Broadening the Education for Synergetic Civil–Military Relations
Statecraft, diplomacy and warfare are not only a matter of brute force, but also a function of scholarship to understand the past, present and future of the art, science and literature of national and international security. At higher levels in their professional career, besides the armed forces, a number of civil servants too have to deal with the state’s use or threat of the use of legitimate force. This article suggests broadening the education for synergetic civil–military relations (CMR).
A Requiem for 2016
Higher Defence Management, Civil-military relations and force modernisation were three critical areas in which there was little or no movement in the year gone by.
Politics and the Military
A dissatisfied military is not in the interest of India which has to contend with multiple internal and external security issues. The nation at large and the political leadership must be alive to the prevailing sentiments and act appropriately.
Aid to Civil Authorities by Army in Bihar: A Case Study
This article tries to examine the role played by the Army during a natural disaster. India’s federal set-up tends to complicates issues and, quite often, politics dominates the humanitarian aspect, which leads to delays in the development of the army. This article is a case study of the Kosi flood of 2008 in Bihar, which was an outstanding example of civil–military cooperation. The article also analyses the successful efforts made by retired Army personnel for curbing the Naxal problems in the state.
The Human Element in Military Effectiveness: A Systems Approach
This paper examines the human issues in the entire system that could make the military more effective recognising the military as a sub-system within the larger system, which is created to address the aims of that very system. It asserts that there is no requirement to institute committees or make any more laws to address the human element issues relating to military effectiveness. The existing politico-legal system being adequate, there is no need for ‘novel’ or ‘creative’ solutions but only the will to effectively and ruthlessly apply them.
New Vocabulary and Imagery
While explicit political control cannot be questioned, it is critical to involve the military as equal partners in the overall decision making process so as to leverage their knowledge, operational experience and unmatched organisational capacities for the well being of the state.
Some Issues of Civil Military Relations
The current discourse which is mostly about the role or the absence of such a role for the military in decision making misses out on key currents and issues like overcoming the massive import syndrome and sustaining the positive image of the soldier in society.
Need to Understand the Military
Modern democracies are much more than about simply throwing the rule book at their militaries. Armed forces expressing their views on grave issues of security should be taken in the right spirit.