As India approaches the new century the components of National
security itself needs to be redefined. The traditional view that National Security is
related only to security of territory from external aggression needs to be changed.
Internal stability and order and comprehensive national strength of the country are
equally important factors in protecting and maintaining the security of the nation state.
Admittedly, terrorism indulged in by dissident elements in the
country constitutes one of the biggest threats to national stability and progress. .A
foreign fuelled terrorism especially when such terrorists have safe haven across the
border (like the Kashmir terrorists in Pakistan) is a serious threat to internal stability
and eventual survival of the nation state, as it is a proxy war by the enemy to destroy
the country by bleeding it.
Conflicts are also within the country. Ethnic and communal
conflicts often leading to bloodshed and disorder are equally threats to national security
as external aggression is. The neglect of individual security creates a psyche culminating
in these conflicts. Irrational behaviour seen so often in communal and caste conflicts
arise out of economic deprivation. The majority of participants and victims in the
communal and caste conflicts are the economically deprived. Limited access to economic
opportunities manifest themselves in these conflicts.. which in turn create a discordant
society. The path toward minimising social conflicts lies in improving individual
security. The essential components of such security are in the realms of ,food , health ,
education etc. Security threats can also arise out of environmental degradation.
Continuing drought in neighbouring states leads to mass migration bringing in its wake
social tension by way of communal and anti foreigner movements as it happened in Assam
sometime ago. For example, Global warming and the resultant rise in sea levels may see, in
longer term, large parts of Bangladesh submerged under sea with the consequence that the
affected population will migrate to safer locations in India.
When there are a multitude of problems relating to personal,
economic, political or environmental security, there is a risk of national break down.
Assessment on national security should therefore include the
above issues and also the components of comprehensive national strength of the country
like education level, science and tehcnology capabilities, economic and production
strength.
Selected indicators of the human security, can provide an early
warning on whether a country is heading towards social disintegration and possible
national breakdown.
Some of these are :
- Food security : Measured by daily calorie supply,
index of food production per capita, food import dependency ratio .
- Job and income security : Measured by high
prolonged unemployment rates, sudden drop in national income, extremely high rate of
inflation, and wide income disparities between rich and poor.
- Ethnic and religious conflicts : Measured by
percentage of population involved in such conflicts and no. of casualties.
- Inequities : Measured by difference in Human
Development Index values of different population groups.
- Military spending: measured by ratio of military
spending to spending on education and health.(guns vs. butter)
- Economic strength and production capability : This
is an important input in assessing the inherent strength of the country in facing any
foreign aggression and thus is related to national security.
- Science and Technology capability of the country.
A county weak in this component can never be strong enough to face aggression.
Mechanisms have to be put in place for collecting information and
statistics on various components of national security and providing it to a body who could
make long term assessment to enable the govt. of the day to plan corrective measures well
ahead. The existing intelligence agencies are not geared to cover these issues. A
centralised body like the Joint Intelligence Committee or the newly constituted National
Security Council should have a system of collecting data from the concerned departments
and have it analysed by experts in the field. .
A holistic perspective of national security would then be
available to the policy makers of this country enabling them to make the correct decisions
in ensuring the security of the nation.
S. Gopal
21-11-98
(Author is the former Special Secretary,Cabinet
Secretariat, Govt. of India)
