Restructuring National Security

Presented here is an inquiry into the nature of conflict and the role played by armed forces in its resolution. The purpose is to dwell on security and strategic thought, and arrive at guidelines on how armed forces should be structured into the national security set-up. The focus remains on India, but expands to take in the security concerns of the Indian sub-continent. The possible use of extremely destructive long range weapons, calls for a review of the conceptual basis for the use of power so that collective security is strengthened, and not irretrievable damaged. National security, in this age, is likely to suffer if it remains predominantly in the hands of specialists, may they be soldiers, scientists, bureaucrats, or politicians.

Lieutenant General Ashok Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, was active service in the mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir, both during 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak conflicts. a graduate of the College of Military Engineering and the Defence Services Staff College, he has wide experience of combat engineering, counter-insurgency, instruction, staff work spanning all branches within the army, and inter-services co-operation. He was Defence and Military Attache in Embassy of India, Washington D.C. in mid-eighties. As Director General of Military Training, he was associated with the policy and planning of training in the army during the last two years of his service. After retirement he was Chhtrapati Shivaji Professor in the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Pune. He lives in Pune. His main interest is reading and observation of the contemporary scene.