Ajey Lele

Deputy Director General Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘Why Did Trump Designate Fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction?’ has been published in ‘The Wire’ on 27 December 2025. By attaching a WMD designation to fentanyl, the Trump administration gets wider legal and political space to pursue a military action against various groups in Mexico, writes Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘ISRO’s BlueBird launch is a new phase in India-US space ties—denial to cooperation’ was published in ‘The Print’ on 25 December 2025. In the early 1990s, the US actively worked to block India’s access to cryogenic engine technology. Today, a US private company has approached ISRO to launch its satellite, writes Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

The shift away from a state-dominated nuclear governance framework towards an investment-friendly regime could enable the Indian nuclear industry to prosper.

• Ajey Lele |
• December 17, 2025 |
• IDSA Comments

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, GP Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s commentary ‘Biological Disasters, Climate Extremes, and India’s Air Power–Driven Humanitarian Outreach’ has been published by the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict (SSPC) on 10 December 2025. The article offers a broad overview of disaster relief operations with a specific focus on biological disasters and climate-induced emergencies, two categories that pose distinct operational, logistical, and governance challenges for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) frameworks. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘Chandrayaan-3 successfully undertakes lunar flybys’ has been published in ‘The Space Review’ on 01 December 2025. These missions are keeping India’s scientific footprint active on the Moon and prove India’s technological maturity in the era when some major programs for the Moon are in making, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

China has demonstrated the ability to ensure continuous human-occupied space station operations, even during emergencies.

• Ajey Lele |
• November 27, 2025 |
• IDSA Comments

The US's absence from the 2025 G20 discussions on critical minerals weakens collective efforts to counterbalance China’s influence.

• Ajey Lele |
• November 24, 2025 |
• IDSA Comments

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘ISRO’s Findings about CMEs Impacting the Moon’ has been published in the Taaza Khabar News on 19 November 2025. The recent findings by ISRO about the impact of solar storms on the lunar surface holds particular importance at a time when some key space agencies are planning new missions to enhance our understanding of the Moon. These include lunar sample return missions, human flyby missions, and crewed landings on the lunar surface, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘How America’s revival of nuclear testing could open Pandora’s box’ has been published in First Post on 07 November 2025. Trump must recognise that nuclear weapons alone cannot sustain America’s image of strength and global leadership, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

The launch of the CMS-03 strategic satellite, designed to boost the Indian Navy's operational capabilities, represents a significant milestone in India’s strategic space pursuit.

• Ajey Lele |
• November 03, 2025 |
• IDSA Comments