10th May 2025 (13 Topics)
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It’s time India framed a National Security Doctrine
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Context
Amidst growing threats from both China and Pakistan and persistent cross-border terrorism, a renewed debate has emerged on the urgent need for India to adopt a comprehensive National Security Doctrine to move beyond reactive responses and establish a proactive strategic framework.
The Doctrinal Gap and Existing Responses
- Current Success ? Strategic Preparedness: India has won wars and prevented incursions, but lacks a codified doctrine to preempt threats and project power. Operational efficiency without a guiding doctrine risks strategic drift and reactive policymaking.
- Nuclear Doctrine—A Lone Example: India articulated a nuclear doctrine in 2003 with principles like ‘No First Use’ and a ‘credible minimum deterrent’, but it remains an isolated case. Deterrence alone hasn't dissuaded China or Pakistan from provocations.
- Doctrinal Vacuum and Strategic Ambiguity: Absence of a broader doctrine means inconsistent responses—seen in tackling terrorism or hybrid threats. Even “No First Use” was debated controversially, reflecting lack of doctrinal clarity and political consensus.
Comparative Insights and Theoretical Anchors
- China’s Strategic Doctrine—A Model: China hasn’t fought a war since 1979 yet has expanded its influence, driven by Sun Tzu’s doctrinal strategy of "winning without fighting"—an approach missing in India’s current stance.
- Historical Indian Doctrinal Thought: From Chanakya’s Mandala Theory to Krishna’s war ethics, India has deep doctrinal roots stressing both preemptive action and righteous ends. Modern strategic thought must reconnect with this civilizational memory.
- Ashoka’s Security Diplomacy: Emperor Ashoka’s missionary diplomacy wasn’t just cultural—it created buffer zones of influence. A doctrinal lens helps decode this as a form of soft power-driven deterrence.
Imperatives for a National Security Doctrine
- Beyond Military: A Holistic Security Vision: Security today spans diplomacy, politics, society, and religion. A national doctrine would integrate internal cohesion with external posturing, unlike the current compartmentalised approach.
- Codifying Deterrence and Response Mechanisms: A doctrine would formalize red lines, response thresholds, and escalation ladders, enabling India to impose “unacceptable costs” on aggressors across terror, cyber, and grey zone warfare.
- From Romanticism to Realpolitik: India’s posture has often been guided by idealist principles (e.g., non-violence), but evolving threats require strategic pragmatism, blending moral authority with decisive action.
Practice Question
Q. “Strategic doctrines are not mere military blueprints but comprehensive statecraft tools.” In the context of India’s evolving security environment, critically examine the need for a National Security Doctrine.
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