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EDITORIAL

NOIDA/DELHI

THE HINDU

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

Non-alignment to multi-alignment
tuesday, january 5, 2016

Time for a national

security doctrine

y restarting dialogue with Pakistan and acting

with diplomatic restraint following the Pathankot attack, the Narendra Modi government has
wisely differentiated between the Pakistan government and non-state actors. The challenge thrown up
by the terrorist attack on the Pathankot air force base is to
evolve Indias national security doctrine to include its response to non-state actors. While carrying on diplomatic
engagement with Pakistan, India needs a firm strategy to
deal with terrorist threats that are now the prime challenge to the state. Political consensus must be evolved, in a
publicly transparent manner, to reflect the complex challenge facing the country, detail its thresholds, interests
that would be protected at any cost and response calibration vis--vis armed aggression. The doctrine must be accompanied by a national security strategy that spells out
the command and control structures for meeting eventualities such as terror strikes, so that last-minute goof-ups
such as those that have been evident at the Pathankot airbase are not repeated. In the absence of such a clearly articulated consensus, Indias response is qualitatively linked to the government of the day, its key leaders and their
personal ability, or inability, to understand and appreciate
security challenges.
The proposed security doctrine must be anchored in
the foundational values of the Constitution. India enjoys
Westphalian sovereignty, which grants it exclusive right to
its domestic affairs and security but also comes with a
huge bundle of responsibilities. India still has no written
national security doctrine, and whatever is practised as
the doctrine, and strategy, is vastly inadequate. The political class across the spectrum needs to come together to
define Indias permanent interests. It is time to move on
from the unwritten grand strategy of working only towards the political unity and preservation of India to a
written doctrine that defines Indias role in the world and
its commitment to protecting the life, liberty and interests
of its people. After every terrorist attack, there are shallow
attempts by the establishment to fit episodic responses into academic frameworks and proposals for security establishment reforms, but in no time things go back to default
mode, until the next terrorist attack. The recurring terrorist attacks are not just a humiliation for the country but also a nightmare that is repeatedly disrupting daily routines
and taking away precious lives. The very foundations of
Indias security establishment need to be reformed if a robust national security doctrine is to be implemented. The
intelligence agencies are cloaked in mystery, and with no
credible external audit. Given the opacity of these agencies, intelligence alerts often emerge that have no credibility. In the process, credible intelligence inputs, such as the
one about Pathankot, are not treated with enough seriousness. The agencies that are to provide security cover and
neutralise terrorist threats do not have a cohesive command and control structure. It varies according to who is
in control in New Delhi. It is time to finally show that India
can be more than a functional anarchy.

December has been a significant month for India and Indian diplomacy. This was not
limited merely to defence acquisitions, but also included
new initiatives on the foreign
M.K.
NARAYANAN policy front.
If anything remained of the
concept of non-alignment, Indias outreach to both Cold War antagonists,
in December, appeared to signal its final demise. Non-alignment served India well during the difficult years from the mid to the late
20th century, but had apparently outlived its
utility. The time had possibly come to sound
its requiem, and India did just that in
December.
Several reasons can be adduced for Indias
shift from non-alignment to multi-alignment. Undeniably, policies adopted by India
since the beginning of this century had
helped generate a climate of trust across the
spectrum of warring nations and long-time
antagonists. A spirit of accommodation and
constructive solutions to major regional and
international challenges had also made India
more acceptable to most nations. The IndiaU.S. Civil Nuclear Agreement in the first
decade of this century was in this respect truly the game changer. India came to be seen
as a positive, stabilising influence as far as the
global and the regional environment was
concerned. Non-alignment clearly had no
place in this milieu.
Deepening India-U.S. ties
It was, hence, not difficult for Defence
Minister Manohar Parrikar, within the
course of a few hours of discussion with his
counterpart during his visit to the United
States in December, to enhance the quality of
their defence dialogue and strengthen the
defence engagement between the two countries. Outcomes from this visit of the Defence
Minister are certain to further enlarge the
scope of the already booming defence relationship. Among the more significant takeaways are: the progress made regarding the
joint working groups on both aircraft carrier
technology and jet engine technology; the
approvals given for additional numbers of
Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, C-17
Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft, and
M777 ultra-light howitzers; the progress
achieved regarding long-deferred foundational agreements such as CISMOA (Com-

Indias foreign policy has finally rid itself of

Cold War trappings in favour of a wider
engagement with world powers. But one
Cold War-era reality remains: when it comes
to Pakistan, one couldnt be careful enough
munications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement) and the Logistics
Support Agreement (LSA), and a further
strengthening of the partnership on high
technology under the Defence Technology
and Trade Initiative (DTTI).
Reaffirming ties with Russia and Japan
During this same month of December,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took off for
Russia to reaffirm the strong links that exist
between the two nations. Statements made
on the occasion reveal the determination on
both sides to reinforce the strategic ties that
date back to the Cold War years. Few, however, expected that the visit would also result in
Russia regaining its position as Indias prin-

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to India, also during the same month,
meantime, proved to be more than a strategic
interlude, with defence, foreign policy, and
economic aspects all receiving attention. Japans willingness to cooperate on peaceful
nuclear energy will have the same kind of
positive impact as that which followed the
iconic India-U.S. civil nuclear agreement of
2008. Japans willingness to acknowledge India as a reliable and trustworthy nuclear
power (despite not being a signatory to the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) is again
certain to have a positive impact on nuclear
establishments across the world.
Japans willingness to share defence equipment and technology, facilitate the exchange

The real motive underlying the Prime Ministers visit to Pakistan

remains unclear He is well aware that there can be no
substitute for hard negotiations, or the need for a great deal of
effort, to narrow the gap between the two countries.
cipal defence supplier.
The list of agreements drawn up in Moscow covers nuclear, space, energy and defence. Russia has committed [earlier] to
building additional nuclear reactors at Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) and in Andhra Pradesh. In terms of conventional energy, India
has secured a bouquet of deals, including a 10
per cent stake in Russian oil company Rosneft, and commitments regarding a possible
stake in another field in East Siberia. In the
area of defence manufacturing, both sides
have pulled out all the stops. Agreement was
reached with regard to co-production of Kamov-226T utility helicopters (the bulk of
which would be built in India), and the possibility of securing 48 MI-17 V5 medium-lift
helicopters, S-400 Triumf/Triumph missile
systems and stealth frigates.

of classified military information, and arrive

at an understanding of emerging threats in
the Indo-Pacific implicit in the India-Japan Agreement with regard to freedom of
navigation in the South China Sea has
opened a new chapter in relations. This was
further buttressed by the provision of financial and technical aid for a high-speed rail
link between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, in
addition to overseas developmental assistance for various projects across India. Mr.
Abes affirmation, that no other bilateral relationship in the world has the kind of potential
which ties relations between India and Japan,
was clearly no hyperbole.
The Pakistan puzzle
On the return trip from Russia, Prime Minister Modi paid a visit to Afghanistan where

CARTOONSCAPE

Dress code
by judicial diktat

eeking to preserve the spiritual ambience in

temples by prescribing a dress code for worshippers may appear to be a laudable objective. However, courts of law should be cautious about
framing their own rules in the guise of passing judicial orders. A fiat from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High
Court prescribing the sort of clothing that devotees
should wear while visiting temples has come into effect in
Tamil Nadu from January 1. A single judge decided on November 26, 2015 that to curb the wearing of improper
clothing by temple-goers, a dress code was inevitable.
Even though what was before him was only a petition for
permitting a folk cultural performance on the premises of
a village temple, he impleaded the State Hindu Religious
and Charitable Endowments Department as a respondent
and proceeded to prescribe an interim dress code
straightaway. The code, that sets down dhotis or pyjamas
with upper cloth, or formal trousers and shirts, for men,
and saree or half-saree with blouse, or churidars with upper cloth, for women, and any fully covered dress for children, will be in force until the State government decides
on implementing a code on the lines given in the court order. The department has now decided to appeal to a Division Bench against the single judges order. It has rightly
taken the position that the order was not in consonance
with the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act,
1947, which permits individual temples to frame rules relating to attire based on their own customs and traditions.
It is true that many places of worship belonging to all
religions do have and enforce some sort of attire for worshippers and visitors. There are temples that insist that
male devotees should be bare-bodied above the waist
while inside their precincts, and many that allow only
dhotis and bar trousers. However, these restrictions are
framed by temple authorities based on local tradition and
customs. The acceptability of the worshippers clothing is
decided by local circumstances and ought not to be based
on external decree, much less through a judicial diktat. In
Tamil Nadu, tens of thousands of temples do come under
the State government through the HR & CE Department,
but that does not automatically mean that a writ of mandamus can be issued by the court to the authorities without sufficient cause or any public law principle. There is
nothing to show that public authorities had failed to do
their duty of protecting the ambience of temples all over
the State. The judges code may not be unduly restrictive,
but it raises the question whether there is any religious
rule linking dress with devotion. It is not clear why the
prescription is gender-based, when some kinds of apparel
shirts and trousers, for instance are worn by both
men and women. Judicial activism undoubtedly furthers
public interest, but it is equally important that it is not
used to impose a particular world view on the public.

CM
YK

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pathankot and after
What amazes us the most is that
despite alerts of a calamity in the
making, the authorities concerned
let the leads go cold for a while. It is
obvious that there are too many
loopholes in the way defence
establishments
ensure
their
security, which raises several
questions about the state of
preparedness of the defence
security system.
Ritika Chatak,
Pathankot, Punjab

It is terrible that precious time was

lost because the police officer who
sounded the initial alert was not
believed on account of his having a
colourful background (Puzzling
delays, squandered chances and
then gunshots, Jan.3). However,
this incident should not stop the
inter-governmental
dialogue
process. There will be many who
will only resort to annoying
criticism and wishing for a misstep
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a way, the Pathankot incident will
only strengthen Indias position at
the negotiating table.
K. Rajendran,
Chennai

It was heart-wrenching to read

about the martyrs one married 45
days ago, another a Commonwealth
medallist, and yet another, his
familys sole breadwinner Enough
is enough. India has to be tough with
terrorist elements. After facing
continuous attacks, how can we
ever talk about peace and
principles? Also, why were
witnesses ill-treated (Abducted by
ultras, only to be tortured by police
later, Jan.4)?
Divakar Pai,
Thrissur

Though there is still no concrete

evidence of Pakistans involvement,

he inaugurated the new Afghan Parliament

building (built with Indian aid). Making a
stirring speech on the occasion, he complimented Afghanistans determination to
stand up to terror from across the border, and
criticised attempts made to unsettle Afghanistan through the use of terror tactics. En
route to Delhi from Kabul, the Prime Minister made an impromptu stopover in Lahore
to wish Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. This evoked euphoric
headlines in the Indian media. Not everyone,
however, saw this as heralding a new chapter
in India-Pakistan relations, with long-time
Pakistan watchers well aware that the path
to Pakistans perfidy is usually paved with
good intentions on Indias part.
The real motive underlying the Prime
Ministers visit to Pakistan remains unclear.
Mr. Modi is well aware that Pakistan has given no indication whatsoever of having
changed its spots. Only a few hours prior to
the Lahore visit, he had implicitly warned Afghanistan of the threat posed by Pakistan.
Less than a fortnight ago while addressing
the Combined Commanders Conference on
board INS Vikramaditya, the Prime Minister
had struck a sombre note, warning that we
see terrorism and ceasefire violations; reckless nuclear build-up and threats; border
transgressions; and continuing military
modernisation in our neighbourhood. All
this leaves little room for anyone to think that
the Prime Minister nurtures any illusion of a
change of heart on Pakistans part. It would,
hence, be unrealistic to think that he was
hoping to remove the obstacles that stood in
the way of a reconciliation between the two
countries with this grand gesture. Mr. Modi
is also well aware that there can be no substitute for hard negotiations, or the need for a
great deal of effort, to narrow the gap between the two countries.
The real danger is that it could lull the nation into a false sense of complacency and security on account of the circumstances surrounding this sudden move. Any mistaken
step as far as Pakistan is concerned needs to
be avoided. Pakistan is presently going
through a very promising phase in its turbulent history, and is being wooed by both
China and the U.S. It does not, however, show
any signs that it has reduced its animosity towards India.
The potential benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are expected to
substantially improve Pakistans economic
fortunes. The U.S., in the meantime, appears
to have reversed some of the policies it had
adopted after 2013, and is demonstrating a
higher degree of sensitivity to Pakistans concerns. It is at present actively courting Pakistan in view of its strategic location vis--vis
Afghanistan and Central Asia. The sale of additional F-16 fighter aircraft, and continuation of the Coalition Support Fund beyond
2016 reflect this. Reported U.S. support to facilitating projects in Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir, U.S. support for a sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan to resolve
all outstanding territorial and other disputes,
including Kashmir, and a reference to
working together to address mutual concerns of India and Pakistan regarding terrorism in the joint statement issued following
the visit of Mr. Sharif to Washington in October, well reflect some current realities. This
cannot be viewed as mere straws in the wind.
It would thus be premature to offer congratulations on an end-year breakthrough
in India-Pakistan relations. Instead, there is
need for greater vigil and more careful
thought on what needs to be done so as to
prevent a Kargil-type situation, exploiting
the current euphoria, from taking place.
(M.K. Narayanan is former National
Security Adviser and former Governor of
West Bengal.)

Letters emailed to letters@thehindu.co.in must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

it may not be far-fetched to say that

terrorist elements based abroad are
calling the shots. India must now
take strong steps and make it clear
to whoever is behind these attacks
that we are not sluggish. The Army
and the ISI are in full control of
Pakistan
and
the
civilian
government there has no option but
to dance to their tunes. One must
note that whenever the United
States holds talks with Pakistan, the
Army chief is usually present. India
must now insist on this
arrangement as well.
S.P. Sharma,
Mumbai

When will we ever learn our

lessons? How many more terrorist
attacks do we need to overcome the
flaws
in
our
intelligence
architecture? As far as the
Pathankot attack was concerned,
there was credible intelligence of an
imminent attack. However, it is
unfathomable why the level of alert
around the base was not increased.
We must learn to prepare ourselves
to prevent a terrorist attack and not
resort to a defensive strategy.
Gaurav Singhal,
New Delhi

The media seems to be in full

political mode by asking for
punitive
action,
perhaps
encouraged by the meaningless
official refrain of ensuring a
befitting reply. The NSAs of both
countries should meet immediately
as that is what makes a crucial
difference. In Pakistan, the present
NSA has an Army background and
can help ease the tension.
T.C. Narayan,
Bengaluru

When Mr. Modi made an

unannounced visit to Pakistan, even
the UN hailed it. But what India
always gets in return is what
amounts to war thrust on it. Though

India may be genuine in its attempts

to reach out to Pakistan, and which
is clear to the rest of the world,
Pakistan always seems to have the
upper hand. The best way to tackle
this burning issue is to encourage
more people-to-people contacts
thereby creating a peoples
movement that strongly wants
peace. This could be in the form of
exchanges such as sporting meets,
art shows and the screening of
cinema. We share a passion for
cricket, hockey and kabbadi as well
as good cinema.
If there are frequent tours by
people from both sides, no power
can act against the will of the
people. Understanding between the
two peoples is the best weapon we
can deploy now.
T. Anand Raj,
Chennai

Prohibition in Kerala
The analysis of the Supreme Court
verdict upholding Keralas policy of
prohibition will only pave the way
for the brewing of illicit liquor and
its clandestine sale in the black
market (All in the spirit of
equality, Jan.4). How the officials
in the State government are going to
address this issue is a million-dollar
question.
E.S. Chandrasekaran,
Chennai

If the writers line of reasoning has

to be accepted, then there cannot be
any exception to the law on
prohibition and there will have to be
the necessity of roping in five-star
hotels. Otherwise there could be a
violation of Article 14. Is the writer
trying to romanticise equality
under the name of the Constitution?
It is a peoples document and the
Preamble also begins with the
phrase, we the people of India.
Therefore, the Supreme Courts
verdict which upholds a law (and
which tries to save families from

facing ruin) cannot be faulted

merely on the ground that five-star
hotels have been exempted. The
court has only ensured justice to the
common man.
N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai

Mass executions
The establishment in Saudi Arabia
represents one of the most
repressive regimes around the
world (World Saudi Arabia will
face divine retribution: Khamenei,
Jan.4). It has been given a long rope
by energy-starved nations that
otherwise value human rights and
accord equality to their minorities.
That it is also the site of some of the
most holy places in the Islamic
world is also used to its advantage.
Some like India do not want to
displease the monarchs for the sake
of the large expatriate workforce
there. It is odd that the Kingdom
targets political dissenters, yet is
alleged to be behind the rise of
global terrorism. How long can this
be tolerated?
M.A. Siraj,
Bengaluru

What about animal rights?

Animals too need to be treated
fairly and jallikattu is not an act of
valour (Taming bulls, maiming
rights, Jan.4). It is the one of the
cruellest forms of our obstinate
desire to prove a foolish point when
such acts have no place in todays
society. The assertion that jallikattu
has been held every year does not
mean it should continue to be held.
When domestic animals are
generally the recipients of love and
care, why this disparity?
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur

Think of the worker

The idea of development and a
robust Make in India programme
cannot be possible unless we

empower workers and not exploit

them (Labours love lost, Jan.1).
The proposed changes to the
Factories Act will be discriminatory
towards factories with a workforce
of less than 40, while changes to the
way bonuses are disbursed will be
discriminatory towards contract
workers. The system is being unfair
in the name of increasing so-called
productivity.
The
disparity
between
managements
and
workers cannot be solved unless the
workforce is genuinely made a part
of the corporate system and given
due importance in the Make in
India plan.
Fatema Diwan,
Mumbai

Most Indian workers toil within

small establishments and tin sheds
without any rights or a guarantee of
their welfare. The writer has relied
too heavily on using the familiar
class warfare rhetoric to bat for the
relatively privileged workforce in
large corporations. We need to look
at how the largely informal
workforce can be brought into
formal
arrangements
with
registered companies, and where
their rights can be better monitored
and protected.
Rama Siva,
New Delhi

Liberalisation may be creating more

jobs, but for most, the working
conditions are pathetic and
earnings abysmally low. A
multiplicity of labour laws presents
operational difficulties. Besides
this, terminology like employee,
workman, worker, wages, basic
wages, salary and CTC are used
differently. One can say that the
labour class faces misery. Fast
shrinking public health services and
a lack of medical insurance have
only compounded a workers woes.
V.K. Babu Prakash,
Kollam, Kerala
ND-ND