The Hindu : National : Security has external and domestic dimensions, says Ansari

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Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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Security has external and domestic dimensions, says Ansari

Special Correspondent

— Photo: R.V. Moorthy

Vice-President Hamid Ansari releasing an Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis publication at the 42nd IDSA Foundation Day in New Delhi on Saturday. Others (from left) are: Defence Minister A.K. Antony, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and IDSA Director Narendra Sisodia.

NEW DELHI: Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Defence Minister A.K. Antony have said the approach to foreign and security policies would be redefined by the emergence of unconventional threats.

Speaking at the Foundation Day of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA) here on Saturday, Mr. Ansari said factors such as age profile of populations and overlapping multiplicity of alliances were “decidedly new.” While the traditional imperatives remained in place, these factors also impacted on the security and foreign policy of countries.

Challenge of the day

“How then do we harmonise the two, respond to security imperatives and energise the policy impulse? This is the challenge of the day that requires to be addressed by the strategic community.”

Delivering the keynote address on “Emerging foreign policy and security challenges for India,” Mr. Ansari said the two were not synonymous. National security had both external and domestic dimensions. It now included non-traditional security and was focused on comprehensive human security. At the same time, he regretted the “state-centric discourse of our national security policies.” There was a need to look at the security of individuals and peoples in a more holistic sense where the goal was their protection from socio-economic and political inequities. Similarly the primary purpose of conducting foreign policy was to do so in the interest of the people. “The only answer would be to place individuals and people at the centre of the discourse and debate. All around us are societies where the priorities were reversed, with dire consequences,” he cautioned.

The Defence Minister also acknowledged the existence of traditional threats but felt there were little chances of a conventional war breaking out. Strategic analysts and policy planners must now keep an eye on unconventional threats such as disruption by cyber warfare, weather conditions and demographic changes. Better preparedness was required to deal with nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical weapons.

“At present the security forces are not fully structured to deal with such disruptive challenges effectively. Such crisis situations demand quick and effective responses. The need of the hour is to devise integrated strategies for better assessment, contingency planning and making long-term forecasts.”

Increasing costs of new technologies and equipment required elimination of dependence on foreign assistance. Increased transparency and fairness in all defence-related expenditure would also prove to be cost-effective in the long run.

“It must be our firm resolve and commitment to enforce the principle of zero tolerance in meeting our defence requirements,” said Mr. Antony.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and IDSA Director Narendra Sisodia also spoke.

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