SAFEGUARDING INDIAN INTERESTS IN FOREIGN LANDS

India’s renewed thrust on military diplomacy is significant. Given our growing geopolitical interests, it is imperative to calibrate engagements and develop leverages to promote national interest

- PINAK RANJAN CHAKRAVARTY

M ILITARY diplomacy has been an integral part of a country's overall diplomacy for around 170 years since Britain sent a general to its embassy in Paris in 1856. He was later attached to the French army's higher command during the Crimean War of 1853-56 and other military campaigns.

In recent times, a military or defence attaché, also called a defence advisor, has become a permanent feature at embassies in most countries. The position is always held by a serving military officer supported by other officers, depending on bilateral relations and strategic requirements. India maintains separate Army, Navy and Air Force attachés in big countries with which it maintains defence ties. The officer and his deputies are given diplomatic status.

Primarily, military diplomacy uses military assets and engagements to achieve strategic objectives in foreign policy. For a country like India, with a long military history and growing geopolitical interests, it is imperative to calibrate its military engagements and develop leverages for promoting national interest, in a rapidly evolving international multipolar global order.

The main functions of a defence attaché is to gather information, report on developments in the defence sector, liaison with the defence forces of the host country, handle defence-related exchanges, coordinate defence procurement for India's armed forces, and keep track of advances in military technologies. India also provides training to military officers from many countries who attend courses at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, the National Defence College, Delhi, and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. The defence attaché coordinates such training programmes.