Case for a National Security Strategy
STORIES, ANALYSES, EXPERT VIEWS
As India’s GDP marches ahead, Arun Prakash (former chief of naval staff) takes note of some concerns.
The challenges
Growing inequality: First, "a very large proportion of the GDP is contributed by the so-called informal or unorganised sector. Second, India’s per-capita GDP is $2,487, against the world average of $13,710, placing it at the 136th position among 188 countries, as listed by a UN survey. The last and most serious issue of concern is growing inequality, with one study claiming the top 1% of India’s population has cornered about 40% of its wealth.”
The China challenge: For India to attain 'great power’ (‘Viksit Bharat’) status by 2047, “India requires a strategic approach that integrates prudent economic policies with a robust security framework…..Today, India’s complex security environment is shaped not only by China’s hostility, manifest in its territorial claims and transgressions, but also by its trade stronghold. China’s military modernisation, nuclear expansion, and growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean, coupled with its anti-India nexus with Pakistan, heighten India’s threat perceptions.” Only time will tell how the signalling from Operation Sindoor “has been perceived and interpreted by the Pakistani deep State.”
Immediate neighbourhood perceives India as a Big Brother: In its immediate neighbourhood, India is unfortunately “still perceived as a regional Big Brother or even a big bully….. Internally, India faces a complex web of security challenges. Cross-border terrorism in J&K, sporadic insurgencies in the North East, Left-wing extremism in central and eastern India, and sustained ethnic strife in Manipur continue to pose significant threats to domestic harmony.”
Still no defined statement of its national aims, objectives and security doctrines
After 78 years of Independence, in the opinion of the former Navy chief, India “still lacks a clearly defined statement of its national aims, objectives and security doctrines. This strategic void has seen India being repeatedly caught by surprise, often leading to knee-jerk responses to crises……
“Such a document will provide clear signposts for India’s diplomatic, intelligence, military, and economic institutions to craft policies and strategies that could shape the badly needed whole-of-government approach.'
Emphasis on the military: In the military sphere, 'it will serve to sharpen focus on evolution of doctrines, design of force-architecture, acquisition of hardware, and mobilisation of the public and private sectors in defence R&D and production. Without going into minutiae, three major courses of action deserve urgent attention at this stage.
'India’s primary emphasis should be upon restoring/acquiring conventional deterrence, both against our northern and western adversaries, by building up our long-neglected arsenal to sustain intense hostilities for a reasonable duration. Focusing sharply on robotics, beyond visual range aerial and ground attack weaponry, networking of platforms, electronic and cyber warfare, and exploitation of the space segment, we should be ready to incur whatever expenditure is necessary for acquiring these capabilities at the earliest.'
In the nuclear domain, “while India’s 2003 doctrine may have served us well so far, both the Chinese and Pakistani nuclear arsenals have seen growth in number and types of warheads. There have also been subtle but profound doctrinal shifts that call for reflection on India’s part to ensure that our nuclear deterrence remains relevant and effective.”
