THE CALCUTTA JOURNAL OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS

VOLUME 10, NUMBER 3 (SEPTEMBER 2026) | © 2026

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief

• Maj. Gen. Shib Nath Mukherjee (Retd.)
  
  
  Member, Academic Council, NSU, Imphal, Manipur; Visiting Professor, KPC Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata; Former Vice Chancellor, LNIPE, Gwalior; Former Member, Executive Council, BHU; Former President, Indian Geotechnical Society.
  
  
  Email: ceners.kolkata@gmail.com

Member — Academic Aspect

• Dr. Projit Kumar Palit
  
  
  Professor and Director of the Centre for Indological Studies, Department of History, Assam University (a Central University), Silchar, Assam. Recipient of the ‘Sanskriti Sanrakshak’ Award (2022 and 2023) from Shri Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain (T.S.) Mahasabha, New Delhi. Recipient of the Satyaamritam Award, Indian Society for Buddhist Studies, Jammu. Chairman of the Students’ Grievance Cell, Assam University; Member of the Society of MAKAIAS, Kolkata; Member of the Court, Academic Council, Board of Research Studies, and Board of Social Science School, Assam University. Member of the review committee of the Journal of Contemporary Voice of Dalit, SAGE Publications, Jadavpur University.
  
  
  Email: projitkumarpalit@gmail.com
• Dr. Ritu Agarwal
  
  
  Associate Professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, JNU.
  
  
  Email: ritu10agarwal@gmail.com
• Dr. Suvasish Chakraborty
  
  
  Assistant Professor, Political Science, Adamas University, Barasat, Kolkata.
  
  
  Email: suvasish1.chakraborty@adamasuniversity.ac.in

Member — Research Aspect

• Sri Harsh V. Poddar
  
  
  BSE, Duke University; MBA, Yale University; Executive Director, Aris Capital, and PFH Oil.
  
  
  Email: hvp@pfhcapital.com

Member — Defence and Security Aspect

• Lt. Gen. John Ranjan Mukherjee (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, VSM
  
  
  Former General Officer Commanding, Kashmir (15 Corps), and Chief of Staff, Eastern Command.
  
  
  Email: johnmukherjee@hotmail.com
• Brig. Niladri Shankar Mukherjee (Retd.), SM, VSM
  
  
  Former Sub Area Commander, Calcutta Sub Area.
  
  
  Email: neeludbomlai@yahoo.com
• Col. (Dr.) Shantanu Roy
  
  
  M.Tech, MBA, Ph.D. (Defence & Strategic Studies).
  
  
  Email: majorroy@gmail.com

Member — Final Editing and Publishing Aspect

• Brig. Pradip Kumar Vij (Retd.)
  
  
  Email: pradip@vijpublishing.com

GOVERNING COUNCIL OF CENERS-K

• PATRON: General Shankar Roychowdhury (Retd.), PVSM
• PRESIDENT: Maj. Gen. Arun Roye (Retd.), AVSM, VSM
• VICE PRESIDENT: Mr. Jayanto N. Choudhuri, IPS (Retd.)
• EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Brig. Niladri Shankar Mukherjee (Retd.), SM, VSM
• SECRETARY: Col. T. S. Sarkar (Retd.)
• TREASURER: Col. Shivaji Samaddar (Retd.)
• MEMBERS EMERITUS:
  
  
  • Lt. Gen. John Ranjan Mukherjee (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, VSM
  • Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, VM
• MEMBER GOVERNING COUNCIL & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (CJGA):
  
  
  • Maj. Gen. Shib Nath Mukherjee (Retd.)

IN THIS ISSUE: FROM THE DESK OF THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

1. Iran–America Conflict

• On 18 August 2026, Iran stated that the United States had violated a ceasefire by striking targets near the contested Strait of Hormuz, potentially complicating efforts to bring the war to a close. US strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province represented a “gross violation” of a tenuous ceasefire in place for nearly seven weeks. The US stated its attacks were defensive in nature, targeting missile sites and boats attempting to lay mines.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said it could take “a few days” to negotiate a deal to halt the conflict, after both sides had previously indicated progress on an initial agreement that would end hostilities and restart shipping through the Strait. That initial agreement would give negotiators 60 days to tackle more complex issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
• Iranian media reported that the country’s negotiators had been pushing for the memorandum to include the release of billions of dollars of frozen assets. Following the US strikes, Rubio told reporters on his plane in India that the Strait of Hormuz had to be open “one way or the other.”
• The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has caused an unprecedented oil supply shock, pushing up the costs of fuel, fertiliser, and food.
• Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of global trade in oil and liquefied natural gas, has been a fraction of its usual level since the war began. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that 25 oil tankers and other vessels had passed through the strait with its permission over the past 24 hours.
• Global benchmark Brent crude futures rose by about 3.5 percent on 18 August 2026 to around US$100 a barrel.

2. Eastern Europe

• Geopolitics and Security:
  
  
  • The Ukraine Conflict: The war involving Russia, Ukraine, and neighbouring frontline states dominates regional security.
  • NATO and EU Border Fortification: The European Union and NATO are heavily reinforcing their eastern flanks, turning borders into critical security frontlines.
  • Non-EU States: Nations like Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova remain at the centre of complex geopolitical friction between Russia and the West.
• Economy and Growth:
  
  
  • Resilient Growth: The region continues to outpace parts of Western Europe, with projected economic growth near 2.6%, driven by defence spending, industrial shifts, and future reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
  • Integration: EU integration deepens as manufacturing, green tech, and IT services expand eastward into nations like Poland, Czechia, and Romania.
  • Demographic Pressures: Rapid depopulation, low fertility rates, and lagging R&D or AI adoption pose mid-to-long-term risks for sustainable economic booms.

3. Nearer Home in India

A. The 2026 NEET Examination Crisis

• Political and Legal Actions:
  
  
  • Minister Resigns: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, 2026, due to public anger over the scandal.
  • New Penalties: Parliament passed the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026. This law punishes organised exam cheating with up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines.
  • CBI Investigation: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against 13 people, including internal subject experts who leaked questions using handwritten notes.
• Impact on Students:
  
  
  • Re-Examination: Over 2.2 million students had to retake the test in June 2026 after the original May 3 exam was cancelled.
  • Mental Health Crisis: The sudden chaos, delay, and extreme pressure tragically pushed more than a dozen student aspirants to take their own lives.
  • Public Protests: Students, teachers, and doctors held large street protests in at least 10 states and staged rallies in major cities demanding a complete overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA).

B. Mizoram

• Current Key Issues and Protests:
  
  
  • FCRA Amendment Bill Opposition: The Mizoram Council of Churches led protests in August 2026 demanding a complete rollback of proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act. Protesters and church leaders fear the bill contains arbitrary provisions affecting minority and Christian organisational funding, despite federal assurances.
  • Student and Youth Demonstrations: Influential student groups like the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) organised demonstrations in August 2026 over delayed scholarship disbursements for thousands of students, alongside earlier peaceful marches demanding Mizoram Public Service Commission (MPSC) and educational reforms.
  • Security Status: Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced that the state became completely militant-free following the formal surrender of the last remaining faction of the Hmar People’s Convention (Democratic) in April 2026.

C. Manipur

• Current Unrest (August 2026):
  
  
  • Census and NRC Protests: Schools and colleges remain shut because groups are protesting the upcoming census. People demand that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) happen first to check for illegal migration.
  • Internet and Curfews: Authorities use curfews and internet suspensions to control violent protests and stop fake news.
  • Public Disruptions: Protests, stone-pelting, and rallies have disrupted markets and public transport in several districts.
• Background and Ethnic Tensions:
  
  
  • Meitei and Kuki Conflict: The main ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities started in May 2023. Buffer zones separate the valley and hill regions to prevent more violence.
  • New Fissures: Fresh tensions and clashes have also broken out between Naga and Kuki groups in the hill areas.
  • Highway Blockades: Frequent blockades on major roads have hurt trade, delayed development, and worsened daily hardships.
• Government Response:
  
  
  • President’s Rule: The federal government keeps direct control over the state due to the deep crisis.
  • Security Measures: Security forces use tear gas and baton charges to disperse angry crowds during protests.

About the Journal & Submission Guidelines

1. Research Articles: Between 5,000 and 10,000 words, exclusive of footnotes. The footnotes should conform to The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition.
2. Comment & Analysis Articles: 1,500 to 2,000 words.
3. Book Reviews: 1,000 to 2,000 words. Footnotes are not essential.

• Geographical Areas: India’s Northeast, India’s role in world affairs, Southeast Asia, East Asia (Japan, the Koreas, and Taiwan), China, the Indo-Pacific region, and American (and other countries’) foreign policies towards the above-named countries and regions.
• Themes & Topics: Diplomacy, conduct of foreign policy, international relations, soft power (use of film and the arts as tools of diplomacy), diplomatic history, war and peace, defence issues, geo-strategy, peace studies, informal diplomacy and Track 2 diplomacy; revolution and counterrevolution; terrorism and counterterrorism; colonialism and decolonisation; hegemony and resistance; and issues of Identity and Belonging faced by diasporic communities. Authors may use theories of history, international relations, postcolonialism, gender, and other theoretical approaches.
• Historical & Contemporary Scope: Contemporary world affairs, and major events and policies of the 20th Century that are still shaping the world today and are being revisited in the light of new historical material that is declassified and becomes available from time to time.
• Editorial Standards: Articles should have an original point and should offer new evidence or a new interpretation. They should be written in excellent English and backed by relevant footnotes. Articles are reviewed by our Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board, as well as by external reviewers. Please consult our Guidelines for Authors for details on our house style for grammar and citations at the end of this issue.
• Visual Material: Along with your article, please submit photographs and other visual material, along with permission from copyright holders to enable the Journal to use them.
• How to Submit: Please send a copy of the article in MS Word as an email attachment to Maj. Gen. S. N. Mukherjee (Veteran), Editor-in-Chief, The Calcutta Journal of Global Affairs at snmukherjee@ceners-k.com.

Overview of Articles in This Issue

Disclaimer: Views expressed in the research articles are those of the authors; CENERS-K / CJGA is not answerable to such queries.

1. “From Walls to Bridges: Towards a New Border Thinking (Lines, Peoples and Movements in the Indo-Myanmar Borderland)”

• Author: Dr. Pfokrelo Kapesa
  
  
  Explains how borders continue to be the primary institution around which state power and sovereignty are organised. Northeast India, located at the crossroads of South, Southeast, and East Asia, with over 98 percent of its territory as international borderland, continues to be objectified as a frontier region. As a result, a narrow conceptualisation of the border as walls to protect the core persists, reducing the borderland to a buffer zone. Both the colonial and post-colonial state pursue a security-centric approach, with highly militarised systems in place. The ongoing fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border is a case in point. While critiquing the top-down, security-centric concept of the border, the paper calls for a new border thinking. The paper argues that the existing border policy and structures put in place by the colonial state and continued by the (post)colonial state, while marginalising the borderland communities, also limit the national and security interests of India.

2. “Evolving Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific: A Realist and Sea Power Analysis of India’s Maritime Security Strategy”

• Authors: Dr. Dipmala Roka, Debajit Boruah & Japungsar Basumatary
  
  
  Brings out how the Indo-Pacific region has become a critical theatre in contemporary geopolitics, marked by competing strategic interests, expanding naval presence, and intensifying power rivalries. As the region hosts critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), growing military infrastructure, extensive trade routes, and abundant natural resources, its evolving geopolitical landscape has added significant complexity to the existing regional security framework. The study provides a theoretically grounded analysis of the evolving power structure in the Indo-Pacific, emphasising shifting strategic partnerships and emerging patterns of maritime competition and cooperation among the major players. Drawing on Realist theory and Mahanian Sea Power theory, the study examines how naval expansion, maritime domain control, and sea-lane security priorities shape state behaviour and regional strategic outcomes. It argues that India’s maritime strategic posture can be understood as a balancing response within a rapidly intensifying security environment defined by India–China rivalry and broader major-power competition. By integrating classical strategic thought with contemporary geopolitical developments, the study demonstrates the continued explanatory relevance of realist and sea power frameworks in interpreting present Indo-Pacific security dynamics and the evolving regional security architecture.

3. “The Sadiya Serpent Pillar as a Marker of Sacred Borderland Authority in Pre-Colonial Assam: India’s Gateway to Connect with Southeast Asia”

• Author: Reena Bhatiya
  
  
  Covers the theme of Heritage, Culture of Memory, Nostalgia, and Social Dimensions with the example of the Sadiya Serpent Pillar, exploring its historical significance and present relevance. As the Sadiya Serpent Pillar shows, Northeast India has historically been a thriving crossroads of civilisations, linking the Indian subcontinent with Tibet, Southwest China, and Southeast Asia. Through the Act East Policy, regional connectivity, and civilisational diplomacy, this historical connectivity offers crucial insights for comprehending India’s current role in Asia. The past of the North-East region not only informs the present but also shapes the future of this region’s political, economic, and social dynamics. Therefore, it is important to analyse the complex relationships among memory, heritage, and belonging through this symbolic pillar, which stands at the cross-juncture of the region’s past, present, and future.

4. “India’s AI Journey in Defence Sector: From Experimentation to Deployment”

• Author: Dr. Binodkumar Singh
  
  
  Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a relatively recent discipline that emerged alongside the development of digital computers and is the result of centuries of efforts to build sophisticated machinery, coupled with advances in philosophy, mathematics, and logic within the scientific community. AI is transforming the military domain by improving intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, enabling autonomous systems such as drones, enhancing logistics and maintenance, and supporting command and control through real-time analytics. As a new entrant, India is accelerating AI adoption in its defence sector to improve operational efficiency, surveillance, and decision-making, aiming for self-reliance in future warfare. This article examines how AI is changing military operations to boost efficiency, support decision-making, and improve personnel safety and effectiveness. Its primary contribution is the analysis of India’s AI trajectory in the defence sector, highlighting major defence AI projects. The paper also offers a comparative overview of the global AI ecosystem to locate India’s standing. It discusses operational, ethical, and legal impediments to military AI adoption, proposing frameworks and measures to address them. Finally, it outlines strategic directions to strengthen AI in India’s defence sector and highlights future trends.

5. “Geopolitics of the Eastern Himalayas: India–Bhutan Security Concerns and Their Collective Responses”

• Authors: Dr. Saurabh Sharma & Geetasri Boruah
  
  
  Bhutan is uniquely situated between two major rising powers in Asia with opposite political ideologies in the 21st century, placing it in a critical position. Historically, Bhutan balanced its relations between India and Tibet, but in recent times it has been closer to India for the last five to six decades. The geopolitical shift in the Himalayan region influences India–Bhutan relations. China’s rising assertiveness, cross-border territorial disputes, and expanding regional ambitions have introduced new complexities to security concerns in the region. India and Bhutan, bound by deep historical, strategic, and cultural ties, have adapted their security collaboration to meet emerging challenges ranging from border tensions to infrastructure competition. The paper examines how traditional and non-traditional security threats are transforming in the Himalayan region and affecting India–Bhutan relations, as well as the strategic measures that must be taken collectively to counter these emerging threats.

6. “India at the Indo-Pacific Fulcrum in the Age of Multipolarity: Strategic Imperatives”

• Author: Dr. Atreyee Mitra
  
  
  Brings out how, in a rapidly shifting world order, the Indo-Pacific has emerged as the epicentre of geopolitical recalibration. As the post-Cold War unipolar moment fades, the 21st century has witnessed a resurgence of multipolarity—a system where multiple state actors assert influence in regional and global affairs. Within this context, India’s foreign policy is undergoing significant transformations to align itself with the challenges and opportunities of the Indo-Pacific. This article explores how India is navigating this multipolar era and what strategic imperatives it must pursue to preserve its national interest and regional stability.

7. Special Report: China–South and Southeast Asia Think Tank Forum, Kunming

• Author: Dr. Ritu Agarwal
  
  
  Dr. Ritu Agarwal’s report on the China–South and Southeast Asia Think Tank Forum, held in Kunming on July 3–5 with an agenda of ‘Building a closer community with a shared future’, highlights that it was the 11th consecutive year the forum was held in Kunming, thereby bringing Kunming back into focus in bridging connections between China and the Global South. Kunming has been designated as a political, economic, and cultural centre and the transportation hub of the provincial economy. It is also one of the important cities preserving historical sites and cultural relics, making it an important tourist destination.

8. Special Report: The Annual Calcutta Dialogue 2026

• Author: Dr. Atreyee Mitra
  
  
  The Research Centre for Eastern and North Eastern Regional Studies, Kolkata (CENERS-K), conducts regular Round Table Discussions (RTDs), seminars, webinars, and conferences on issues of regional, national, and international interest. To acquaint our readers, this issue includes Dr. Atreyee Mitra’s detailed report on our flagship event, ‘The Annual Calcutta Dialogue 2026’, jointly organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in its centenary year and CENERS-K, held on June 06, 2026, at Hotel Taj Bengal in Kolkata on the theme “Prevailing Global Situation & Impacts on India”. The seminar brought together eminent thought leaders from government, industry, defence, and academia to deliberate on the implications of global developments for India’s strategic, economic, and technological future.

9. Book Review: The Fractured Himalaya: India Tibet China 1949–62 by Nirupama Rao

• Reviewer: Brigadier Niladri Shankar Mukherjee, SM, VSM (Retd.)
  
  
  He served as Colonel, General Staff (Operations), Headquarters Eastern Command, and was custodian of all military documents related to the 1962 Operations bearing classification SECRET and above, and is very conversant with the India–China border issue. He is eminently qualified to review the book.

I sign off wishing all readers SEASON’S GREETINGS, HAPPY DUSSEHRA, COLOURFUL DIWALI, MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2027.

— MAJ. GEN. S. N. MUKHERJEE (RETD.), EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CJGA

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

• Dr. Pfokrelo Kapesa is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Allahabad. She earned her Ph.D. in Diplomacy and Disarmament from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her research interests include Indigenous knowledge, epistemic justice, decoloniality, and borderland perspectives. Dr. Kapesa was a Young Connectors of the Future Fellow (2015) instituted by the Swedish Institute, Government of Sweden. She was also a recipient of the Cariplo Foundation Scholarship through the Network for the Advancement of Social and Political Studies (NASPS), Italy, in 2018. Dr. Kapesa received the Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education fellowship for Transdisciplinarity for Early Career Researchers in Asia (TERRA), 2024. She has been invited to various international and domestic academic events.
• Dr. Dipmala Roka is an Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at Sikkim University, Gangtok. She completed her M.A. in International Relations from Jadavpur University and earned her Ph.D. from the University of North Bengal. Her areas of interest include International Relations Theory, Security and Strategic Studies, India’s Nuclear Policy, Border Studies, and India’s Foreign Policy.
• Mr. Debajit Boruah is a Ph.D. scholar in the Department of International Relations at Sikkim University, Gangtok. He completed his M.A. and M.Phil. in Political Science from Sikkim University and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in International Relations at the same university. His research interests include Security Studies, Geopolitics, International Relations, Maritime Security, and Indo-Pacific Studies.
• Mr. Japungsar Basumatary is a Ph.D. scholar in the Department of International Relations at Sikkim University, Gangtok. He completed his M.A. in International Relations from Sikkim University and his M.Phil. in Security Studies from the Centre for Security Studies, Central University of Gujarat. His research interests include Gender Studies, Hydro-diplomacy, and Security and Conflict Resolution.
• Reena Bhatiya is a Ph.D. Research Scholar at the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, where she also completed her M.Phil. She completed her Master’s in Political Science at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, JNU. Her research interests are broadly Non-Western Theoretical Frameworks, Borderland Studies in International Relations, the study of remote border areas, and the role of these areas as bridges of connectivity for regional trade and commerce. Her current research focuses on the geopolitical and strategic role of Northeast India in bolstering India’s ties to its neighbouring countries and the larger Southeast Asian region, focusing on infrastructure, borderlands, regional connectivity, and new geo-economic ties.
• Dr. Binodkumar Singh is presently Guest Faculty at the Department of National Security Studies, Manipur University, Manipur. After completing his Ph.D. in 2012 from the Department of Defence and National Security Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh, he joined the Institute for Conflict Management (ICM), New Delhi, and worked as a Research Associate till April 2022. In the past 14 years, he has published nine articles in refereed journals and nine chapters in edited books.
• Dr. Saurabh Sharma is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department (HOD) at the Department of International Politics, Central University of Gujarat. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations and specialises in international security, conflict and peace studies, post-conflict governance, terrorism, small arms proliferation, and transnational organised crime, with a particular focus on South and Central Asia. His research engages with both theoretical and policy-oriented dimensions of security studies, addressing emerging non-traditional threats and governance challenges in conflict-affected regions. Dr. Sharma has published extensively in reputed academic journals and edited volumes and has contributed to policy discussions on regional security and peacebuilding. He is actively involved in teaching, research supervision, and mentoring students in international politics and security studies.
• Geetasri Boruah is a Ph.D. Research Scholar in the Department of International Politics, Central University of Gujarat, working on India’s security issues with a special focus on South Asia. Her research explores geopolitics, border disputes, and strategic challenges that shape India’s national security and foreign policy. She has presented research papers at both international and national conferences, and her work has been published in book chapters and peer-reviewed journals. She worked as a Research Assistant at Jawaharlal Nehru University after completing her Master’s from JNU, and served as an Assistant Professor at Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai, for one year.
• Dr. Atreyee Mitra completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Political Science and International Relations at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, specialising in Southeast Asia. She completed her M.Phil. at the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta, and holds a Doctorate in Political Science with specialisation in International Relations. As a researcher and academician, she has contributed articles on strategy, focusing on geopolitical studies, international relations, and maritime security issues. She has participated in and presented papers at national and international seminars and has publications in journals and edited books. Currently, she is Director, Internship Program, and Life Member of CENERS-K. She is also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute for Contemporary Chinese Studies (ICCS), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala.
• Dr. Ritu Agarwal is an Associate Professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She holds a Ph.D. in Chinese Studies from the University of Delhi. Her research interests include rural political economy, urbanisation, property rights, gender studies, and provincial politics. Dr. Agarwal studied Mandarin Chinese at Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing. She has been a Visiting Scholar at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, Kunming, and a Visiting Fellow at Yunnan University and Yunnan Minzu University. Her latest edited book is titled ‘The Border Province Reimagined: Yunnan’s Economic and Cultural Ties to Asia’ (2026).
• Brig. N. S. Mukherjee, SM, VSM (Retd.) is presently a Governing Council Member and the Executive Director of the Research Centre for Eastern and North Eastern Regional Studies, Kolkata (CENERS-K). He is also a member of the Editorial Board of The Calcutta Journal of Global Affairs, an E-Journal of CENERS-K. A 1969-batch Officer, he superannuated from the Indian Army in 2003 after 35 years of distinguished service. A highly decorated soldier, he was awarded the Sena Medal as Commanding Officer of his Battalion while carrying out operations in J&K during the peak militancy period of 1991–94. He was again decorated with the Vishisht Seva Medal as Colonel, General Staff, of Headquarters Eastern Command for providing exceptional staff support to special forces carrying out anti-insurgency operations in the North Eastern States during the period 1994–97. He is also the recipient of the Chief of the Army Staff Commendation for his devotion to duty as Assistant Military Secretary whilst on staff assignment in Army Headquarters. An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Army War College, Mhow, he held high-profile Staff, Instructional, and Command assignments during his active service. After retiring from the Army, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Department of Sports, Government of West Bengal, from December 2003 to December 2006. He was also Chief Administrator of the OmDayal Group of Institutions for nine years, from 2007 to 2016. Brig. Mukherjee frequently contributes articles and analytical content to professional journals.

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 3 (SEPTEMBER 2026) — CONTENTS