Forging India's Hard Power in the New Century

IDSA Issue Brief Forging India's Hard Power in the New Century is most relevant at this juncture. Such a research work could be of immense value to strategists. Could help shape our policies pragmatically based on scientific study.

The Researcher mentions various constituents of the Hard Power, one of it is ‘Civil-Military Relations’. It is a welcome thought. He postulates:

"Civil-Military Relations are at the core of any national security framework and the decision making process. While explicit political control over the military cannot be questioned, the need to involve the Indian armed forces as equal and responsible partners in the decision-making process is important.

Cross-pollination of national security bodies with defence expertise could contribute to better understanding on matters military and, consequently, the strategic thinking within the country.

In the short-to-medium term, it will entail the functional integration of the MoD and service headquarters, the creation of a chief of defence staff (CDS), representation of military staff in national security structures such as the NSC, leveraging military diplomacy in pursuit of India’s foreign policy objectives, consistency in military resourcing and expenditure, procedural reforms in the acquisition process and defence industry, and ensuring adequate operational preparedness levels to meet a range of military challenges and non-traditional threats."

SvipjaCMRChair