Beyond 120 Bahadur: Inside Battle of Rezang La and the 1962 India-China War | S3 | Ep 29
With the release of the Farhan Akhtar-starrer 120 Bahadur, the spotlight returns to the Battle of Rezang La -- one of the bravest last stands in military history. But the 1962 India-China war was much more than just one battle. It was a geopolitical storm involving a "Forward Policy," a distracted America, and a political leadership caught off guard. In this deep-dive episode, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan will peel back the layers of the 1962 conflict. They discuss the tactical realities of Major Shaitan Singh’s Charlie Company, the mystery of the "missing" Indian Air Force, how and why the Indian Army was handed a solid defeat, the strange connection between the Himalayas and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and, of course, whether this indeed was Nehru's 'Himalayan Blunder'. In this episode, Dev and Sandeep discuss: - The Real Rezang La: How 120 men of the 13 Kumaon held off thousands of Chinese troops at 18,000 feet without winter gear. - The McMahon Line: Who drew it, why it was flawed, and why a "thick line on a map" led to war. - The Geopolitics: Did the Panchsheel Agreement lull Nehru into a false sense of security? What was the "Forward Policy"? - The Cuban Connection: How Mao Zedong timed the attack to coincide with the Cuban Missile Crisis to ensure US silence. - Classified History: What is the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Report, and why does the Indian government refuse to declassify it 60 years later? - The Chinese Perspective: Why Beijing calls this a "Self-Defence Counterattack" and why they unilaterally withdrew after winning. Whether or not you plan to watch 120 Bahadur, this is your comprehensive crash course on the war that changed India forever. Tune in! Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mixed by Rohan Bharti
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Red Fort blast and Asim Munir's Death By Thousand Cuts Strategy | S3 | Ep 29
A car explodes near Delhi's Red Fort and the trail runs through Srinagar posters, Faridabad storehouses, and an alleged "white-collar" module featuring multiple doctors. In this episode, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan take their first impressions of the deadly terror attack that has revived scary memories of blasts in India's urban centre. The two examine what we know (and don't) about the Red Fort attack, why the government's initial messaging stayed deliberately measured, and zoom out to Field Marshal Asim Munir's "thousand cuts" doctrine that the Pakistani military boss seems to have adopted. Tune in! Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mixed by Aman Pal
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Unpacking Donald Trump's Nuke Testing Bomb & India's Nuclear Doctrine Dilemma | S3 | Ep 28
Donald Trump says China, Russia and Pakistan are "testing nuclear weapons". And that is why he's told the Pentagon to immediately prepare to test the US's nuclear weapons. In this episode, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack what counts as a nuclear test in 2025, who's actually doing what at their test sites, and what a US return to explosive testing would mean for India, the CTBT, and global stability. The two cover: - Why does Trump want to carry out nuclear testing? Are Russia, China, and Pakistan really carrying out secret nuclear tests? - Cold tests vs hot tests: Why the world doesn't really need 'explosive' nuclear tests anymore? - Why India feels satisfied with its comparatively lower number of nuclear tests vis a vis the rest of the world? - Should India take a re-look at its nuclear doctrine that vows no first use? - What global treaties on nuclear testing really achieved? - And finally, what happens if the US actually carries out a nuclear test? Tune in! Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mixed by Suraj Singh
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Two Seas, Two Stories: India's Navy Between Pakistan and China | S3 | Ep 27
India's Navy faces two very different fronts at sea. To the west, it has history and geography on its side against Pakistan -- think Karachi aflame in 1971 and quiet coercion in Kargil. To the east, a bigger, busier chessboard: the Chinese PLAN surging into the Indian Ocean and sniffing around the Bay of Bengal. On this episode, national security expert Sandeep Unnithan joins host Dev Goswami to separate swagger from substance: Pakistan's problem of not enough 'sea room', what the Indian Navy did in 1971 and Kargil, how INS Vikrant shaped the '71 East theatre, and whether modern India should "pop up" in the South China Sea or lock down the Andamans. On this episode: - Pakistan's coastline and its geographical vulnerability - 1971 War: Op Trident & Op Python; Karachi burning, costs and consequences - Kargil: the Navy's "quiet pressure" playbook - Op Sindoor: what a modern surge looks like and deterrence without tripping red lines - China, the Indian Ocean Region, and the Indian Navy area of influence - Can India routinely show up east of Malacca or is gatekeeping the chokepoints the smarter flex? Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mix by Rohan Bharti
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Ally to Adversary: Why Taliban is Fighting Pakistan | S3 | Ep 27
Once Islamabad's (or Rawalpindi's) protégés, the Taliban are now exchanging gunfire with Pakistan. The recent clashes mark the deadliest fighting between the two since Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021. What changed? In this episode, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack the clash along the Durand Line -- a fight tangled in Pashtun identity, militant kinships, and Pakistan's own Frankenstein problem. The two trace the origin the Taliban, explain how it is wrongly believed to be synonymous with the Al Qaeda, and explore how its Pashtun roots put it at odds with Pakistan's military elite. Also a topic of discussion is the TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) and how it seems to be punching above its weight. And finally, the episode looks at India's cautious recent outreach to Kabul and how it fits into this very messy map. Tune in! Produced by Taniya Dutta Sound mixed by
In Our Defence is a weekly podcast that breaks down wars, weapons, and the world of military power with clarity, curiosity, and zero jargon. Hosted by journalist Dev Goswami, each episode features sharp, story-rich conversations with leading defence experts, offering distinct perspectives and nuances on how nations prepare, fight, and defend. From battlefield strategy and military tech to geopolitics, intelligence, and national security -- In Our Defence focuses on conversations that are grounded, engaging, and made for curious minds. No fluff. No noise. Just a clear line of sight into the world of conflict.
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