Time For A Shift In The National Security Paradigm

New Delhi-centric approach towards national security needs a long-delayed change, with state governments and Union Territories playing an important role. And in this, north-eastern states should be allowed to show the way

- PM Heblikar

Since Independence, India has conducted 4 in-house reviews and 1-inter-ministerial report on certain aspects of national security management. Of the five documents, one involved China, one was terrorism related and the rest were Pakistan centric. The Kargil Review Committee (KRC) was the first major involvement of the country’s top political brass in the formulation of a futuristic and proactive policy and not a knee jerk reaction to major threats to national security. The Naresh Chandra report (NCR) of 2012 made substantial recommendations to strengthen the national security mechanism. The KRC and NCR have witnessed traction in implementation thanks to the impetus received from the political establishment. Like anywhere else in the world and in India too, the coronavirus pandemic has brought about greater challenges to areas of national governance including security and safety.

It must, however, be acknowledged that recommendations of both the KRC and NRC have witnessed traction in its implementation