All dressed up, nowhere to go

What8217;s the point of having this superb military you8217;re always talking about8221; then US ambassador to the UN Madeline Albright told the cautious Army Chief of Staff Colin Powell, 8220;if we can8217;t use it8221;?

What8217;s the point of having this superb military you8217;re always talking about8221; then US ambassador to the UN Madeline Albright told the cautious Army Chief of Staff Colin Powell, 8220;if we can8217;t use it8221;? She could well have said this to the Indian government, which took more than a month to grant the Indian navy permission to patrol the Gulf of Aden. That finally Indian naval forces will be operating in this crucial waterway is less a testament to Indian government8217;s strategic assessment than it is to lack of choice. It has become India8217;s signature that it does not make a decision until no other way is left out to fudge the issue.nbsp;The hijacking of the Stolt Valor with 18 Indians abroad underlined the need for a proactive stance by the Indian Navy in protecting India8217;s sea-borne trade as well as deterring piracy, alongside other navies deployed in this crucial region. But until recently, the defence minister explicitly ruled out hot pursuit of pirates 8220;as a policy8221;, because 8220;it has wider implications.8221;

There is a broader issue at stake here. A rapidly growing economy has given India the ability to spend on its defence readiness like never before. India has emerged as one of the largest arms buyers in the global market. In line with India8217;s broadening strategic horizons, its military acquisitions are seeing a marked shift from conventional land-based systems to means of power projection such as airborne refuelling systems and long-range missiles. But it remains unclear under what conditions India would be willing to use force in defending its interests.nbsp;

If at all some suggestions are being made, they have verged on being facile. For example, ruling out sending of troops to Afghanistan, the Indian army chief said some time back that 8220;India takes part only in UN approved/ sanctioned military operations and the UN has not mandated this action in Afghanistan so there is no question of India participating in it.8221; The army chief8217;s statement was not only factually inaccurate but also demonstrated a fundamental misreading of Indian security policy. Like other nations, India has tended to accept or ignore the UN as per national interest. The Indian armed forces remain obsessed with China and Pakistan while the civilian leadership lacks a substantive and sophisticated understanding of the role of force in foreign policy.nbsp;

Military power remains central to the course of international politics as force retains its role as the

final arbiter among states in an anarchical international system. A state8217;s diplomatic posture will lack effectiveness if it is not backed by a credible military posture. In the words of Thomas Schelling, 8220;like the threat of a strike in industrial relations, the threat of divorce in a family dispute, or the threat of bolting the party at a political convention, the threat of violence continuously circumscribes international politics.8221; Few nations face the kind of security challenges that confront India. Yet, since independence, the military was never seen as a central instrument in the achievement of national priorities. Even though policy-makers themselves had little knowledge of critical defence issues, the defence forces had little or no role in the formulation of defence policy till 1962, when even Nehru was forced to concede that 8220;military weakness has been a temptation, and a little military strength may be a deterrent.8221; A state8217;s legitimacy is tied to its ability to operate effectively in an international strategic environment. India lacked this clarity.

A lot of attention is being paid to the fact that India will be spending around 40 billion on military modernisation in the next five years and is buying hardware useful for projecting power beyond its shores, such as C-130 transport planes, airborne refuelling tankers, and aircraft carriers. But such purchases in and of themselves do not imply a clear sense of purpose. The armed forces are today operating in a strategic void and under weak leadership, unable to fully comprehend the changing strategic and operational milieu. At a time when Indian interests are becoming global in nature, India must update its approach. It is up to the civilian leadership to come up with a credible policy on the use of armed forces and it is up to the military leadership to provide them with sound guidance. India has always been a nation of great ambition. But it is not clear if the Indian elites understand the implications of their nation8217;s rise. India can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines of unfolding global events that impinge directly on vital Indian interests. What is the point of building muscle, if we shy away from a fight.

The writer teaches at King8217;s College, London

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