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In Our Defence

by India Today Podcasts · English · News

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 nuan

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 57 min
Latest: 26 Jun 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

26 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

India's Warship Boom Is Hiding a Bigger Problem |S3| Ep 55

India appears to be in the middle of a naval shipbuilding boom. Destroyers, frigates, submarines, anti-submarine vessels and support ships are entering service with striking regularity. But commissioning ceremonies tell us what India decided to build years ago. They do not necessarily tell us what is being ordered for the 2030s and 2040s. In this season finale episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan examine how the Indian Navy became unusually capable of designing, integrating and supervising the construction of its own warships. The two…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

19 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
Galwan Revisited: The Night India's China Problem Became Real | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 54
Six years after the Galwan Valley clash, we revisit the night that fundamentally changed India's relationship with China. What exactly happened on June 15, 2020? How did the Indian Army respond after losing soldiers, including a commanding officer? Why didn't the crisis spiral into a shooting war? And with the benefit of hindsight, what can we now infer about China's objectives and Xi Jinping's motivations? In this episode, we explore: * The events of the Galwan clash * The command and emotional shock inside the Indian Army * Whether Galwan permanently shifted India's military focus toward…
5 Jun 2026 · 54 min
AMCA's Real Challenge Isn't Stealth. It's Management. | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 53
India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, is usually discussed as a fifth-generation stealth fighter: low observable design, internal weapons bays, sensor fusion, advanced engines, and all the cool stuff that makes defence nerds sit up straighter. But this episode of In Our Defence asks a slightly different question: is AMCA really about building a plane or about building the factory, institutions, and accountability structure needed to make that plane real? The Ministry of Defence's AMCA tender lays out an ambitious plan to rope in a private-sector industrial partner in order to…
22 May 2026 · 59 min
Pakistan's Generals and America's Forever Influence | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep
Pakistan did not just become America's ally after 1947 – it slowly became a state whose military and strategic establishment learned that survival depended on staying useful to Washington. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan trace how Pakistan evolved into a geopolitical rentier state: trading geography, military cooperation and strategic access for money, weapons, political backing, and regime stability. We break down: -Why the United States backed Pakistan after independence -How Pakistan's military became deeply tied to…
15 May 2026 · 57 min
India's Missile Week: Hypersonics, MIRVs & China Signal | S3 | Ep 51
India has had a very busy missile season. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack a cluster of recent developments: the reported long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile test, DRDO and IAF’s TARA glide weapon trial, the Advanced Agni MIRV test, the long-duration scramjet combustor test, and the chatter around possible K-series submarine-launched missile activity. But this is not just spec-sheet episode. The episode looks at the story of how India managed to develop a rocket and missile force that is abreast with the rest of the world. We…
7 May 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
How Operation Sindoor Redefined Indian Warfare | In Our Defence |S3 | Ep 50
One year ago, the template for India's response to state-sponsored terror changed forever. It began with a tragedy in Pahalgam -- where tourists were targeted with M4 rifles -- and ended with a 30-minute IAF rampage that shattered Pakistan's airbases. In this episode, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan go beyond the headlines of Operation Sindoor. They break down the "fast-moving missile" that nearly triggered a nuclear escalation, why India stayed silent about it, and the birth of Cold Start 2.0: a new era of kinetic non-contact warfare that uses Pakistan's own…
1 May 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
Unpacking India's Air Defence as Air Force Gets Another S-400 Regiment | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 49
In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack one of the most complex parts of modern warfare: the art and science of shooting things out of the sky. India is preparing to induct another S-400 regiment, the system that grabbed attention during Operation Sindoor and remains one of the most formidable long-range air-defence systems in the world. But the S-400 is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. The episode breaks down India’s layered air-defence architecture: VSHORADS, MANPADS, Akash, MRSAM, Barak-8, S-400, ballistic missile defence, and…
24 Apr 2026 · 56 min
Pakistan Helped Shape Iran’s Nuclear Story. Now It’s Hosting US Peace Talks | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 48
In this episode of In Our Defence, we step away from the predictable outrage and look at the harder, more interesting question: why does Pakistan remain useful in high-stakes geopolitics despite its long record of contradictions? Host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack Pakistan's complicated ties with the United States, its uneasy relationship with Iran, its growing closeness to Saudi Arabia, and the larger truth that diplomacy is often driven less by morality and more by access, leverage, geography and utility. They discuss the irony of how Pakistan with its…
17 Apr 2026 · 44 min
Iran War: Will US Blockade of Hormuz Prevail? | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 47
In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami is joined by national security expert Sandeep Unnithan to unpack one of the world’s most critical flashpoints—the Strait of Hormuz. Why do narrow sea lanes like Hormuz matter so much to global trade and oil supply? What does a naval blockade actually look like in practice—not theory, but at sea? From ship strength and surveillance tech to geography and fleet positioning, we break down the real mechanics behind maritime chokeholds. The episode also explores the counterplay: can a blockade be breached, and what does it take to punch through…
10 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
39 Days of War: Did the US and Israel Actually Fail to Break Iran? | In Our Defence | S3 | Ep 46
After 39 days of war, Iran has agreed to a temporary ceasefire and the Strait of Hormuz is back in focus. But the big question remains: what exactly did this war achieve? In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack how the conflict escalated, why the war's goals seemed to keep shifting, and why, despite taking enormous punishment, Iran still ended up at the negotiating table without complete submission. We get into: How the US and Israel framed the war, and how those aims evolved Whether Iran was defeated militarily but survived…
26 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Vietnam to Iran: What Current Gulf Conflict Reveals About American War Strategy | S3 | 45
A month into the Iran war, the battlefield story is changing rapidly. What began as high-impact US–Israel strikes has now entered an uncertain phase: drone warfare, energy and economic pressure through Hormuz, and now a sudden “pause” announced by Donald Trump. Is this the beginning of the end? Or just a tactical pause before the next round? On the latest episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan break down: - What the Iran war looks like right now - Whether the U.S. pause is real diplomacy or strategic signalling - Iran’s response and the risk…
20 Mar 2026 · 55 min
Iran, US-Israel, Gulf: Is Delhi Playing This Crisis Right? |S3 | 44
The Gulf war has widened, energy infrastructure is under threat, and the Strait of Hormuz is once again at the centre of global anxiety. For India, this is not some faraway crisis. It is about oil, LPG, shipping, diaspora safety, relations with Iran, growing ties with Israel, and the limits of diplomacy when all your important partners are in the same conflict. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack India's response to the Iran-Israel war so far. Did Delhi go too quiet too early? Or was that caution part of a deliberate…
12 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
2 Weeks Of Epic Fury: Who Is Winning The US-Iran War? |S3| 43
Nearly two weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the war in West Asia has spilled over from the streets of Tehran to the depths of the Indian Ocean. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan break down the most chaotic week in modern strategic history. The two also dive into the sinking of the IRIS Dena, an Iranian frigate that was literally a guest at the Indian Navy’s MILAN 2026 exercise before being torpedoed by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. What message was the US trying to send by sinking a warship far away from the theatre…
27 Feb 2026 · 56 min
Why India Can't Afford to let Tejas programme fail |S3| 42
With the possible loss of a third HAL Tejas in Gujarat, the delayed response from authorities, and the controversy that has followed, renewed scrutiny is now on India’s indigenous fighter programme. Questions are mounting: Has the IAF really lost another Tejas? Why the delay in official communication? And what does this mean for the Mark 1A rollout? In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan discuss the controversy, the difference between Mark 1 and Mark 1A and the future of India’s indigenous fighter program. The two discuss: * Why the…
20 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Why India Wants To Buy 114 Rafale Jets & What That Means for Tejas, AMCA |S3| 41
With the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) clearing the monumental Rs 3.25 lakh crore deal for 114 Rafale jets just as French President Emmanuel Macron lands in India, the Indian Air Force is closer to getting the muscle it desperately needs. But what does this "Mother of All Deals" mean for India's indigenous fighter programs? In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan unpack the proposed Rafale deal and break down the strategic and financial realities of buying 114 Rafales. The two explore the 'Make in India' angle of the deal and what…
6 Feb 2026 · 55 min
Kaveri to Tejas Delays: Crisis of India's Missing Jet Engine |S3| 40
How is that India, a country capable of sending probes to the dark side of the Moon, still struggles to build a fighter jet engine? With the deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A delayed due to supply chain issues with the GE F404 engines, the spotlight is back on India's critical vulnerability: we don't have a heart for our fighter jets. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan sit down to demystify the magic of jet engine technology. From the "Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow" basics to the high-tech world of Single Crystal Blades and…
30 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Decoded: How Indian Air Force Established Air Superiority During Operation Sindoor | S3 | Ep 39
A new report by a Swiss research centre has brought the 2025 four-day mini-war between India and Pakistan back in limelight. The report especially focuses on the aerial battles that took place between the Indian and Pakistani air forces to analyse and conclude while the IAF suffered tactical setbacks initially, it was able to establish air superiority by the end of the conflict. On this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan revisit Operation Sindoor and look back the aerial battles in new light. The two decode what the report has to say not…
23 Jan 2026 · 57 min
Rafale 2.0 Loading: Is IAF’s 19-Year Fighter Jet Hunt Finally Ending? |S3| Ep 38
It has been 19 years in the making. From the original MMRCA tender in 2007 to the emergency purchase in 2016, and now, finally MRFA, the "Mother of All Defence Deals" seems ready for ink. Reports suggest the Indian Air Force is in the final stages of acquiring 114 Rafale jets in a deal estimated at a staggering Rs 3.25 Lakh Crore (~$40 Billion). In this episode of In Our Defence, Dev Goswami sits down with national security expert Sandeep Unnithan to decode the deal. The two trace the origins of the Indian Air Force's hunt for a fighter jet to the post-Kargil years and look at the various…
15 Jan 2026 · 55 min
Indian Army 2.0: Inside the Integrated Battle Groups & Drone Revolution |S3| Ep 37
Is the era of the massive Indian Army over? In this episode of In Our Defence, Dev Goswami and Sandeep Unnithan decode the Indian Army's roadmap for force restructuring, a project that has been in the works for several years. The two answer the big questions: -Why is the Army desperate to "cut the flab"? -What exactly are Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs), and how do they change the way India fights wars? The episode also features a deep dive into the Army’s massive push for drones and whether tech is finally replacing boots on the ground. Finally, Dev and Sandeep imagine what the future…
9 Jan 2026 · 59 min
The US Raid to Capture Maduro and the Indian 'Snatch Op' That Never Was | S3 | Ep 36
On January 3, 2026, the United States military changed the rules of engagement. In a lightning-fast raid involving 150 aircraft and Delta Force operators, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured from his palace in Caracas. The US calls it Operation Absolute Resolve. The world calls it the boldest special operation in history. But beyond the headlines, how does a raid like this actually work? It’s not just bearded men kicking down doors -- it’s cyber warfare, diplomatic wrangling, and domain superiority. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert…
26 Dec 2025 · 49 min
Is Bangladesh Becoming East Pakistan 2.0? |S3| Ep 35
The killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi has set Bangladesh on fire again. But this time, the anger isn't just anti-government, it's dangerously anti-India. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Sandeep Unnithan decode the chaos next door. From the smashing of Sheikh Mujib's statues to the chilling return of the Pakistan Army in Bangladeshi politics, the two answer the hard question: Is India facing a new "Third Front"? The two discuss: -The legacy of the founder (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and the general (Ziaur Rahman) -How the erasure of 1971 is opening…
19 Dec 2025 · 57 min
Dhurandhar, Sleeper Agents & The Evolution of RAW in Pakistan | S3 | Ep 34
The new spy thriller Dhurandhar has sparked a massive controversy. The Adtiya Dhar film explores the concept of 'sleeper spies' -- spies who are deeply embedded in a target country's society. On this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan look at what the film gets right and wrong about this aspect of espionage. The two talk about the intersection of ISI and Pakistani underworld that the film portrays and discuss how that is a hat-tip to the unholy alliance between the Pakistani deep state and Dawood Ibrahim that was forged in the early…
12 Dec 2025 · 56 min
Why is Field Marshal Asim Munir Scared of ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan? | S3 | Ep 33
On paper, Field Marshal Asim Munir is the most powerful man in Pakistan. He has the Army, the intelligence agencies, and a constitutional amendment that effectively grants him unlimited power. So why is he seemingly terrified of a 73-year-old man locked in a 6x8 cell in Adiala Jail? In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Sandeep Unnithan peel back the layers of Islamabad's power struggle. Is the conflict actually a deep-rooted ethnic clash between the Punjabi-dominated Army and Imran Khan's Pashtun base? The Adiala Curse: Why does every Pakistani Prime…
5 Dec 2025 · 58 min
INS Aridhaman coming soon: Inside India's Secret Nuclear Submarine Project | S3 | Ep 32
India is set to commission its third -- and most powerful -- nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the INS Aridhaman (codename: S4). But this isn't just another ship joining the fleet, it marks a critical tipping point in India's national security architecture. INS Aridhaman is the most complex and devastating weapon to exist in India's weapons arsenal. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and defence expert Sandeep Unnithan decode the secrecy shrouding the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project. They explain the "Rule of Three" (why you need three subs to keep one at…
28 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
Recalling 26/11 Mumbai Attack, the Kargil of India’s Internal Security | S3 | Ep 31
Seventeen years ago, India was shaken when Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists launched 12 coordinated attacks across Mumbai, striking the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Chabad (Nariman) House, and other locations in the country’s financial capital. The assault killed 166 people and injured over 300. Nine of the ten terrorists were killed, while the lone surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive. In this episode of In Our Defence, host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan revisit the assault that became the Kargil of India’s internal security. They take you deep inside the…
26 Nov 2025 · 16 min
Tejas Crash: What It Means for India’s Indigenous Fighter Programme
On November 21, an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet performing aerial manoeuvres at the Dubai Airshow crashed, killing its pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal. This is the second crash involving the indigenous aircraft in its 24-year history but the first to result in a fatality. The previous Tejas crash took place in Jaisalmer in March 2024 when the pilots ejected safely. With the IAF ordering a court of inquiry, this bonus segment of In Our Defence sees host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan break down what the accident reveals about India’s indigenous defence…
21 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
Beyond 120 Bahadur: Inside Battle of Rezang La and the 1962 India-China War | S3 | Ep 30
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"…
14 Nov 2025 · 57 min
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…
7 Nov 2025 · 56 min
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…
31 Oct 2025 · 55 min
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…

About In Our Defence

In Our Defence is a English news podcast from India Today Podcasts. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: India Today Podcasts
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 57 min
Latest episode: 26 Jun 2026
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Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1617244439

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