The Evolution of India’s National Security Architecture

The Kargil War of 1999 focussed the nation’s attention on shortcomings in India’s national security management system, which was largely inherited from the British in 1947. A comprehensive review resulted in a major overhaul, ensuring tighter coordination between the various security structures, reforming the higher defence organisation, and bringing in a holistic approach, recognising the political, economic, technological, ecological and sociological factors impacting on national security. A set of reviews in 2017-18 resulted in further structural reform, taking cognizance of the global geopolitical flux, a revolution in the nature of military conflict, the transformative role of technology in every aspect of internal and external security, and the challenges arising from India’s strategic ambitions. The reformed and new structures emerging from these reviews are still a work in progress. Their functioning as a smooth, well-oiled national security machinery would require a coordinated, all-of-government approach.