How India Manages Its National Security

by Arvind Gupta

In this authoritative and comprehensive survey of the challenges a changing global security environment poses to India, former deputy national security advisor Arvind Gupta outlines the important aspects of the country's security apparatus and how they interface to confront internal and external conflicts. We have today a turbulent Middle East to the west; a rising and assertive China to the north; Pakistan in the grip of the military and the militants across our border and an increasingly militarizing Indian Ocean region surrounding us. Additionally, climate change, cyber security and the vulnerability of our space assets are major areas of concern. Anything that weakens a nation weakens its security, which makes the issues of food, water, health, economics and governance critically significant. Arvind Gupta draws on his long experience in these areas to argue that instead of tactical remedies, a strategic, coherent, institutional approach is needed to deal with these challenges. Strengthening the National Security Council, for instance, could be one way forward.
How India Manages Its National Security explains with great clarity and thoroughness the concept and operation of India's national security apparatus. This book will be of great interest to practitioners, analysts and laymen alike and offer an important voice in the discussion on how national security challenges should be resolved in the decades to come.

Genres: India

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2018

Reviews

[Aditya Kulkarni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A country as large and diverse as India which is also situated in one of the world's most volatile areas and is surrounded by two hostile, nuclear states, needs to have a strong and robust security system in place. This book acts as a primer on India's security system and the author, Arvind Gupta, former Deputy National Security Advisor to the Government of India, makes an in-depth analysis on the matter.

Every aspect of national security, the armed forces, the paramilitary forces, diplomatic network, cyber security network, India's ability to deal with unforseen situations that might have an impact on security such as climate change are all discussed in an outstanding manner by the author. The author provides a critique to the existing deficiencies embedded within the system and provides suggestions based on his vast experience and reasoning.

The world is changing and uncertainty looms large. The United States, Russia, and China are involved in a Cold War of sorts which has led to many strategic and defence experts to label it as Cold War-II. India is already revamping its security but there is a lot still left to be done in this matter. Despite the innumerable security challenges faced by India, our security system has done a great job in keeping the country safe to a large extent. The author expresses immense confidence in the fact that India will be able to successfully strengthen its security system and ensure that it can develop its own narrative in the world.

To quote him,

With a 5000-year unbroken living civilisational and cultural wisdom behind us, India should be able to develop its own narrative for the new world.

I highly recommend this book to all Indians so that they can appreciate the complexities involved in keeping India secure and the great job that our security agencies and personnel do on a day to day basis so as the 1.3 billion of us remain safe and secure.

[Laya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Refer wikipedia.

[Namita Barthwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is covering India's security-related issues. It gives a fine introduction to India's national security system.

[Sani Raza Khanani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really good account of India's Internal and External Security Environment. It encompases Police , Armed Forces , Intelligence Agencies , Cyber Security , Nuclear Missile Power and many other aspects. External Security concerning Pakistan and China ; Internal Security concerning separation movements in Kashmir , North East and Naxalite Red Corridor are widely discussed

[Nirmal Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there is little analysis, this book is a beginner's primer on India's national security apparatus. Considering the author has rich experience in national security policymaking, the book could have delved more into an insider's account on the politics of national security policy.

[Rakesh Awasthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's very off - the - cuff.