India 1998-2001: Neutralizing Its Military Power

Crises of Command. Each year India sustains a gigantic military power. Continuous. Dedicated. And capable. But the leadership since Independence, in its ignorance, has been neutralizing it with equal ferocity. Unwittingly. Illogically. And without batting an eyelid. India should have been a surplus military power nation-state today but for the strategic illiteracy that prevailed within New Delhi’s power structure.

The Neutralizing Factor. Due to non-governance within the borders, the gigantic military machine of India loses a majority of its military muscle fighting its own people. Kashmir. North-East India. Punjab. And a few other flashpoints ready to explode. The list is long - the internal consumption of military power is colossal. Result: No matter how much military power we generate, it is never adequate. In turn, we are unable to extend our influence.

Societal Faults. Behind this loss is a society steeped in superstitions, illiteracy and poverty. Stuck from Monday to Sunday in rites and rituals, our focus remains either on our rich inheritance of the past or we are busy securing a berth in heaven for the future. Focus on the “present” is a rarity. Therefore, the rich ancient heritage of India has become a burden instead of a pleasure to bask in for the common man. The several layers of non-functional bureaucracy which disallow development of the society results in agitation. This results in a law and order problem. And ultimately in insurgency or wreckage from within. This weakness is exploited with finesse by outsiders. At this stage military power is sucked in to control the deteriorating internal situation, negating its cutting edge against external threats. Thus, societal energies have been effectively negated in the past fifty years due to shortcomings in the national leadership.

Changing the Mindset. India needs to resolve with dispatch the internal strife through a functional federal structure, speedy district-wise development, internal liberalization, and transparent administration. The enormous costs involved in keeping the strife within its borders in check nullifies the stamina of the armed forces. Modernization of the Indian mind through education in the long term and ensuring implementation of developmental schemes in the short term are a must. The urge in the Indian psyche to amass individual wealth is all-powerful - the government must harmonize its policies to unshackle this energy which has the potential to put this country on the fast track of development. In fact, channelizing this singular quality towards dynamic growth will give citizenry a stake in the system. Internal dissent will automatically lower its temperature to an acceptable level. This in turn will help to free military power from internal consumption considerably.

The Big Picture. Surrounded by a hostile and unstable neighborhood, India has been shrewdly kept busy by China through its surrogate, Pakistan. The latter has a single-point agenda - to destabilize India in its entirety. China, the emerging superpower, needs time to modernize its armed forces. Therefore, aiding Pakistan suits her. Intelligent moves by China have in fact caught even Americans unawares! Indians, wool-headed as ever, continue to indulge in Pakistan-bashing which is merely a strategic diversion. China is enveloping India gradually to limit its role and influence. This game of chess on the international board has been one-sided thus far. All moves are being made by the principal threat, that is, China, with the help of secondary threats, for example, Pakistan.

India has options. It can successfully counter such moves through diplomatic, economic and security jockeying. India, mainly through its inability to govern, has allowed outside influences to hold its territory hostage at will. Initially, proxy war was largely limited to the North Indian borders but now the enemy can successfully activate mechanisms to trigger bomb blasts deep within, in big towns like Delhi, Coimbatore and Mumbai. Such acts will tie up the military power in knots in the days to come.

The Way Out. India needs to refashion its entire system, and societal outlook. It needs to identify and prioritize its threat perceptions, extend its diplomatic influence with the help of its military power and the mechanism of regional adjustments. It needs to make an in-depth study of the linkages of the most secure and prosperous belt running from Australia through Western Europe and North America as a base model. The national security outlook needs comprehensive, innovative, ruthless and radical measures. So that, in the future, Indian territory is not held hostage, military is not allowed to lose its momentum within, and diplomacy has an economic and military back-up to sustain its efforts.

Is that a tall order? Perhaps. New Delhi will need to collect its wits first of all.

First published in IDR Vol. 13 (1) Jan-Mar 1998. Bharat Verma, Editor Indian Defence Review.