- Ideas as Armour: Shivam Arya on Curating India’s Premier Military Literature Festival
- Books to Battle Readiness : Building India’s Third Line of Defence
By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 14 April 2025. In an era defined by rapid shifts in global power dynamics, India’s defence preparedness is being reimagined not only on the battlefield but also in the minds of its thinkers. At the heart of this intellectual renaissance is Kalam & Kavach, a pioneering platform that brings together strategic minds, military leaders, scholars, and the broader defence ecosystem to spark conversations that can lead to meaningful reforms.
In this exclusive interview, Shivam Arya, Director of Pentagon Press and Curator of Kalam & Kavach 2.0, shares the vision behind the Defence Literature Festival, the power of dialogue in shaping national security narratives, and why he believes India’s “third line of defence”—its strategic thinkers—is more vital now than ever before.
ADU. What inspired the creation of Kalam & Kavach as a military literature platform?
Shivam Arya. Kalam & Kavach was born out of a desire to build a space where strategic thinkers, defence experts, and curious minds could come together to exchange meaningful ideas. When Pentagon Press completed 25 years, we wanted to do something beyond celebration—we wanted to spark change. So, we created Kalam & Kavach as a bridge between the thinkers who shape strategy and the public who want to understand it. The name itself embodies our philosophy: Kalam for the power of intellect and Kavach for the shield of defence.
ADU. How did the first edition of Kalam & Kavach set the tone for what the platform aims to achieve?
Shivam Arya. The first edition was unique—we focused on drawing modern strategies from ancient Indian wisdom. It was held in collaboration with the Southern Command of the Indian Army and coincided with two significant milestones: 25 years of Kargil Vijay Diwas and 25 years of Pentagon Press. The response was overwhelming. It affirmed that there was both interest and need for such a platform, where scholarly thinking and strategic needs could meet and evolve into actionable outcomes.
ADU. This year, Kalam & Kavach 2.0 focuses on Defence Reforms. What led to the choice of this theme?
Shivam Arya. This year, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri declared 2025 as the Year of Defence Reforms. That gave us a strong direction. We knew this edition needed to be focused, timely, and policy-relevant. Defence reforms today go beyond procurement—they involve jointness, integration, new warfare domains like cyber and space, and greater self-reliance. By bringing together the Ministry of Defence, DRDO, DPSUs, the armed forces, and private players, we hope to enable a real conversation that leads to transformation.
ADU. You’ve described Kalam & Kavach as supporting India’s ‘third line of defence’. Can you explain what that means?
Shivam Arya. Absolutely. We often talk about two lines of defence: diplomacy and the armed forces. But there’s a third, often underappreciated—our strategic thinkers, scholars, authors, and think tanks. They shape doctrine, challenge assumptions, and influence policy. Kalam & Kavach is committed to amplifying this third line of defence. We want to bring more people into these conversations, because every powerful shift begins with the exchange of ideas.
ADU. What is the broader mission of Pentagon Press and your digital platform, Diary of a Publisher (DOAP)?
Shivam Arya. At Pentagon Press, our mission has always been about ideas that matter—especially in national security, strategy, and geopolitics. With DOAP, we’ve taken this vision online, creating candid, insightful conversations through interviews with military leaders, diplomats, and academics. I’ve done over 100 interviews, and each one adds to the collective understanding of our challenges and opportunities. We believe everyone has something valuable to share, and our job is to give that voice a platform.
ADU. What kind of impact do you hope Kalam & Kavach 2.0 will make in the context of India’s defence modernisation?
Shivam Arya. Our hope is to turn strategic thinking into strategic doing. Whether it’s reform in joint operations, tech integration, or indigenisation, we want this edition to generate ideas that are implementable. We’re not just curating a festival—we’re facilitating a process. If a policy gets sharper, if a young thinker feels inspired to join defence research, or if a military unit adapts a new idea because of what was shared—then we’ve done our job.
ADU. Looking ahead, what’s your vision for future editions of Kalam & Kavach?
Shivam Arya. Each edition going forward will be thematic. Defence reforms are the focus this year, but next year could be AI in warfare, border management, maritime strategy—you name it. The idea is to keep evolving with the needs of the nation. What will stay constant is our commitment to conversations that lead to change. We want to make Kalam & Kavach the go-to platform where intellect and strategy meet action.
As India embraces 2025 as the Year of Defence Reforms, Kalam & Kavach 2.0 arrives at a critical juncture—amplifying voices that challenge convention, inspire reform, and inform national policy. Through Pentagon Press and the Diary of a Publisher platform, Shivam Arya is carving out a space where intellect meets strategy, and where ideas can evolve into action. With a long-term vision of making defence discourse more accessible, insightful, and impactful, the journey of Kalam & Kavach is not just about literature—it’s about legacy.
As told to Sangeeta Saxena
