Need for National Security Strategy (NSS)

Syllabus:

Source: TH

Context: India urgently needs a National Security Strategy (NSS) that integrates defence, finance, and other critical sectors into a unified framework.

What is the National Security Strategy (NSS)?

It outlines a country’s security goals and methods to achieve them, addressing both traditional and non-traditional threats. It should align with constitutional values and democratic principles. The strategy includes threat assessments, resource allocation, and policies on defence and intelligence.

Countries like the U.S., the U.K., Russia, China, and Pakistan have formal NSS documents. India has made several attempts, such as the Kargil Review Committee Report (2000) and Gen. D.S. Hooda’s document (2019), but a formal NSS has not yet been implemented. Key elements of an NSS include defining security objectives and evaluating geopolitical challenges and resources. But now, India has started the process of bringing in a National Security Strategy(NSS).

India needs a written National Security Strategy (NSS) to:

• Update Policy: Replace the outdated 2009 directive for the Armed Forces.

• Address Evolving Threats: Respond to new challenges like hybrid warfare and China’s naval expansion.

• Enable Long-term Planning: Prevent short-term, ad hoc decisions and ensure strategic consistency.

• Signal Strategic Intent: Clarify India’s role in global security and build stronger partnerships.

• Promote Accountability: Provide a reference for peer review and improve national security coordination.

Significance/Benefits of a National Security Strategy (NSS) for India:

• Meet changing security dynamics and priorities: It can encourage the government to regularly review threats, opportunities, and global security trends. Example: Major powers like the US, UK, and Russia have published and updated NSS, ensuring evolving challenges like hybrid warfare, the Chinese navy’s growth are addressed timely.

• Example: Major powers like the US, UK, and Russia have published and updated NSS, ensuring evolving challenges like hybrid warfare, the Chinese navy’s growth are addressed timely.

• Framework for Effective Long-term Planning: A coherent future strategy will help avoid taking short-term, ad hoc, hasty, and regime-centric decisions on important national security issues. Example: It prevents hasty decisions, like the discontinuation of India’s previous five-year Defence Plans.

• Example: It prevents hasty decisions, like the discontinuation of India’s previous five-year Defence Plans.

• Strategic Signaling in World Order: It will clarify India’s strategic intent to friends and foes, highlight its role as a security provider in the Indian Ocean, and establish clear cooperation with partners. Example: It can signal India’s commitment to counter China’s naval expansion in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Example: It can signal India’s commitment to counter China’s naval expansion in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Operational clarity: Example: It can help guide decision-making in areas like delegation, operationalision of theatre commands etc.

• Example: It can help guide decision-making in areas like delegation, operationalision of theatre commands etc.

• Adopt a Whole national approach: It can help build synergy for harnessing comprehensive national power and coordinate operations effectively. Example: This approach can strengthen responses to hybrid warfare, cyber threats, and counter-terrorism

• Example: This approach can strengthen responses to hybrid warfare, cyber threats, and counter-terrorism

Challenges in Formulating an NSS in India:

• Lack of Political Will and Consensus: The absence of political consensus, fear of accountability, and limited expertise on defence matters have hindered NSS formulation. Example: Despite recommendations from committees like the Naresh Chandra Committee, no consensus has been reached.

• Example: Despite recommendations from committees like the Naresh Chandra Committee, no consensus has been reached.

• Loss of Strategic Flexibility: Formalizing an NSS could limit strategic flexibility, binding leadership to specific policies rather than adapting to evolving threats. Example: Israel operates effectively without a formal NSS, relying on ad hoc policy adjustments.

• Example: Israel operates effectively without a formal NSS, relying on ad hoc policy adjustments.

• Resource Allocation and Institutional Support: Implementing NSS requires significant financial and human resources, which are often inadequately allocated. Example: India has limited defence think tanks and a relatively lower budget compared to the US, Russia, and China.

• Example: India has limited defence think tanks and a relatively lower budget compared to the US, Russia, and China.

• Changing Threat Landscape: Adapting the NSS to address evolving security threats, such as cyber threats, terrorism, and non-traditional security challenges, is a continuous challenge.

• Adapting the NSS to address evolving security threats, such as cyber threats, terrorism, and non-traditional security challenges, is a continuous challenge.

Previous Steps Taken Towards NSS Formulation:

• Kargil Review Committee Report (2000): Provided security recommendations but did not lead to an immediate NSS.

• Naresh Chandra Committee (2011): Initiated discussions on security reforms including defence and intelligence reforms, but NSS development was not achieved.

• Defence Planning Committee (2018): Chaired by a National Security Advisor: It is a permanent body tasked with preparing a draft national security strategy among others.

• Hooda Committee (2018): Suggested a comprehensive NSS to address evolving security challenges, recommending a proactive global role, securing the neighbourhood, and strengthening internal and external security capabilities.

Conclusion:

As India enters Amrit Kaal, committing to an NSS will enhance national security planning, inspire innovation, and strengthen India’s global standing.

Insta Links:

• National Security Strategy

Mains Links:

India and the USA are two large democracies. Examine the basic tenets on which the two political systems are based. (UPSC 2018)

Prelims Link:

In the Constitution of India, the promotion of international peace and security is included in the (UPSC 2014)

(a) Preamble to the Constitution (b) Directive Principles of State Policy (c) Fundamental Duties (d) Ninth Schedule

Ans: (b)