Pramit Pal Chaudhuri

Does Iran have the legal right to create checkpoints in the Strait of Hormuz? According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, they do not. However, Iran signed but never ratified UNCLOS 1982, similar to the United States. As a result, Iran reverts to UNCLOS 1958. The key difference between the two conventions is that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 designates the Strait of Hormuz as an international strait, allowing for "transit passage." In contrast, UNCLOS 1958 refers to international straits with "innocent passage." The term "innocent passage" permits foreign vessels to navigate through a coastal state's territorial waters without prior authorization, provided their passage is considered "innocent," meaning it does not threaten the peace, good order, or security of the coastal state. Under the rules of UNCLOS 1958, Iran can enforce its domestic laws in the Iranian part of the Strait concerning: - Safety of navigation - Pollution prevention - Security and surveillance Iran asserts that the United States cannot enjoy the rights of "transit passage" as defined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), arguing that the U.S. only has the right of "innocent passage" since it never ratified UNCLOS 1982. In response, the U.S. dismisses this claim, stating that "transit passage" has become a principle of "customary law." This means that if all countries adhere to a particular practice for decades, it becomes legally binding, regardless of whether the treaty has been ratified.

Pakistan’s dollar bonds are on track for the biggest monthly drop in three years The shocks have “delivered a setback to Pakistan’s economic outlook and rattled confidence” Carmen Altenkirch, at Aviva Investors in London. “For now it’s a wait and watch” bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Those who saw’A Beautiful Mind’, would remember that John Nash’s doctoral thesis had just 26 pages and 2 references, yet it was instrumental in advancing “Game theory”. What if I told you there is a scientist whose achievement is so astounding that he is perhaps the only Indian to “create” an intersectional branch of science? What if I told you that every year, his name echoes across the hallowed halls of science in foreign lands, but most of our students haven't even heard of him? Aneesur Rahman was born in Hyderabad in British India in 1927. His father was a professor and a philanthropist. His family generously donated their property for the creation of Urdu Hall in Hyderabad. His maternal uncle was a professor too. Rahman had a natural flair for subjects that would terrify ‘normal’ students — maths and physics. After getting BSc in Mathematics, he went on to get Tripos in Mathematics and Physics at the prestigious Cambridge University in the UK. From there, he went to Louvaine University in Belgium and got DSc in Physics under Professor Mannenbeck. It’s here that Rahman met a Chinese student Yueh-Erh Li who was doing MD( called Dr Jady by friends). They fell in love and got married. He came back to teach in Osmania university along with his wife. Soon after, he developed interest in the structure of water molecule - especially the polarisation of the hydrogen atom. Unfortunately research in India was at infancy in those days and Dr Rahman realized he was a whale in a tiny pond. He had to move to the ocean. He joined the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. His foundational paper in 1964 birthed “molecular dynamics” , one of the two pillars on which a vast body of computational physics rests.(the other is Monte Carlo method). His equation made it possible to calculate the trajectory of large number of interacting atoms with ease. His work, like Ramanujan’s , was so ahead of his time - that even today, potential applications are being discovered. The Nobel prize in physics for 2013 went to Karplus, Levitt and Warshel whose work depended heavily on Dr Aneesur Rahman’s. Some say there is an inverse association between genius and compassion -Dr Rahman was a prominent exception. He was known not just for his intellect, but also kind nature and mentored many students all over the world. His quiet, unassuming nature made him a much loved professor — and he remained so, until he got Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma — a cancer that took him away from us prematurely, at the age of 59. Perhaps he might have got a Nobel, if only he had lived longer. American Physical Society honors him as the father of computational physics and has instituted an annual award in his name. As a doctor with little idea of theoretical physics, writing Dr Aneesur Rahman’s portrait has been difficult , because of the complex nature of his work that straddles so many areas of science : mathematics, physics, computer science and chemistry. His equations are mind boggling, even intimidating, but what I do understand is this : Dr Rahman didn't just have a beautiful mind, but also a beautiful heart.

I talked to two Israeli sources on why Iranian launches continue to increase, despite US-Israeli claims that they have destroyed almost all of the launchers. Here is what they said: 1) The 90–95% drop in volume claimed by CENTCOM earlier in the month was probably a temporary lull as Iran repositioned its remaining launchers into hardened sites. Independent satellite analysis suggests that a significant portion of the "80% destruction" claimed by the IDF actually hit high-fidelity decoys. 2) Despite fewer launchers, the lethality per strike has increased. Iran's shift to cluster warheads has allowed a single missile to impact multiple locations simultaneously, compensating for the lower volume of launches 3) Iran has successfully set up mobile, underground units able to fire at steady rates. Iran used that quiet period to move their remaining ~100-120 heavy launchers into "Super-Hardened" facilities 4) Iran is utilizing its Zolfaqar and Dezful road-mobile launchers. These units move from hardened tunnels to pre-surveyed launch spots, fire, and return underground in under 10 minutes, often before coalition drones can re-task for a strike. 5) Because these launching units are decentralized, it is very hard for US and Israeli intelligence to get info on them. Israel and the United States do not have an answer to this problem. That is why they are trying escalation on energy sources instead. But that is backfiring.

China has managed to control rising costs for building nuclear plants, unlike most countries. How? "Indigenization—i.e., building a domestic supply chain and skilled workforce—has been key to China’s ability to avoid cost escalation." Great blog post by @shangwei_ : rooseveltinstitute.org/blog/can-china…

Tamil Nadu’s economy tells a simple story: steady rise for years, then a sharp jump after 2020. From $156B in 2011-12 to $621B in 2024-25 (constant USD). Even at market rates, $241B to $369B in just 4 years. That post-COVID acceleration stands out. #TamilNadu #Chennai

I like how Narendra Modi's social media feed continues to exist in like a parallel, more normal universe.

On Tuesday, I testified before the House Homeland Security Committee on China's strides in robotics and AI. I warned that we lost solar, batteries, and EVs -- now we're at risk of losing robotics and AI. If that happens, it would irreversibly change the balance of power. Five points: 1️⃣ China aims to win the next industrial revolution. PRC leaders believe history is shaped by industrial revolutions. The first, steam power, made Britain dominant. The second and third, electrification and mass manufacturing, made America dominant. China is determined to win the fourth. 2️⃣ In robotics, China is already winning. In 2024, China installed 300,000 new industrial robots. America installed 30,000. China now has over 2 million robots in its factories — five times more than the US. A decade ago, it imported 75% of its robots. Today it makes 60% domestically. This year alone, China may spend $400 billion on industrial policy. The entire US CHIPS Act provided $50 billion across multiple years. If we fall behind here, U.S. reindustrialization becomes farfetched. 3️⃣ In AI, we're ahead — but selling off the advantage. China has more energy, more talent, and makes the edge devices. But America still leads because of chips, according to China's own AI companies. US chips are 4-5x better than China's today. We are debating whether to surrender that edge. 4️⃣ We are inviting risks of cyberespionage and catastrophic cyberattacks. PRC law requires its companies to cooperate with intelligence services and never disclose it. Today's robots carry LiDAR, microphones, and cameras — they are mobile surveillance platforms. But the bigger risk is cyberattack. We know China has compromised our power, gas, water, telecommunications, and transportation infrastructure in preparation for cyberattack. We cannot deploy robots in sensitive facilities from the very country targeting those facilities. 5️⃣ Here's what we must do. Extend ICTS rules to cover Chinese robots. Direct CISA to audit where they're deployed in critical infrastructure. Ban federal procurement of Chinese robotics and AI. Strengthen semiconductor export controls. Stop treating American AI companies with more regulatory scrutiny than Chinese ones. And build allied scale in robotics—a trading bloc with preferential terms for the members that can rival China's scale in in the sector. Thanks to @HomelandDemsIt and @HomelandGOP for the hearing on this topic, and grateful to join @MRobbinsAUVSI and colleagues from Scale and Boston Dynamics for a great discussion.

I've reviewed A. Wess Mitchell's formidable book for @firstthingsmag, out in April. He calls for a rediscovery of diplomacy's core, not superficially as "comms" or as handmaiden to military force, but as art of arranging power in space & time, to concentrate it & limit threats.

Striking gambit: Erling Haaland invests in new world chess championship theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar…

Our assessment of who is most vulnerable to the Iran energy shock:

1/ Denmark was reportedly preparing for full-scale war with the US over Greenland in January, with military support from France, Germany, and Nordic nations. Elite troops and F-35 jets with live ammunition were sent, and runways were to be blown up to prevent an invasion. ⬇️

WSJ: Arab governments were furious about Israel’s attack and the U.S. failure to head it off, officials said. They had aggressively lobbied the Trump administration to stop U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and now feel a target has been put on their backs, they said… America’s Arab allies are now fuming that they don’t seem to have any influence with the Trump administration despite heavy investments of time and money.

The only infographic you need on Qatar LNG and Ras Laffan.

@jdpoc Finland’s prime minister reveals how to increasing your Insta following to Canadian counterpart: go to India and say you’ve watched the movie Dhurandhar.

London Has Fallen !! Crime Out Of Control !! It's a War Zone !! Oh, wait, as you were, here's Canada's PM Mark Carney, wife Diana Fox, President of Finland Alex Stubb and wife Suzanne Innes-Stubb running yesterday morning in Hyde Park with almost no security and not a care ...

🗺️ The battlefield traditionally associated with the Trojan War is described in the Iliad, attributed to Homer (traditionally dated c. 8th century BCE). The narrative situates the conflict between the Achaean coalition and the defenders of Troy on the coastal plain below the fortified city, widely identified with the archaeological site of Troy (Hisarlık) in northwestern Anatolia, near the Dardanelles. In the Late Bronze Age context (c. 1600–1200 BCE), the shoreline lay significantly closer to the city than today due to later sediment accumulation. The plain described in the epic stretches from Troy’s walls to the Achaean camp and ships along the coast, forming the central arena for many of the battles narrated in the poem. Modern geological and archaeological research, including sediment analysis of the Scamander River and Simois River systems, has helped reconstruct the Late Bronze Age landscape around c. 1200 BCE. These studies suggest the presence of a dynamic river delta with marshlands and shifting channels that would have influenced movement and combat on the plain, broadly consistent with Homeric descriptions. The era corresponds to the wider Bronze Age Collapse (c. 1200–1150 BCE), a period of widespread upheaval across the eastern Mediterranean. Whether the Trojan War reflects a historical conflict, a composite memory of regional struggles, or a mythic tradition shaped by later storytelling, the geography of the Troad provides an environmental framework through which the epic narrative can be interpreted. 🗺️ Map created by Simeon Netchev.  #TrojanWar #Troy #Iliad #Homer #Anatolia #BronzeAge #History #AncientHistory #Maps #Map

Air India has revived every one of the 30 legacy aircraft it inherited post-privatisation, taking its fleet strength to 186. This wasn’t a cosmetic overhaul, but a full nose-to-tail rebuild with engines replaced, 3,000+ components installed, and 4,000+ maintenance tasks completed. Tata Group still doesn’t get enough credit for taking over an airline in dire straits and rebuilding it piece by piece. via @businessline

Canuck has a Hawaiian origin !?!

Jihadist violence in Nigeria and DRC rose sharply last year even as global deaths from terror fell theguardian.com/world/2026/mar…

Yesterday, Adani bought Jaypee Group for Rs 14,535 Cr But Vedanta had bid around Rs 17,000Cr, over Rs 2,000 Cr MORE than Adani Yet their higher bid lost and Adani won the bid despite a lower bid! So how did the lowest bid win one of India's largest bankruptcy deals? 1/16