Reference Works
- Vikram Sampath, Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past,
1883–1924 (Penguin Viking, 2019)
- Vikram Sampath, Savarkar: A Contested Legacy, 1924–1966
(Penguin Viking, 2021)
Introduction
Although Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar is widely discussed as a revolutionary, political leader, social
reformer, and ideologue, comparatively less attention has been paid to his
ideas on national security. A close reading of Vikram Sampath’s two
comprehensive volumes reveals that Savarkar’s vision extended far beyond the
struggle for political independence. His writings and speeches encompassed a
broad framework involving nation-building, military preparedness, strategic
autonomy, territorial integrity, maritime security, foreign policy, and
national cohesion.
Sampath’s work demonstrates that
Savarkar was not merely a revolutionary nationalist but also one of the
earliest Indian thinkers to articulate a coherent strategic vision for India’s
security in the modern world.
1. Sovereignty and
Territorial Integrity
A. The Idea of an Integrated
Nation
In Echoes from a Forgotten
Past, Sampath demonstrates that Savarkar viewed India not merely as a
political territory created by the British, but as a civilizational state
forged through centuries of shared history, culture, and collective experience.
Savarkar’s seminal work, The
Indian War of Independence, 1857, portrayed the revolt of 1857 as a
national struggle aimed at restoring India’s sovereignty rather than merely
replacing one ruling authority with another.
Sampath’s Observation
“Savarkar viewed political
freedom not as an end in itself but as a prerequisite for restoring the
sovereignty of an ancient nation.”
— Sampath, Vol. I
For Savarkar, sovereignty was
inseparable from national dignity and survival. A nation that lacked political
control over its territory could neither preserve its culture nor secure its
future.
B. Opposition to Partition
In A Contested Legacy,
Sampath highlights Savarkar’s early recognition of the dangers posed by
separatist politics and the demand for Pakistan.
Savarkar argued that:
- National partition would permanently weaken India’s security.
- Religious nationalism would create enduring geopolitical
instability.
- Division of the subcontinent would generate future conflicts
and border disputes.
Following the Lahore Resolution
of 1940, Savarkar emerged as one of the strongest opponents of partition.
Contemporary Relevance
Many of the challenges that
emerged after 1947—including:
- The Kashmir dispute,
- Cross-border terrorism,
- India-Pakistan military confrontations,
can be viewed through the lens
of Savarkar’s concerns regarding the strategic consequences of territorial
division.
2. Military Power and Defence
Preparedness
A. Militarisation and
National Strength
One of Savarkar’s most quoted
formulations was:
“Militarize Politics and
Hinduize the Nation.”
While often interpreted
narrowly, Sampath argues that Savarkar’s primary emphasis was on cultivating a
society capable of self-defence through:
- Military training,
- Physical fitness,
- Strategic awareness,
- Knowledge of modern warfare,
- National discipline.
Savarkar believed that political
freedom could not survive without military capability.
Sampath’s Assessment
“Savarkar believed that freedom
without the ability to defend it was fragile and temporary.”
— Sampath, Vol. II
B. The Second World War and
Military Recruitment
During World War II, Savarkar
encouraged Indian youth to join the armed forces.
At the time, many nationalist
leaders criticised this stance as collaboration with the British. Sampath,
however, provides a different interpretation.
According to him, Savarkar
viewed the war as an opportunity to:
- Expand Indian participation in the military,
- Gain access to modern weapons and training,
- Develop an officer corps capable of leading an independent
India.
Many military leaders who later
served independent India gained crucial operational experience during this
period.
C. Indigenous Defence
Production
Savarkar consistently argued
that national security required industrial and technological self-reliance.
He emphasized:
- Domestic arms production,
- Aircraft manufacturing,
- Shipbuilding,
- Military-industrial development,
- Scientific and technological advancement.
Sampath notes that Savarkar
regarded industrialization as a strategic necessity rather than merely an
economic objective.
Contemporary Resonance
Modern initiatives such as:
- Atmanirbhar Bharat,
- Make in India,
- Indigenous missile development,
- DRDO programmes,
- Tejas fighter aircraft,
- BrahMos missile system,
reflect principles that are
broadly consistent with Savarkar’s emphasis on self-reliant defence
capabilities.
3. Strategic Autonomy and
Realist Foreign Policy
A. National Interest Above
Sentiment
Sampath’s study reveals that
Savarkar’s worldview was fundamentally realist.
He believed that:
“Nations have neither permanent
friends nor permanent enemies; they have only permanent interests.”
Accordingly, foreign policy
should be guided not by ideology or sentiment but by strategic calculations
rooted in national interest.
B. Understanding
International Power Politics
During his years in London at
India House, Savarkar closely studied:
- European nationalist movements,
- Revolutionary organizations,
- Global power rivalries,
- Anti-colonial struggles.
Sampath notes that Savarkar
understood the importance of exploiting rivalries among major powers to advance
India’s strategic interests.
This perspective anticipated
many elements of modern geopolitical realism.
C. Relevance to Contemporary
India
Today, India simultaneously
participates in:
- QUAD,
- BRICS,
- Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO),
- I2U2,
- Indo-Pacific partnerships.
This policy of strategic
flexibility and multi-alignment reflects a principle similar to Savarkar’s
insistence that foreign policy should remain focused on national interest
rather than ideological alignment.
4. Maritime Security and
Geopolitics
Savarkar was among the earliest
Indian strategic thinkers to appreciate the significance of maritime power.
His incarceration in the Andaman
Cellular Jail gave him a unique appreciation of the strategic importance of the
Indian Ocean region.
Sampath records Savarkar’s
description of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as:
“The future naval fortress of
India.”
Today, the strategic importance
of the islands is evident through:
- The Andaman and Nicobar Command,
- Monitoring of the Malacca Strait,
- India’s Indo-Pacific strategy,
- Maritime domain awareness initiatives.
His observations demonstrate
remarkable foresight regarding maritime security.
5. Civilizational Unity as a
Security Asset
A. Hindutva as a
Political-Civilizational Concept
Drawing upon Savarkar’s Hindutva:
Who is a Hindu?, Sampath argues that Savarkar’s conception of Hindutva
extended beyond religion.
It encompassed:
- Shared territory,
- Shared ancestry,
- Shared historical memory,
- Shared cultural heritage.
For Savarkar, these elements
formed the basis of national cohesion.
B. Internal Unity and
National Security
Savarkar believed that internal
divisions could be as dangerous as external threats.
He argued that:
- Communal conflict,
- Sectarian divisions,
- Regional fragmentation,
- Weak national identity,
could undermine a nation’s
capacity to defend itself.
Sampath’s Interpretation
“No nation can defend itself
effectively if it remains internally fragmented.”
In Savarkar’s framework, social
cohesion was therefore an essential component of national security.
6. Contemporary Relevance of
Savarkar’s Security Thought
China and Border Security
Savarkar’s emphasis on military
preparedness resonates strongly in contemporary discussions surrounding:
- The Line of Actual Control (LAC),
- Chinese military modernization,
- Indo-Pacific competition,
- Maritime security.
Pakistan and Cross-Border
Threats
Issues such as:
- Terrorism,
- Radicalization,
- Proxy warfare,
- Border infiltration,
continue to highlight the
importance of national resilience and defence preparedness, themes central to
Savarkar’s strategic thinking.
Defence Self-Reliance
India’s current focus on:
- Indigenous missiles,
- Fighter aircraft,
- Naval platforms,
- Space and cyber capabilities,
aligns with Savarkar’s
long-standing call for technological and military self-sufficiency.
Conclusion
Vikram Sampath’s two-volume
biography presents Savarkar not merely as a revolutionary nationalist or
political leader but as a significant thinker on national security.
Four major pillars emerge from
his strategic thought:
- An indivisible and sovereign nation-state
- A strong and modern military establishment
- A realist foreign policy based on national interests
- Internal cohesion as the foundation of national security
Although Savarkar wrote in a
vastly different historical context, many of his concerns—territorial
integrity, military modernization, strategic autonomy, maritime power, and
national unity—continue to resonate in contemporary debates on India’s security
and foreign policy.
Selected References
- Sampath, Vikram. Savarkar: Echoes from a Forgotten Past,
1883–1924. Penguin Viking, 2019.
- Sampath, Vikram. Savarkar: A Contested Legacy, 1924–1966.
Penguin Viking, 2021.
- Savarkar, V.D. The Indian War of Independence, 1857.
- Savarkar, V.D. Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?
- Savarkar Samagra Vangmaya (Collected Works of Savarkar).
- Keer, Dhananjay. Veer Savarkar.
- Bajpai, Kanti and Harsh V. Pant (eds.). India’s National
Security: A Reader.
- Tellis, Ashley J. India’s Emerging National Security
Strategy.
- Appadorai, A. India’s Foreign Policy and National Security.
- Various speeches, writings, and presidential addresses of
V.D. Savarkar between 1937 and 1965 as cited in Sampath’s two-volume
biography.
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