Tag: Higher Defence Organisation

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227: Urgent Need for National Security Strategy / Policy Document

 

PART 1: POLICY DOCUMENT & ITS ADVANTAGES

 

NSS Policy Document

 

  • NSS document outlines country’s major security concerns and guideline plans to deal with them.

 

  • It is Vision of the path nation should take in pursuit of attaining national objectives.

 

  • It outlines countries power to overcome internal and external challenges and projection of comprehensive national power.

 

  • It is a plan to employ tools of national power in accordance with national policy to achieve national security objectives I support of national interests.

 

  • It guides Military and Foreign Policy.

 

  • From NSS flows the national military strategy.

 

  • Joint, air, land and maritime strategies are derived from the military strategy.

 

Advantages of Clearly Defined NSS Policy Document.

 

  • It provides clear direction preventing ad hocism and knee jerk reactions.

 

  • It helps in a synchronised approach by various agencies and ministries. Whole of government approach becomes easier.

 

  • It encourages proactive approach.

 

  • It provides consistency and immunity from regime change.

 

  • It helps in formulation of appropriate response policy by better coordination and analysis of complex inter-relationship between domestic and external dimensions.

 

  • It helps in dealing with internal security challenges arising out of economic, political and social issues. Helps in timely political intervention and implementation of social welfare programmes, rather than using hard power alone.

 

PART 2: INDIAN CONTEXT

 

India Does not have a Comprehensive National Security Strategy Document.

 

NSC was formed in 1999. Still after 22 years the NSS document has not been promulgated.

 

Previous Attempts

 

Last two decades the issue has surfaced many times in the media.

 

  • In 1999 it found a mention in the Kargil Review Committee report.

 

  • It was reported that in 2007, HQ IDS submitted a draft NSS document to NSA and PMO.

 

  • It found a mention again in 2012, in the Naresh Chandra Task Force report on security.

 

  • It was reported in 2015 that NSAB document “Building Comprehensive National Power towards Integrated NSS” has been prepared.

 

  • In 2018 it was reported again that NSAB has drafted a NSS document and it has been reviewed by the Defence Planning Committee and forwarded to defence and foreign secretory.

 

  • In 2019 Congress party asked Retired Gen DS Hooda to prepare a draft NSS document.

 

Possible Reasons for Non promulgation of NSS.

 

  • No Political consensus on national security issues and ways to deal with them.

 

  • No common understanding and agreement about its contents

 

  • Fear of failure and criticism.

 

  • Political games and election gimmicks.

 

Indian National Security Objectives

 

For formulation of NSS document the starting point would be listing out the National Security Objectives. These have been suggested by many think tanks, analysts and writers. The national security objectives could include the following:

 

  • Strengthening of capabilities to maintain credible deterrence.

 

  • Protect and safe guard India’s
  • National Sovereignty.
  • National Constitution and Core Values.
  • National Territorial Integrity.
  • Air, space, cyber and maritime domains.

 

  • Maintain peaceful Internal Security environment by guarding against threats to national unity and development.

 

  • Human security by protecting citizens and providing them a safe, just, equitable and prosperous climate.

 

  • Achieving Safe neighbourhood and constructive engagement with other nations.

 

  • Maintaining rightful place in the international global affairs.

 

 

PART 3: RECOMMENDATIONS

 

There is an urgent need to formulate and promulgate NSS document. Suggestions are as follows:

 

  • It should be a comprehensive document covering all the security concerns.

 

  • It should contain broad guidelines about ways to deal with them.

 

  • It could be very specific about certain issues while being open ended about others.

 

  • It could have two components – classified and unclassified.

 

  • It should have a short, medium and long term road map.

 

  • It should cover external and internal challenges.

 

  • It should touch regional and global issues of concern.

 

  • It should provide guidelines for multi-agency response.

 

  • It should serve as a national guiding document and not become a political tool.

 

Suggested Contents

 

Some of the suggested contents are as follows:

 

  • National security objectives.

 

  • Geopolitical and security environment (regional and global).

 

  • Security concerns related to all the tools of statecraft (DIME).

 

  • Could include following:
    • External security.
    • Internal security (NE, J&K, Naxalism and Terrorism)
    • Economic security
    • Energy security
    • Food security
    • Health security
    • CBRN concerns
    • Cyber security
    • Space security
    • Information security and media concerns
    • Water concerns
    • Environmental concerns
    • Disaster management.

 

  • Military capabilities
    • Deterrence value
    • Multi domain capabilities to deal with future wars.
    • Expeditionary capabilities.

 

  • Technology harnessing for civil and military purposes.

 

  • Structural reforms of national security apparatus.

 

  • Border management and demographic issues.

 

  • Issues related to natural resources and minerals.

 

  • Defence industry and Atmanirbharta.

 

The list is not comprehensive. Many more issues could be added or some of these could be left out for time being. A beginning could be made with a draft document and let it evolve over a period of time.

 

Titbits

USA in a period of 30 years (1987 – 2017) published 17 NSS documents. The document has been reviewed by every president and multiple times by some of them. The US document size varies from 40 to 70 Pages.

 

Coming Up

Pakistan’s Proposed National security policy Document.

 

Bottom Line

 There is an urgent need for Formulation and publication of National Security Strategy / Policy document.

 

Question

In India can we overcome political fears and publish the document?

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

Commodore Sujeet Samaddar (Retd) wrote about this topic in his book in 2003.

 

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References:

1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Strategy_(India)#:~:text=The%20National%20Security%20Strategy%20(NSS,challenge%20of%20successive%20Indian%20governments.

  1. https://thewire.in/security/india-must-chart-out-a-national-security-strategy-for-a-changing-geopolitical-world
  2. https://www.cprindia.org/news/need-comprehensive-national-security-strategy 
  1. https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-blueprint-for-a-national-security-strategy/article27211062.ece
  2. https://idsa.in/idsacomments/ANationalSecurityStrategyDocumentforIndia_arvindgupta_201011
  3. http://164.100.47.193/fileupload/current/120816.pdf
  4. https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/india-needs-national-security-strategy-to-set-redlines-like-ladakh-intrusion-force-govt-to-build-capability-2783219.html

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200: Double Celebration: One year of Blogging and 200th Post

Air Marshal’s Perspective

(Candid and to the point – काम की बात)

Ranked 13th in the list of Top 25 Indian Defence Blogs and Websites

 

 

 

This blog was started in the month of September 2020.  It has been one year since then, with 200 posts.

 

Enjoyed researching topics related to defence, security, geo-politics, technology, leadership and management etc. The posts were interspersed with some humour and quotes.

 

Tried to live up to the motto of the blog – “Candid and to the point – काम की बात”. Most of the posts are short ones (two to three pages), covering the essence of the topic in bullet form.

 

The credit for starting the blog goes to my course mate and friend Col Murali. He provided me the space, encouraged me and held my hand initially.

 

Credit also goes to another course mate Vicky Sheorey for getting me all the equipment needed for video conference and recordings.

 

Sincere Thanks to all the subscribers and readers for the encouragement.

 

To provide a panoramic view of the blog, here are the links to the posts on various topics:-

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

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192: CHINA: OBJECTIVES, STRATEGY AND MILITARY ROLE

China: National Political Objectives

Like any other nation Chinese national political objectives can be broken into two basic categories: security and development. According to USA these objectives would include the following:

 

Security objectives would include:

  • Protection of the CPC as China’s ruling party.
  • Protection of Chinese sovereignty.
  • Protection of borders.
  • Internal security
  • Nuclear deterrence.

 

Development objectives would include:

  • Protection of Chinese economic interests at home and abroad.
  • Ensuring freedom of navigation for Chinese goods.
  • Procuring important commodities such as energy and raw materials.
  • Establishing new export markets for Chinese goods.

 

Chinese Grand Strategy

China end state desire is to achieve a world power status.

 

Incremental Approach. China views this final objective as incremental: it seeks to be a “prosperous society” by 2035, with the CPC still remaining the dominant political entity in China. The country desires to transition to a “leading world power” by the year 2049 (the centennial anniversary of the country’s founding), complete with a “world-class military.” These objectives are written into the CPC Constitution.

 

Towards this aim, smaller goals could be:

  • Global influence.
  • Economic development.
  • Internal security.
  • CPC primacy.

 

Chinese Strategic Objectives

China’s strategic objectives support her broad political goals dominance by 2035 and becoming a leading world power by 2049. They are also influenced by certain elements of Chinese culture and history: the importance of status and honor, the desire for peace through power, and the belief in Chinese Communism, among other aspects.

 

Chinese strategic objectives and involvement of PLA is as follows:

  1. Maintain Internal Security And Stability. Foremost in maintaining internal security and stability is ensuring the position of the CPC as the dominant political entity in China. PLA is the military components of the government. While maintaining domestic stability is the primary mission of the civilian police force and Peoples Armed Police (PAP), in extreme situations the PLA may be required to assist these forces in internal security operations.

 

  1. SECURE AND PROTECT LAND BORDERS AND COASTLINES. China’s long historic struggle with border security manifests itself today in a vast array of border security measures. Even China’s shared border with India is a source of friction and conflict. PLA needs to be geared up to meet these situations.

 

  1. Maintain Regional Stability. China feels maintaining regional peace and stability is a one of its responsibility as a regional dominant Force. This requires the PLA to be capable of conducting shaping and deterrence operations in the region.

 

  1. MAINTAIN FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION. China’s economy is largely dependent on exports, most of which travel via the world’s oceans. Maintaining safe and free passage through the international waters is necessary for Chinese political stability and economic development. Expeditionary capability would be required for this.

 

  1. RESOLVE MARITIME TERRITORIAL DISPUTES. China views several land masses and their surrounding territorial waters in the South China Sea and elsewhere in the Pacific as strategically important. Their importance is derived from their proximity to important global shipping lanes, and also their potential usefulness as military bases (particularly for naval and coast guard ships, fixed-wing aircraft, antisubmarine warfare capabilities, and land-based antiaircraft and ant ship missile systems).

 

  1. ESTABLISH POSITIVE CONDITIONS FOR POTENTIAL HOSTILITIES. China views conflict along a continuum, ranging from steady-state deterrence operations in peacetime (Grey Zone) to full-fledged combat operations. While China has mastered the art of grey zone operations, it is also expanding on overseas basing for the PLA, enabling force projection outside of Chinese borders and giving Chinese leadership greater flexibility in choosing how and where to employ military force.

 

Chinese Objectives and Military involvement

  • China’s history is deeply intertwined with its military.

 

  • Relationship between the PLA and the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a complex one.

 

  • In contrast to Western militaries, the PLA is deeply politicized.

 

  • While Western militaries are generally apolitical and are divorced from political parties, the PLA is officially the armed wing of the CPC.

 

  • It retains significant ties to Maoist and Marxist-Leninist political thought and has generations-deep connections with the CPC.

 

  • Today, with the primacy of the CPC virtually assured and few internal security threats, the People’s Armed Police (PAP) has taken over much of the internal security mission, while the PLA focuses primarily on development-related external objectives.

 

Military Modernisation

Historically, the PLA had little to no expeditionary capability, minimal mechanization, low-technology systems, and a severe lack of military professionalism.

 

Chinese Objectives and strategy requires a significant enhancement of PLA capabilities.

 

Chinese objectives require meaningful force projection capabilities:

  • A blue-water navy.
  • A modern air force.
  • Long-range targeting and strike capabilities.
  • Enhanced long-range air and sea strategic lift capabilities.
  • Well-trained, well-equipped, professional ground force.

 

Military modernization with economic development is a basic tenet of Chinese national strategy. This has guided the significant increase in annual defence budget for the past two decades.

 

This principle is now manifesting in China’s Military-Civil Fusion program, which seeks greater cooperation between military and civilian elements in achieving shared objectives. An important objective of Military-Civil Fusion is leveraging civilian assets and capabilities as a cost-efficient method of managing limited military resources.

 

Due to one of the largest and longest economic growth cycles in history, China has been able to fund the reform and development of the PLA, modernizing it over the last three decades from a force of poorly armed and poorly trained conscripts into a viable modern military.

 

Bottom Line

China is marching ahead at a very rapid pace.

 

Question

Are we gearing up to meet future challenges?

 

Suggestions and value additions are most welcome

 

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References:

https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN33195-ATP_7-100.3-000-WEB-1.pdf

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