noise of biased media to deliver sharp, informed insights into the major issues shaping Australia and the world. In an age of global disruption and complexity, knowing which questions to ask is more vital than ever.