India, July 15 -- In the past 45 days, India has appointed new chiefs of Navy, Army and Intelligence Bureau apart from a new Chief of Defence Staff, virtually the heart of national security establishment. There will be a new Air Chief in the next 75 days.

While the Modi government has been able to successfully address the challenges of Maoists, north-east barring Manipur and in the Kashmir Valley after the Pahalgam massacre, a new national security challenge is emerging in Punjab yet again. With the loss of political clout of Akali Dal (Badal) and its weakening of control over Panthic forces, the created vacuum has led to fringe radical players jumping in for electoral gains in the forthcoming Punjab assembly polls next year.

Deliberate...