Core Concerns in Indian Defence and Imperatives for Reforms

Editor: Vinod Misra,
Publisher: Pentagon Press,
(pp 374, ISBN: 978-8182748187, Rs 1,095)

A view to the global and regional security environment is certainly a panic state. The nature of conflict is changing from the traditional norms we saw in the history or past. It could be in the realm of terrorism, cyber threats, pandemics, economics, financial instability, migrations, to mention a few, now is the right time to act the defend ourselves from all elements endangering the global, regional and national security. Of course, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and Kargil War 1999 are the signs of the changing nature of conflicts.

On the recommendation of the Kargil Review Committee, a group of minsters have come up with a set of recommendations for a comprehensive reform of the Indian security management system. After such alert, since the year 2001, debates on the role of defence forces in the nation’s security have been intensified. Core Concerns in Indian Defence and Imperatives for Reforms is in concern this growing and justifiable public interest in defence issues, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) embarked upon a project to identify the core issues of defence reforms. Distinguished experts forming a league of authors in this book are those big brains who have had experiences and intimate knowledge of the issues involved and occupied senior positions in the government, participated in policymaking processes.

Core Concerns in Indian Defence and Imperatives for Reforms covers issues ranging from discussions on India’s security environment and higher defence management to critical aspects of defence reforms, which include defence planning, R&D, budgets and acquisition policies. The overall 18 different chapters of the book contain comprehensive narratives on strengthening of India’s defence and industrial base, with extensive contribution from a galaxy of experts, namely, Kanwal Sibal, Shekhar Dutt, Arun Prakash, Srinivasapuram Krishnaswami, Amiya Kumar Ghost, Deepak Kapoor, Narendra Singh Sisodia, Amit Cowshis, A Sivathanu Pillai, Satya Narain Misra, Laxman Kumar Behera, among others.

Moreover, this book is a fair attempt putting perceptions altogether to provide views and recommendations of a host of practitioners at the highest level, giving some significant insights into the complex world of the country’s defence. Either for a civil military, this book is deserved to be read by every bureaucrat.

–Jyaneswar Laishram