CDS’ take on written policy vital for national security

Strategic circles in the country are again abuzz on having a written national security policy. The latest trigger was after Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, while answering specific questions, said India cannot be a developed nation and not have a written policy. “There will be one, people are working at it,” he said.

The CDS was speaking on the subject of ‘future wars and the armed forces’ at an event organised by the India International Centre on November 20. He was in conversation with NN Vohra, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was conducting the event.

Vohra, former Defence Secretary, set the ball rolling. He cited a previous statement of the CDS, and asked “why the CDS opined there is no compulsion to have a written policy”. The CDS, at an event in May this year, said the absence of a written national strategic policy does not imply that the country lacks a strategic policy. “The only thing missing is a written policy. I don’t know why people insist on that”.

On November 20, the CDS responded to Vohra “Yes, one cannot say we will become a developed nation and not have a written document. There will be one, people are working at it.” The CDS argued structures and processes are strong and are in place.

“The policy is in the works for long,” said Vohra, who was part of the Kargil war review committee. He recollected three such attempts in the past two decades. “I had the opportunity of writing the draft of national security policy. That never saw light of the day,” he said. When Shiv Shanker Menon was the National Security Adviser, a national security policy was drafted and finalized, but again forgotten.

Shyam Saran, who was chairing the National Security Advisory Board, prepared another draft and several documents, which are relevant today. Again, nothing happened.

“What prevents us from saying that we want to go ahead to have a national security policy,” asked Vohra.

Raising another serious matter, Vohra, who has been the Union Home Secretary, said: “I have not seen any policy which provides for oversight of intelligence organisations - internal agencies and external agencies”.

Vohra said: “Ad hoc decisions are made as there is no policy frame work. Things are getting complex and it is not a simple task to deal with the world of tomorrow”.

There needs to be clear definition between roles of the Union Government and the states. Why states in a particular geographical area cannot use their forces collectively against problems such as drugs and drones coming from across the Line of Control, said Vohra.

He warned discords can churn out to be large scale disturbances. “Thing may go wrong in a major way unless there is a system in place to guide on common approach and common goals,” he said.