Who really makes the decisions — elected governments, or the permanent establishments operating behind them? Prof. Gautam Sen, a founding member of BJP’s Overseas Friends and former academic at LSE, joins Ambassador Prabhat Shukla for a sharp analysis of the Deep State — its composition, continuity, and global reach.
The panel traces how Western intelligence, academia (Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge), and bureaucracies operate as a continuous power structure that outlasts political cycles. From the Cuban Missile Crisis to narratives about India’s minorities, the conversation maps how India-specific narratives are seeded, amplified, and institutionalized through this network.

About the Speakers
Dr. Gautam Sen is the President of the World Association of Hindu Academicians and Co-director of the Dharmic Ideas and Policy Foundation. He taught international political economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science for over two decades. He is also a prolific columnist & his articles reflect his unique understanding of geo-politics, strategic affairs, International relations.

Amb. Prabhat Shukla joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974. During a career spanning 37 years, he served in Moscow, Brussels, London, and Kathmandu, among other places. He also served as the Diplomatic Adviser to the Prime Minister. He retired in 2011 as Ambassador of India to Mosco. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi.