Editor’s note: The following article was first published in The Sunday Morning, a Colombo-based weekly newspaper.
New Delhi’s winter is approaching with a gentle chill, though the city retains a pleasant calm, a contrast to the often tumultuous issues it hosts within its corridors of power.
Emerging questions linger in the air as one considers the contemporary challenges facing India: how does a nation of over a billion people coordinate security across its vast territories, multiple institutions, and diverse population? How does it balance traditional threats with emerging non-traditional pressures, from climate disruptions to cyber vulnerabilities?
To explore these questions, I had the opportunity to visit the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) during this winter and was welcomed into a space dedicated to the rigorous study of India’s strategic environment, a think tank that embodies the philosophical heritage of Swami Vivekananda.
I had the opportunity to sit with former Deputy National Security Adviser of India and current Director of the VIF Dr. Arvind Gupta, for hours-long discussions alongside some of the most distinguished minds in India’s political and military circles. As Albert Camus reflected, in the midst of winter, one can find an invincible summer, and this conversation revealed that optimism within India’s strategic discourse.
India’s national security architecture
Dr. Gupta began by addressing coordination within India’s national security framework. When asked whether India relied on institutional structures or individual leadership, he said: “Coordination is a challenge for any country in any system. You are always improving coordination. Leadership is always important because leadership leads you to or motivates people.”
He noted that India now possessed multiple channels, including the National Security Council, groups of ministers, and task forces, which helped harmonise policy across departments. Yet he cautioned that, given the vastness of the challenges, coordination would remain an ongoing task. “Strong leadership and synergy between the institutions is leading to a better coordinated approach,” he observed.
Reflecting on his own experience as Deputy National Security Adviser, Dr. Gupta recalled that the National Security Council Secretariat was newly established when he joined in 1999.
“The whole idea of the National Security Council itself was very new,” he said. “It was an advisory body and not an executive body. So, getting people together to talk about different aspects of national security, and also issues which were not core, which were not traditional security issues like military, but going beyond that, was the major challenge.”
He emphasised the need to adopt a holistic approach to national security, noting: “In today’s world, almost every issue can be securitised. Whether it’s supply chains, disruption, or climate change, if there is a disruption, you have a national security issue. Economic security, food security, all that is now taken as a part of security because it can have an impact.”
He discussed the necessity of cultivating public understanding of security as a collective responsibility. “Once you start the dialogue and once you give these examples, I think the public will begin to understand it, and the public is understanding,” he said.
“Today, we are in a think tank. We have a huge number of discussions with all stakeholders, including students and different sections of the public. The issue today is how we craft our responses. That’s a very difficult issue and it is true for all countries because multiple dimensions are involved.”
Strategic autonomy remained central to his discussion of India’s foreign policy. “Strategic autonomy is very, very core and central to India’s foreign policy and security policies. However, this means that it gives us flexibilities. It also means that we can be pragmatic. It also means that we can reach out to many more people.”
He noted that as the world became multipolar, the principle of strategic autonomy was being interpreted globally in various forms, sometimes called multi-alignment, but fundamentally representing the same concept. “The importance of alliances which enforce a discipline, a very strict alliance discipline, and constrict possibilities – that I think is now beginning to be challenged. Though alliances are still there; they have not gone away.”
Strategic influence
Dr. Gupta described India’s efforts to transform visibility into influence through international initiatives.
“During India’s G20 presidency, we had a very successful Johannesburg G20,” he said. “The African Union came into the G20, and they have come up with new ideas. New institutions are coming up. India itself has promoted several new international institutions; for instance, the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, where India has played a big role, which is very critical.”
He also cited initiatives in traditional medicine and broader cooperation within organisations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. “These ideas are being accepted, and many initiatives have now started on the part of India, and other countries are also taking these initiatives.”
Internal security
On the federal structure and its relation to security, Dr. Gupta highlighted the practical working of India’s governance.
“We have been a federal country as well as a unitary one. Our Constitution has elements of both unitary and federal, and this is run by separating or defining the powers of the Centre and the state, and some concurrent powers. This system has worked very nicely. Everybody knows that foreign policy and national security are areas where the Centre has predominance, and I think our states have accepted it.”
He elaborated on counterinsurgency and internal security operations, including the long-standing Maoist problem. “The Maoist problem started in West Bengal, in Naxalbari, in the late ’60s,” he said.
“Now it is shrinking to practically nothing; it is hardly about 10 districts. This has been an effort of over 50 years. With massive improvement in development, infrastructure, education, job opportunities, and judicious use of restrained security approaches, we are fairly close to solving this problem. Large numbers of Maoists have surrendered, and their ideology is losing appeal.”
He described a similar approach in addressing unrest in the northeast and Manipur, emphasising dialogue, development, and security cooperation with the states.
Dr. Gupta also reflected on Kashmir, highlighting both progress and continuing challenges. “Since 2019, elections have been held, and Kashmir has seen a huge amount of Government developmental expenditure. Economy-wise, there is no problem. But small-scale infiltration still occurs. The nature of infiltration has changed. The overground worker network exists, but the long-term path is correct. Political processes have restarted and the economic situation is far better than in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.”
On Pakistan, Dr. Gupta characterised its internal dynamics with historical context. “Pakistan has been under military rule or indirect military rule for half of its life. Today they call it a hybrid rule. The army runs the show but all blame is given to civilians.
“The basic nature of Pakistan is still there. The Army will call the shots. Democracy is limited. Pakistan is in a huge economic crisis. China provides military support. India has to appreciate the new security environment and deal with different components through analysis and countermeasures.”
Neighbourhood diplomacy and emerging challenges
Dr. Gupta further addressed India’s neighbourhood relations, describing complex dynamics across Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
“The neighbourhood always feels that India is very big, a subconscious hegemony, not even asked for. But we hope neighbours understand the interlinkages. India follows the policies of Neighbourhood First, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Security and Growth for All. At the people-to-people level, there is a lot of traffic, exchanges, medical assistance, pilgrimages, and tourism. India has been a first responder to all countries.”
On emerging challenges in cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dr. Gupta stressed the importance of technical readiness. “Cybersecurity and AI are extremely complex issues, very difficult to handle. At the same time, they cannot be ignored. India has had an Information Technology law since 2000, a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) from 2004, and cybersecurity dialogues with many countries. We have done a lot at the technical level to strengthen our capabilities.”
Finally, reflecting on his role as Director of the VIF, he explained the institution’s civilisational and philosophical grounding. “The Vivekananda International Foundation was set up in 2009, guided by the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, and rooted in Indian civilisation, Hindu culture, and Vedanta. Vedanta emphasises unity. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is another way of interpreting the Ubuntu spirit: I exist because you exist.
“We promote tolerance, living together, conflict resolution, and cooperation. At the same time, tolerance has limits, as there is a paradox of tolerance-intolerance. We study international trends and engage in discussions and publications for cooperation, friendship, and peace.”
