The Hindu : India should re-evaluate security concerns: expert

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 08, 2002

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India should re-evaluate security concerns: expert

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Aug. 7. The present processes and policies of the Centre ``seem to be devoid of any deep understanding of the Indian predicament and the future well-being of the country,'' the former Foreign Secretary, J.N. Dixit, said here today.

India had to re-evaluate its security concerns at a time when the management of security arrangements was no longer the exclusive responsibility of governments of nation states, he said, delivering the keynote address on "perspectives on security" at the inauguration of the Centre for Security Analysis, a Chennai-based non-profit, non-partisan, independent policy research think-tank. There were many international laws which guided interactions and these were increasingly not respecting national boundaries.

On the external threat aspect, he said India's security concerns stemmed from the fact that there was a continuing threat from Pakistan, and, a presently "non-operational" problem with China on the boundary question. It was necessary to remember that except for Maldives and Bhutan, India has had troubles with all its immediate neighbours.

The Tamil Nadu Governor, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, who inaugurated the centre, dwelt on the need to view internal security concerns seriously. "Over a period of time, the majority (community) can develop a feeling that since minorities do not want to be included, they should be discriminated against."

The indirect process of election in the parliamentary form of government seemed to encourage or create new forms of social alienation and contradictions in society. These "have serious implications and can lead to unmanageable social tensions in the future." Many States, including Tamil Nadu, were facing this problem.

The notion of security had undergone a change from the definitions that held forth during the cold war era, said the president of the centre, V.R. Raghavan. There was a growing demand that security should be viewed from the economic, environmental, political and social aspects.

The Editor of The Hindu, N.Ravi, said it was debatable if people in the South reacted differently to security issues. ``One view has it that the South, with its historical experience of trade and cultural contacts with the outside world and having experienced somewhat less of conflict, would perhaps be less concerned with defence issues and would perhaps be less suspicious of foreigners.''

The Ford Foundation Representative in India, Gowher Rizvi, congratulated the team for successful launch of the centre.

The Madras University Vice-Chancellor, Ignacimuthu, and the centre secretary, Lawrence Prabhakar, also spoke.

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