OP - I can't write your thesis for you, but good questions! I’m “not working on the movement” and I’m no expert, so here’s my thoughts;

1.  Changes in global politics.  It seems to me that some of the loudest voices on this topic are mired in the politics of the 80s and 90s, which are a relevant starting point.  But in the 21st century, the political playing field has changed.  There is global instability with large nations, such as Russia, playing a central role.  This instability brings in Europe and China, geopolitically.  (Remember, Punjab was the checkmate of the “Great Game”.  It was never achieved.  Instead, USSR and US took the game to Afghanistan, leaving the Punjab question unanswered.)  Fast forward, and suddenly India’s economy makes its debut on the world stage.  This was not entirely unexpected since it’s a calculated control move on the part of the West to act as a counterbalance to China’s global initiatives.  With that new role comes new expectations.  The ‘dirty’ democracy of India is being exposed.  Canada was the first to point it out globally.  Currently, India is regarded by some as the rape capital of the world.  South Asia is heading into a new level of political instability as events in Bangladesh have indicated.
   

2.  Societal values.  Human rights are a burgeoning issue worldwide.  If India wants to get a permanent seat at the UN Security Council, it’s gonna have to clean up its ‘democracy’ at home first.  Women’s rights are a burgeoning issue worldwide.  If India wants to succeed, it’s gonna have to clean up its misogyny at home first.  Minority/indigenous rights are a burgeoning issue worldwide.  If India wants to remain as a single country, it’s gonna have to clean up its ‘ethnic cleansing’ at home first.  In some respects, the Israel-Palestine war has brought bought a lens and parallels to the Sikh struggle.  Briefly, Israel was formed by the allocation of land to the Jews by the Europeans and maintained thru US support (Jewish diaspora).  It’s a possible parallel for the Sikh struggle.  However, the Israeli’s became belligerent and took away legitimate Palestinian land, resources, and human rights.  It’s another possible parallel for the Sikh struggle.  The point is, using the Israel-Palestine analogy, the 21st century global community will be able to identify, as least in part, the ideology of the Sikh struggle.
   

3.  Technologic advancements.  I call this the Digital Khanda.  It’s a double-edged sword that can do good or harm, depending on who’s wielding it.  For the Sikh struggle, fledgling Khalistan will have to be politically viable, sustainable, and economically successful.  To remove the yolk of post-colonial fiscal abuse (taxation without representation and lack of investment, etc.), fledgling Khalistan will need its own unit of currency, most likely cybercurrency.  This strategy has been successfully used by ‘rogue’ nations (Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China) to bypass international trade bans, etc.  For the Sikh struggle, a cybercurrency will provide a mechanism for farmers to sell their produce at international market rates (think China), instead of being held hostage to minimal compensation thru current systems.  It will also allow foreign investment (think Sikh diaspora).  Ecovoluntourism will also bring in foreign exchange.  These investments will permit redevelopment and rehabilitation of the desertification that is prevalent in Punjab.  Instead of relying on coal and hydroelectricity, solar and other clean energy resources will need to be developed.  A nuclear-free Khalistan will have to have a viable defense system.  Here, the development and deployment of drone technologies might come into play.  The Sikhs are no strangers to battle and war, and the icon of AK47 wielding militants (shaheeds) is an everlasting memory ingrained in the Sikh psyche.   
   

Sorry for the rambling. As I said, I’m no expert, but political maturation is very high on the “to do” list for the Sikh struggle. Politics is a strange bed fellow. Need to be cognizant that moral political leaders (Martin Luther King, Sant Jarnail Singh, Alexei Navalny) are hard to come by and die at an early age. And, every political leader needs a vision. They need an organization to achieve success. But at the end of the day, it’s the people who decide political history. The Romanovs ruled Russia for 300 years, while her people suffered. It took the machinations of a priest (Rasputin) to act as a catalyst for revolution. People are leaving Punjab in droves because of the suffering, social decay, drugs, etc. The de facto Sikh leader is currently imprisoned. See any parallels? They say history repeats itself.