What Should Be India’s National Security Doctrine: A Note

When we use a concept we have to be clear about it. Though the concepts “Strategy” and “Doctrine” are often used interchangeably, in effect, the latter guides the former and so they are inter-related and not interchangeable. The American Heritage Dictionary gives two meanings for  Strategy, (a) the science and art of using all the forces of a nation to execute approved plans as effectively as possible during peace and war, (b) the science and art of military command as applied to the overall planning and conduct of large-scale combat operations. The first definition will cover the national strategy and the second one the military strategy of a country.

What is the difference between a Strategy and a Doctrine? In relation to military strategy, it is an “overall statement of principles as to how forces are used at any stage.” The US Department of Defense describes the relationship between military strategy, military tactics and military doctrine in the following terms, “The levels of wars are doctrinal perspectives that clarify the links between strategic objectives and tactical actions. Though there are no finite limits between them, three levels are strategic, operational and tactical.” That means doctrine guides the actions at both strategic and operational levels. Thus Doctrine is applied through strategy and tactics as well as through specific operations. ‘Approved Plans’ as mentioned in the American Heritage Dictionary in its definition of Strategy have to issue from the Doctrine i.e. a set of national principles, ‘a statement of Government policy.’ The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines a political Doctrine as a “fundamental Government policy especially in international relations.” From this conceptual framework the National Security Doctrine should emerge.

The National Policy Doctrine of the US has always found expression in its Foreign Policy Doctrines. These Doctrines have changed fromtime to time according to that country’s national concerns and national outlook towards the political world. Francis P.Sempa, while historically viewing US National Security Doctrine has mentioned about eight major US National Security Doctrines in its historical existence. These Doctrines were and have been: Washington’s Farewell Address, the Monroe Doctrine, Manifest Destiny, the Open Door, Off-shore Balancer, Containment, Liberation, and the Bush doctrine of Redemption. An Obama Doctrine is also gradually emerging. It could be noticed that as the centre of gravity of the world affairs shifted towards US during its long march to prosperity and economic strength, its national security interests manifestly became globalized and moved from a policy of internal contentment to assuming global leadership and therefore it started guiding its national security policy to secure the latter interest. Discussing these security doctrines Francis P Sempa has said, “A country’s national security policy is determined by many factors, including external threats, geography, political culture, military capabilities, economic needs, elite opinion, popular opinion (in democracies) and its leaders’ perceptions of the country’s interests. This last factor frequently manifests itself in what has been called a foreign policy or national security ‘doctrine’ A national security doctrine serves as a guide by which leaders conduct the foreign policy of a country. At its most effective, a national security doctrine is the organizing principle that helps statesmen identify and prioritize that country’s geopolitical interests.” (Italics mine)

Iran in our neighbourhood has based its national security doctrine on the basis of its reading of its strategic geopolitical location as it appears from its then Defense Minister (Rear Admiral Ali Samkhani)’s interview given to a daily newspaper Syasaterooz on 18 February, 2003. He said that its military strategy was of ‘deterrent defense’ clarifying that it negated any action based on invasion but its policy is framed around bolstering oneself for warding off the first blow and after preliminary resistance to take deterrent actions to dispel threat. This appears to mean in essence that that country will launch vigorous counter attacks if attacked and not simply stop at defending its borders. Enunciating his country’s national security strategy he said that Iran’s defense structure had been shaped in line with deterrent defense strategy to stave off any threat. On being further questioned, he clarified that “The Islamic Republic has shaped its security doctrine in keeping with three elements: security environment, security capability software and hardware. The hardware section is aimed to promote in accordance with defense and security capabilities and the software section is related to strategic instructions, political legitimacy and influence of Islamic criteria.” The explanation on software section shows that the doctrine is not simply one of defensive security but concerns larger political principles based on political set-up and religious ideological interests.

In Indian political history, the concept of doctrine is not unheard of. We know of the British Imperialist’s “Doctrine of Lapse.” It was an annexation policy of Dalhousie to forfeit the right of Indian princely states to choose their heir in the event of the throne falling vacant due to ‘manifest incompetence’ of the incumbent prince or one having died without a direct heir. So, it was a fundamental Indian policy of the Imperialist government to expand British paramountcy.

When we talk of India’s National Security Doctrine in the present context, it must encompass the totality of this country’s military, diplomatic, economic and social policies that will protect and promote this country’s national security interests. It must take note of its geographical location, external and internal political environment and their affect on the country’s national aspirations in terms of its economic goal and its aspired for international status, its destined role in Asia as a whole and South Asia in particular, various threats to its national integration and to its stable democracy, constitutional commitments to various segments of Indian people spread over in its heterogeneous space i.e. all factors affecting the security interests of the country. Its Security Doctrine has to aim at warding off all tendencies that undermine its status as a nation and ensure its global status by consolidating its software and hardware capabilities. The Doctrine therefore needs to take care of the following aspects.

1. India historically suffers from a poor border-consciousness. Conquerors from abroad easily violated its borders in the historical past. For a nation-state that India is, territorial integrity is an important ingredient of national security, and therefore, one of its fundamental policies will have be to defend its borders by all means and it is essential to adopt a policy of perpetual preparedness as well as a strategy of defense of the State with an option to use force even beyond the territorial border in the event of an overt or covert external aggression on the nation’s territorial integrity or large-scale disruption of public order or both. India may not invade other’s territories but it will have to use all its defensive capabilities to ward off any conventional and unconventional attempt to violate its territory and also any attempt to undermine its polity. Eternal vigilance should be its fundamental doctrine and the strategies should flow from this.

Therefore:

(a) At the level of strategy, it will have to have a clear command structure with the civil control at policy level and a clear military command structure at operational level.

(b) It will have to acquire a strong deterrent capability to be able to strike in depth by means of air, naval and armed power and will be in perpetual defense preparedness.

(c) Its Intelligence machinery will have to be professionally efficient and penetrating. Intelligence collection may be through multiple channels but all vital inputs will have to flow to one intelligence management point at policy and strategy level. At tactical and operational levels, there has to be a mechanism to share intelligence amongst security agencies involved in operations.

(d) Both human and technical intelligence are required to be used–one multiplying the efficiency of the other and neither to be preferred in neglect of the other. Technology capable of acting as eyes and ears will have to be fully exploited to frustrate designs of the country’s enemy/enemies including the terrorist outfits.

2. The country’s technological capabilities, both terrestrial and space, need to be wedded to its national security interests. The country has already taken a no-first-use policy in respect of nuclear strike capability, but it must strike hard by way of retaliatory nuclear strike if any rogue state ventures to attack the country using nuclear arsenal. It has no need to undertake any fresh nuclear or thermonuclear test for assured nuclear deterrence, since a second-strike choice does not lie in the magnitude of the destructive strike but in its psychological capacity to expose the vulnerability of the rogue state and in its internal fallout in such state.

3. While India’s territorial interest does not extend beyond its land border, its maritime boundary has a strategic extension encompassing Indian Ocean region. India’s policy has to keep the Indian Ocean free from dominating presence of any power/power block and increasing its maritime presence in the region. To ignore attempts of any great power to commercially or strategically dominate this space will be against the long-term national security interest of this country. The Moghuls’ lack of maritime security consciousness resulted in the European powers taking foothold in India that eventually led to colonization of the entire subcontinent. This needs to be always remembered. Therefore, India needs to adopt appropriate defense and foreign policy initiatives to ensure that Indian Ocean region remains a zone free from great power domination. As a strategy, it should endeavour to promote Indian Ocean Region Cooperation amongst the states whose national interests are bound up with the Indian Ocean before these states come under the spell of some big power hegemony through commercial and security maneuvers. Though India does not have any territorial ambition beyond its border, it has the need to use its Soft Power vigorously to ensure a safe neighourhood.

4. India provides a great example of democratic stability and developmental success derived from its institutional mechanism to the non-western countries. But one has to admit that its nation-building has remained an arduous task and many ethno-national, sub-national, caste-hierarchical, religious and linguistic counter-national factors and aspirations have been straining its fabric centrifugally. Unbalanced growth trajectory has even encouraged some alternative ideological discourses to surface loudly and of late it has become very pronounced. These factors are causes for major internal security concerns for the country. Inclusive growth as adopted by the 11 Five Year Plan will need to remain a long-term state policy in the face of sectarian, regional and class & caste based economic discontent. India has already promoted grassroots democracy through Panchayat Raj, but the system is weak due to all round corruption. The system has to function in a manner in which the common people’s response is one of trust and willing participation.  All institutional mechanisms shall have to be strengthened for empowerment of weaker sections of Indian society so that all feel their worth as stakeholders of a vibrant nation.

5. Within the internal space of the country, terrorism and insurgency rising from internal discontent need to be tackled principally by police with the help of paramilitary forces, and therefore, police capability needs to be sharpened to meet this requirement. The Constitutionally granted equality of status has to be achieved in real terms and the discontented deprived sections of the people should feel that they belong to the nation and the nation belongs to them. The country’s political economy has to assure this. The security vision is often found divorced from human rights requirements and very often the concept of Security of the State remains blind to the Security of the Citizens. The framers of the National Security Doctrine need to remain conscious of the principles enunciated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

(6) India is a victim of the global network of terrorism. In fighting international terrorism, India in cooperation with other nations needs to evolve a joint mechanism to fight terrorism within the framework of UN resolutions and conventions. In this respect too, a policy of defensive deterrence with the right to take deterrent action against any state that promotes terrorism against this country has to be an element of India’s Security Doctrine. The doctrine will keep the option open but any decision to strike outside the national territory has to be taken only as a strategy of last resort and with adequate international diplomatic support.

The National Security Doctrine need not be secretive. In fact, it should be known to every citizen how India will respond to any threat to its national security. Only actual strategies adopted in pursuance of the National Security Doctrine have to remain beyond the eyes of all except those who need to know.

Harekrishna Deka, (b. 1943) Eminent Assamese poet, fiction writer, critic, editor, and the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award (1987), Katha Award (1996), Assam Valley Literary Award (2010) and Padmanath Bidyabinod Award (2015); has nine collections of poems, six volumes of short stories, five books of literary criticism, two novels, two edited books, two books of social criticism and one collection of translated poems to his credit; has served as the editor of the English daily ‘The Sentinel’ and the Assamese literary magazine ‘Goriyoshi’. Starting his professional career as a college teacher, he has served as the Director General of Police and a member of the National Security Advisory Board.