New Delhi, May 7 -- The DFSS January 2026 conclave critically examined the erosion of India's strategic influence in its neighbourhood, concluded that goodwill based diplomacy must give way to a recalibrated mix of hard power, technology and youth centric engagement. Experts warned that terrorism, emerging warfare technologies, foreign influence and doctrinal rigidity demanded urgent policy renewal if India was to reclaim strategic heft in South Asia. The Delhi Forum for Strategic Studies (DFSS), under the leadership of Lt Gen Kamal Davar, held its annual January conclave on 17 January 2026, at New Delhi. The theme, "India's Neighbourhood and the Evolving Security Paradigm," was highly relevant given the current flux, friction and foreign i...