Slide 1: Title Slide
- Title:
Non-Traditional Dimensions of Comprehensive Indian National Security
- Subtitle:
Beyond Conventional Threats
- Presenter: Brig Hemant Mahajan,YSM
- Date:
July 22, 2025
Slide 2: Introduction - Evolving Security Paradigms
- Traditional
Security: Focus on military threats, territorial integrity, and
state-centric defense.
- Examples:
Border conflicts, cross-border terrorism, conventional warfare.
- Non-Traditional
Security (NTS): Broadening the scope of security to include
non-military threats that impact human well-being, societal stability, and
national prosperity.
- NTS
threats are often transnational, interconnected, and complex.
- Requires
a multi-faceted and comprehensive approach.
- Why
is this relevant for India?
- India's
diverse socio-economic landscape and geopolitical position make it highly
vulnerable to NTS challenges.
- These
threats can undermine national development, internal stability, and
international standing.
Slide 3: Political Aspects of Non-Traditional Security
- Internal
Instability and Governance:
- Political
Extremism & Radicalization: Growth of ideologies that challenge
the constitutional framework.
- Regional
Imbalances & Separatist Movements: Demands for greater autonomy
or secession fueled by perceived injustices.
- Corruption
and Governance Deficits: Undermining public trust, resource
allocation, and rule of law.
- Electoral
Integrity & Disinformation: Threats to democratic processes
through foreign interference or internal manipulation.
- Transnational
Political Linkages:
- Influence
Operations: Foreign actors attempting to sway domestic policy or
public opinion.
- Support
for Non-State Actors: External backing of insurgent or terrorist
groups.
- Geopolitical
Competition and Proxy Conflicts: India becoming a theatre for global
power rivalries.
- Impact
on National Security: Erodes social cohesion, diverts resources,
creates internal fissures, and weakens state capacity.
Slide 4: Economic Aspects of Non-Traditional Security
- Economic
Inequality and Poverty:
- Disparity:
Widening gap between rich and poor leading to social unrest and
alienation.
- Unemployment
& Underemployment: Particularly among youth, creating a breeding
ground for discontent and radicalization.
- Impact:
Can fuel crime, social unrest, and extremist ideologies, impacting
overall stability.
- Resource
Security:
- Energy
Security: Dependence on imported fossil fuels, vulnerability to
global price fluctuations and supply disruptions.
- Food
Security: Impact of climate change, erratic monsoons, agricultural
distress, and global food price volatility.
- Water
Security: Scarcity, inter-state and trans-boundary water disputes,
and impact of climate change on water resources.
- Financial
and Cyber Economic Threats:
- Cyber
Warfare & Economic Espionage: Attacks on critical infrastructure,
financial systems, and intellectual property.
- Money
Laundering & Illicit Financial Flows: Funding for terrorism,
organized crime, and undermining economic stability.
- Economic
Coercion: Use of economic tools by state or non-state actors to exert
influence.
- Impact
on National Security: Weakens economic resilience, creates
vulnerabilities to external pressure, and exacerbates social tensions.
Slide 5: Social Aspects of Non-Traditional Security
- Demographic
Challenges:
- Population
Growth & Youth Bulge: Strain on resources, employment, and
infrastructure if not adequately managed.
- Migration
(Internal & Cross-Border): Pressure on resources, social
services, and potential for ethnic/communal tensions.
- Urbanization
Challenges: Slums, crime, inadequate infrastructure, and social
fragmentation in rapidly growing cities.
- Health
Security:
- Pandemics
& Epidemics: COVID-19 demonstrated the devastating impact on
human life, economy, and state capacity.
- Disease
Burden: Endemic diseases, lack of access to healthcare, and public
health infrastructure deficits.
- Bioterrorism:
Potential for deliberate release of biological agents.
- Societal
Cohesion and Identity:
- Communalism
& Caste Conflict: Internal divisions and violence threatening
national unity.
- Disinformation
and Social Polarization: Use of social media to spread divisive
narratives.
- Education
and Skill Deficit: Lack of quality education and employable skills
leading to social frustration.
- Impact
on National Security: Undermines social harmony, strains public
services, reduces human capital, and can lead to internal conflicts.
Slide 6: Technological Aspects of Non-Traditional
Security
- Cyber
Security:
- Critical
Infrastructure Attacks: Power grids, financial systems, communication
networks, defense systems.
- Data
Theft and Espionage: Compromising sensitive government, corporate,
and personal data.
- Cybercrime:
Ransomware, fraud, and other illicit activities with economic and social
costs.
- Emerging
Technologies & Dual-Use Concerns:
- Artificial
Intelligence (AI): Potential for autonomous weapons, surveillance,
and algorithmic bias.
- Biotechnology:
Gene editing, synthetic biology with potential for misuse (e.g.,
bio-weapons).
- Quantum
Computing: Threat to current encryption standards, impacting secure
communication.
- Space
Security: Weaponization of space, threats to satellites vital for
communication and navigation.
- Information
Warfare & Propaganda:
- Fake
News & Disinformation Campaigns: Undermining public trust,
manipulating narratives, and inciting unrest.
- Social
Media Exploitation: Use by state and non-state actors for
recruitment, radicalization, and influence.
- Impact
on National Security: Creates new attack vectors, accelerates threats,
blurs lines between state and non-state actors, and challenges traditional
defense mechanisms.
Slide 7: Environmental Aspects of Non-Traditional
Security
- Climate
Change Impacts:
- Extreme
Weather Events: Floods, droughts, heatwaves, cyclones leading to
displacement, loss of life, and economic damage.
- Sea-Level
Rise: Threat to coastal populations, infrastructure, and potential
displacement.
- Glacial
Melt: Impact on water resources, especially in the Himalayan region.
- Resource
Degradation:
- Deforestation
& Land Degradation: Loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and
impact on livelihoods.
- Water
Pollution: Contamination of vital water sources, impacting public
health and agriculture.
- Air
Pollution: Major public health crisis, impacting productivity and
increasing healthcare burden.
- Environmental
Migration & Conflict:
- Climate
Refugees: Displacement due to environmental degradation and resource
scarcity.
- Resource
Conflicts: Increased competition over dwindling water, land, and
other natural resources.
- Impact
on National Security: Exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, creates
humanitarian crises, strains state capacity for disaster response, and can
trigger internal and cross-border conflicts.
Slide 8: India's Approach to Comprehensive National
Security
- Policy
Frameworks:
- While
India lacks a single, publicly released National Security Strategy
document, various policies and committees address these dimensions (e.g.,
National Cyber Security Policy, National Action Plan on Climate Change,
initiatives for internal security).
- Emphasis
on "Strategic Autonomy" and "Multi-alignment" in
foreign policy.
- Institutional
Mechanisms:
- National
Security Council (NSC), National Security Advisor (NSA), National
Security Advisory Board (NSAB).
- Role
of various ministries (Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defense,
Environment, Health, etc.) in coordinating responses.
- Increased
focus on intelligence gathering and sharing for NTS threats.
- Challenges
in Implementation:
- Lack
of integrated and holistic policy implementation across ministries.
- Resource
allocation constraints and competing priorities.
- Need
for greater public awareness and participation.
- Bridging
the gap between policy and on-ground execution.
Slide 9: Way Forward - Strengthening India's
Comprehensive Security
- Integrated
National Security Strategy: Develop a holistic and publicly accessible
document outlining threats, priorities, and strategies across all
dimensions.
- Capacity
Building:
- Invest
in human capital for emerging threats (e.g., cybersecurity experts,
public health professionals).
- Strengthen
disaster management and climate adaptation capabilities.
- Technological
Advancement & Innovation:
- Promote
indigenous R&D in critical and emerging technologies.
- Develop
robust cyber defenses and offensive capabilities.
- Community
Resilience & Public Awareness:
- Foster
social cohesion and address root causes of internal discord.
- Educate
citizens on NTS threats and their role in national security.
- Regional
& Global Cooperation:
- Collaborate
with international partners on trans-boundary NTS issues (e.g., climate
change, pandemics, cybercrime).
- Strengthen
multilateral institutions for collective security.
- Citizen-Centric
Security: Prioritize the well-being and security of every citizen as
central to national security.
Slide 10: Conclusion
- India's
national security landscape is increasingly complex, with non-traditional
threats posing significant challenges to its stability and prosperity.
- A
comprehensive approach that integrates political, economic, social,
technological, and environmental dimensions is crucial.
- Proactive
policies, institutional strengthening, technological innovation, and
international cooperation are key to building a resilient and secure
India.
Slide 11: Questions & Discussion
- Open
for questions and further discussion.
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