This policy brief attempts to suggest six critical policy imperatives that must act as guidelines for the ongoing attempt at defence reforms.

The clamour for a national security strategy has become part of a constant refrain that accompanies every debate on India’s strategic culture or national security outlook. This repeated call for a security strategy stems from a perceived lack of clarity for functionaries within the government as well as the larger audience. An important constituent amongst the latter are a large number of countries that increasingly look upon India as an important partner in the evolving geopolitical environment.

The distancing of every segment of Kashmiri politics, population and even separatists from the Amarnath pilgrim attack is a clear indication of anger and frustration building up against senseless acts of terrorism.

Research Fellow, IDSA, Col Vivek Chadha’s article on the ongoing raids on the Hurriyat and its linked organisations, titled ‘Hurriyat, hawala raids are a body blow to terror funding network in Kashmir’ was published in ‘Daily O’ on June 6, 2017.

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Nuclearisation of the Indian subcontinent limits conventional military options available to India for punishing Pakistan’s employment of terrorism as a tool of state policy. While India has rightly balanced the use of diplomatic and limited military means over a period of time, even as these remain relevant, the option of economic sanctions deserves deeper analysis for its efficacy and impact. Economic measures can be undertaken both in the form of direct and indirect actions against a target country, individual or an organisation with varied degrees of impact.

The antidote to fidayeen attacks is a well-trained and informed soldier, who is clinical in his task of neutralising the threat as and when it arises.

Demonetisation is an important step in the fight against the finance of terrorism. However, it should neither be the first nor the last, if the interlinked threats of corruption, crime and the finance of terrorism have to be controlled.

Research Fellow, IDSA, Col Vivek Chadha’s commentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent currency revamp, titled ‘What scrapping Rs 500/1,000 notes means for countering terrorism’, was published in ‘Daily O’ on November 9, 2016.

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India’s diplomatic offensive launched post the Uri-attacks provided the broader context in which its decision to carry out the surgical strike needs to be seen.

Research Fellow, IDSA, Col Vivek Chadha’s article on reasons for Hurriyat's refusal to talk with the government and its potentially dangerous consequences, titled ‘By shutting the door on talks, Hurriyat has betrayed Kashmiris and Kashmiriyat’ was published by ‘Daily O’ on September 8, 2016.