India is developing the ability to understand, monitor and operate in a world most countries can barely see: the deep seabed. From a gas discovery off Konark to a titanium submersible built for the abyss, we are preparing for the abyss.

Race too fast & you risk weak science, imported technology and inadequate safety. Wait too long & others build the hardware, gather the data and write the rules. India therefore has to play two clocks at once. Move faster at home and carefully in the global commons.

In July 2026, the historic Pangsau Pass border haat reopened. Merchants crossing this 9,000-ft pass tread on the ghost of an engineering marvel that once connected India, Myanmar, and China: The Stilwell Road. Why does this WWII lifeline remain closed and what it can do to trination trade? A deep dive.

So why isn't it open? The crucial western stretch in Myanmar runs through conflict-ridden Kachin State, where the road has deteriorated to a narrow mud road through dense jungles. Despite a contract awarded to a big Chinese company, work remains stalled due to unrest.