India starts process to adopt National Security Strategy

India starts process to adopt National Security Strategy

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: defence

Context: India has kickstarted the process of bringing in a National Security Strategy.

More about the news:

• India has initiated the development of a National Security Strategy, marking a significant step in the country’s military and strategic planning.
• The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) is currently gathering inputs from various central ministries and departments to compile the initial draft of the strategy.
• The timeline for the completion of the strategy remains uncertain, although numerous ministries have already submitted their inputs to the NSCS on various aspects of the comprehensive document.
• This marks the first instance of India formulating a National Security Strategy, reflecting the nation’s evolving approach to security and defense planning.

What is a National Security Strategy:

• A National Security Strategy document delineates a nation’s security goals and the strategies necessary to accomplish them.
• It delineates both conventional and non-traditional threats and opportunities while instilling accountability within the agencies responsible for implementing these actions.
• In essence, a national security strategy serves as a guiding framework for the military and vital defense and security reforms, offering a comprehensive perspective on national security, the challenges it faces, and the strategies to tackle them.

Which countries have a National Security Strategy:

• Many developed countries maintain a National Security Strategy, periodically updated to outline security objectives and strategies. Notable examples include the US, UK, Russia, China (Comprehensive National Security), and Pakistan (National Security Policy 2022-2026), each emphasizing their national security priorities and objectives.

What is India’s need for a National Security Strategy:

• The complexity of modern security threats and geopolitical uncertainties have prompted the need for this strategy.
• Prominent figures, including former Army Chief General NC Vij, have emphasized the necessity of revising existing military directives and initiating major military reforms through the framework of a national security strategy.
• It has been proposed that a white paper on defense should be produced to elucidate India’s stance on significant defense matters while the national security strategy is being developed.
• This strategy is considered crucial for guiding military reforms in a coherent manner.

Why did India never have a national security strategy:

• Three previous efforts to formulate a national security strategy in India were thwarted, and political hesitancy appeared to be the main impediment.
• Security experts suggest that the government may have been apprehensive about the increased accountability it would impose on defense management.
• Various reasons have been proposed by strategic experts for India’s failure to develop a national security strategy in the past, including a lack of coordinated, whole-of-government collaboration, and potential reluctance on the government’s part to disclose its national security goals to the public.

What is the National Security Council (NSC):

• The National Security Council (NSC) of India, established in 1998, plays a crucial role by offering guidance to the Prime Minister’s Office regarding national security and strategic concerns.
• India’s national security management system operates within a three-tiered structure, with the NSC at its apex.
• This three-tiered system encompasses the Strategic Policy Group, the National Security Advisory Board, and a secretariat supplied by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).
• At the helm of the NSC is the National Security Advisor (NSA), who not only presides over the council but also serves as the principal advisor to the Prime Minister.
• The NSA’s dual role involves providing essential advice to the Prime Minister on a wide range of national security issues.

What is the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) 

• NSCS is the apex agency looking into the political, economic, energy and strategic security concerns of India.
• The NSCS has four verticals:
  • Strategic Planning;
  • Internal Affairs;
  • Intelligence and Technology;
  • Military
• National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) works under NSCS and coordinates with different agencies at the national level for cyber security matters.