Definition: 

• A National Security Strategy document outlines the country’s security objectives, and the ways to be adopted to achieve these.
• Updated periodically, it defines traditional, non-traditional threats and opportunities while introducing accountability of agencies tasked with the implementation of such responsibilities.
• It would guide the military as well as critical defence and security reforms with strategic implications, providing a holistic view of the overall national security, the threats and the roadmap to address them.

How can NSS help India?

• • Comprehensive Strategic Assessment: National Security Strategy (NSS) can help in a comprehensive strategic assessment which would involve a thorough review of the country’s threats and opportunities. 
    • This enables the government to regularly spotlight evolving challenges like the growth of the Chinese navy before they escalate into urgent threats. 
    • This proactive approach ensures long-term threats are addressed well in advance, rather than being neglected until they pose immediate dangers.
  • Coherent Framework for Long-term Planning: A coherent framework for long-term planning is essential for strategic competition, which requires intense peacetime preparation. 
    • An NSS would provide an overarching blueprint to adjudicate military demands, such as whether to invest in a new aircraft carrier or a new infantry division. 
    • This would prevent the wastage of resources on projects with low strategic value and ensure that military services are struggling to fill capability gaps with emergency procurements.

• Instrument for Signalling Intent: An NSS would serve as a critical instrument for signalling India’s strategic intent to both allies and adversaries. 

• By clarifying roles, such as being a net security provider in the Indian Ocean, India can demonstrate its commitment to countering armed coercion against smaller countries. 

• This clarity would also extend to partners, highlighting areas of converging interests and explaining the limits of cooperation to mitigate mismatched expectations.

• Synchronisation of Government Efforts: Within the military, it would provide a clear top-down mandate to align the work of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
  • Beyond the military, an NSS would facilitate better coordination among national security agencies, including the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, and intelligence agencies. 
  • This would promote daily collaboration at the working level rather than episodic coordination at the Cabinet level.
• Accountability Mechanism: An NSS would introduce a robust accountability mechanism, ensuring adherence to the political leadership’s intent and increasing transparency of government policies to Parliament and the public. 
  • This transparency is crucial as it allows citizens to understand how their government plans to safeguard national security and how effectively it is performing.
• Addressing Strategic Risks: The NSS is also critical for addressing strategic risks posed by countries like China and global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and distant conflicts revealing new war technologies. 
  • A regular and well-crafted NSS would provide India with a structured process to make sense of these tumultuous changes and plan for them accordingly.
• Facilitating Informed Decision-making: Informed decision-making is facilitated by identifying trade-offs and opportunity costs, allowing political leaders to make rational decisions for long-term growth and strategic positioning. 
• Holistic National Security Approach: A holistic national security approach avoids piecemeal, haphazard decision-making and ensures systematic re-evaluation of plans and priorities. 
  • By committing to a National Security Strategy, India would be better positioned to manage its security environment proactively and effectively, ensuring that national goals are achieved with optimal use of resources.

Conclusion:

• An NSS would provide the intellectual framework necessary for India to manage strategic risks, signal its intentions to the global community, and support its ambitions to become a leading global power. 
• The strategy would not only simplify decision-making and enhance accountability but also prepare India to address both immediate threats and long-term challenges in a rapidly changing world.