National Security Strategy
Why In News ?
India has recently begun the process of coming up with a National Security Strategy after years of deliberations and the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has started collecting inputs from several central ministries and departments.
With Reference to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS):
- The National Security Council (NSC) of India is an executive government agency established in 1998 and tasked with advising the Prime Minister’s Office on matters of national security and strategic interest.
- The NSC is the apex agency handling the country’s internal and external security, conventional and non-conventional defence, military affairs, counter-insurgency, space and high technology, economy, counter-terrorism and environment.
Scope of National Security Strategy:
- It addresses a wide range of modern challenges and threats. This includes not only old threats but also new, modern warfare issues that have become increasingly important in today’s interconnected world.
- This includes not only traditional threats such as military and defence-related issues, but also non-traditional threats such as financial and economic security, food and energy security, information warfare, vulnerabilities in critical information infrastructure, supply chain disruptions and environmental challenges.
Why is there a Need for National Security Strategy in India?
- National security strategy for India has been a recurring topic in military discussions. However, despite various efforts, it has yet to be formulated and implemented due to the lack of a cohesive, whole-of-government effort, and the government has deliberately not made its national security objectives public.
- Given the multifaceted nature of emerging threats and increasing uncertainties in global geopolitics, there is an urgent need to develop a national security strategy in India.
- The former Army Chief General has stressed the outdated nature of the current political direction for the armed forces and the need to revise it.
- Experts have emphasized that significant military reforms such as theaterization of the armed forces should arise from a broader national security strategy.
Outline of the Strategy Being Prepared by India:
- The exact outline of the strategy being prepared is not known.
- However, it will likely include the entire range of newer challenges and modern threats facing India, including non-traditional ones such as: financial and economic security, food and energy security, information warfare, vulnerabilities in India’s critical information infrastructure, as well as those associated with supply chains and environment.
Countries with National Security Strategy:
- Most developed countries with an advanced military and security infrastructure have a National Security Strategy in place, updated from time to time.
- The US, the UK and Russia have published national security strategies.
- China also has such a strategy in place, called the Comprehensive National Security, which is closely tied to its governance structure.
- Pakistan, too, has brought out a National Security Policy 2022-2026, underlining its national security objectives and priority areas.
Source – PIB
