Defence Studies संरक्षणशास्त्र

Quick summary

Earlier, national security meant only protecting the country's borders with the army. This chapter shows how the idea has grown. Today it also covers the environment, the economy, society, politics and, most of all, the safety and dignity of every person (human security).

Key points

• Traditional view: national security = physical protection of the state from outside attack. The military side is important but it is not the only part.
• A nation also needs diplomacy, a healthy economy, energy and natural resources, environmental balance and national unity to be truly secure.
• Sanskrit words for security: raksha, rakshanam, rakshakah (from the root 'raksh' = to protect) and suraksha. Abhayam means freedom from fear.
• Kautilya (Chanakya, 4th century BCE) in the Arthashastra divided security into internal and external. He said the government's basic duty is to keep public order and to protect and increase the wealth of the state (dandaniti).
• In the 1980s–90s new thinking came: Willy Brandt's reports linked security with development; Olof Palme's commission gave the idea of common security (one country cannot be safe by making another unsafe).
• After globalisation (1990s), non-state actors (NGOs, voluntary groups) became active and the ideas of comprehensive and human security grew.
• Comprehensive security covers environmental, economic, societal and political security.
• Human security puts people, not territory, at the centre. The UN Human Development Report of 1994 stressed "freedom from fear" and "freedom from want" and listed 7 dimensions: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political security.
• Mahbub ul Haq, with Amartya Sen, created the Human Development Index (HDI), used by UNDP since 1990.

Important terms

• National security – all measures taken to protect a nation's sovereignty, territory, values and people.
• Non-state actor – an organisation that is not part of government, such as an NGO.
• Common security – security that all countries share; no one gains by making others insecure.
• Human security – security of people: their life, livelihood and dignity.

Key facts

• Kautilya – Arthashastra – internal and external security.
• Willy Brandt – West German Chancellor 1969–74, Nobel Peace Prize 1971.
• Olof Palme – Prime Minister of Sweden, headed the Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues.
• 1994 – UNDP Human Development Report introduces human security.

5 important questions

Q1. What was the traditional meaning of national security?

It meant the physical protection of the state from external attack, mainly by military power.

Q2. What is meant by common security?

The idea from Olof Palme's commission that no country can be secure by making another country insecure; nations must seek security together.

Q3. Name the four areas of comprehensive security.

Environmental, economic, societal and political security.

Q4. List the seven dimensions of human security given in the 1994 Human Development Report.

Economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political security.

Q5. Why has the concept of national security changed?

Because of globalisation, faster communication, active non-state actors and new threats like pollution, poverty and social conflict. Security now has to protect people's lives and dignity, not just borders.

Exam tip

Remember the two famous phrases of human security, "freedom from fear" and "freedom from want", and the 7 dimensions in order.

Quick summary

Security is not only about guarding borders. Threats from inside the country, such as cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism), terrorism and insurgency in the North East, are a big challenge to India today. This chapter explains these threats and how the government, the armed forces and citizens respond.

Key points

• The UN High Level Panel on 'Threats, Challenges and Changes' says modern threats cross borders: poverty and disease, wars between states, internal conflict, weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
• Jammu and Kashmir: militancy supported from across the border for over 25 years. Government response: border fencing, better technical surveillance, better intelligence, keeping local youth away from militancy, and the 'UDAAN' skill scheme for jobless youth. Kashmiri Pandits displaced in the early 1990s get relief and rehabilitation.
• Left Wing Extremism: roots in the Telangana peasant movement (1946–51); the 1967 Naxalbari protest gave the name 'Naxalite'. Followers of Mao are called Maoists. CPI (Maoist) was formed in 2004 and is banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Its affected belt is called the 'Red Corridor'.
• Terrorism: violence or threat of violence to create panic, with political aims. It attacks 'soft targets' like trains, markets and malls. It is called asymmetric warfare.
• Attacks in India: Parliament attack (13 December 2001) and Mumbai attack (26 November 2008, by Lashkar-e-Taiba).
• North East: 8 states, 200+ ethnic groups, borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. The North Eastern Council (1972) plans the region's development.
• Internal security is mainly the police's job; the army helps the civil authority when needed, using four principles: necessity, minimum force, impartiality and good faith.

Important terms

• Soft target – unprotected ordinary people or public places.
• Infiltration – secret entry of militants across the border.
• Flag march – army parade in a riot-hit area to show it is ready to restore peace.

Key facts

• 1946–51 Telangana movement; 1967 Naxalbari.
• 2004 CPI (Maoist) formed.
• 13 Dec 2001 Parliament attack; 26 Nov 2008 Mumbai attack.

5 important questions

Q1. Name four internal security threats to India.

Cross-border terrorism in J&K, Left Wing Extremism, terrorism, and insurgency in the North East.

Q2. Why is terrorism called asymmetric warfare?

Because its attacks follow no fixed pattern and target defenceless people, not armies.

Q3. What steps has the government taken in Jammu and Kashmir?

Border fencing, technical surveillance, better intelligence, keeping youth away from militancy, the UDAAN skill scheme and rehabilitation of displaced people.

Q4. What principles guide the army when it helps the civil authority?

Necessity, minimum force, impartiality and good faith.

Q5. How can a citizen help fight terrorism?

Stay alert, report unattended bags or suspicious people to the police at once, never help terrorists out of fear or for money, and spread awareness.

Exam tip

Learn the dates of the Parliament and Mumbai attacks and the four army principles; they are asked often.

Quick summary

A hazard is something that can harm life, property or the environment. When a hazard goes out of control and causes heavy loss, it becomes a disaster. This chapter explains natural and man-made disasters, their effects, and the disaster management cycle of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

Key points

• Hazards can be natural (earthquake, flood, tsunami, landslide, drought) or human-induced (industrial, road and fire accidents).
• The damage a disaster does depends on the hazard's strength and speed and on how vulnerable people and buildings are.
• Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale. Around 6 walls crack; above 8 there is total destruction, and an undersea quake can trigger a tsunami.
• About 65% of India's mainland is flood-prone. Floods may be flowing (rivers overflow) or sedentary (low-lying city areas get submerged).
• Landslides: Jui village, Raigad (2005) and Malin, Pune district (2014).
• Tsunami is a Japanese word meaning 'giant wave'. It hit India's coast in December 2004 and Japan in March 2011.
• Cyclones mostly hit India's east coast; winds can exceed 200 km/h (Odisha super cyclone, 1999).
• Man-made disasters: road accidents (rash driving, no helmet or seat belt), fires (about 8% of deaths in India), industrial accidents (Bhopal gas tragedy, 1984) and biological hazards (cholera, malaria, dengue).
• Natural events cannot be stopped, but losses can be reduced. This is mitigation.

Important terms

• Hazard – a possible source of harm.
• Disaster – a hazard out of control that disturbs normal life.
• Mitigation – steps to reduce the damage from a hazard.
• Preparedness – warning systems, resources, trained teams and plans kept ready.

Key facts

5 important questions

Q1. Differentiate between a hazard and a disaster.

A hazard only has the potential to cause harm. A disaster is a hazard that has become active, gone out of control and caused heavy loss.

Q2. What does the word tsunami mean?

It is Japanese for 'giant wave', caused by an undersea earthquake or volcano.

Q3. Give the causes of road accidents.

Rash or drunken driving, breaking signals, bad roads and weather, careless pedestrians, encroachment, poor vehicle maintenance. Not wearing helmets or seat belts adds to deaths.

Q4. Explain the disaster management cycle.

Pre-disaster: assess threats, prevent, mitigate, prepare. During: rescue and evacuate. After: relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Q5. List four items of a first aid box.

Bandages, cotton, antiseptic liquid, scissors (also pain-relief cream and ORS).

Exam tip

Learn the six steps of the cycle in order and one Maharashtra example each for landslide and flood.

Quick summary

Disasters do not only harm people; they can also damage army, navy and air force bases and weaken national security. This chapter explains how disaster management is organised in India (NDMA, SDMA, NDRF) and how the armed forces help the civil authority before, during and after a disaster.

Key points

• Disasters have hit defence assets: the 2001 Gujarat earthquake damaged Air Force and Army areas; a cloudburst in Leh cut army supply roads; the 2004 tsunami damaged naval and air bases in Visakhapatnam and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; the Kedarnath floods cut roads to the China border; a 2013 submarine fire and explosion cost the Navy a submarine.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs coordinates disaster relief in India.
• NDMA is headed by the Prime Minister; each SDMA by the state's Chief Minister.
• NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) is made of battalions from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, with engineers, dog squads and medics. It is trained for CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear) emergencies and is based at 12 places to reach disaster sites fast.
• The armed forces (Ministry of Defence) help as 'aid to civil authority'. Their discipline, resources and training make the government rely on them as the 'last resort'.
• Three stages of army work: pre-disaster planning, the warning stage and post-disaster response.
• Each service has a role: the Navy uses divers and ships, the Air Force uses helicopters and drops food, and the Army sets up shelters and gives medical help.

Important terms

• Aid to civil authority – armed forces helping the civil government in a crisis.
• CBRN – chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.
• Contingency plan – a plan made in advance for a possible emergency.

Key facts

Main tasks of the armed forces: (1) command and control, (2) logistics support, (3) relief camps, (4) medical aid, (5) building and repairing roads and bridges.
Examples: Gujarat earthquake 2001, Indian Ocean tsunami 2004, Uttarakhand floods 2013, Kashmir floods 2014.

5 important questions

Q1. Who heads the NDMA and the SDMA?

The Prime Minister heads the NDMA; the Chief Minister of each state heads its SDMA.

Q2. Which forces make up the NDRF?

Battalions from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB.

Q3. How did the 2004 tsunami affect national security?

It damaged naval bases at Visakhapatnam and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and air force runways there, stopping operations for some days.

Q4. What do the armed forces do in the pre-disaster stage?

They assess threats, update maps with GIS, check communication with civilian agencies, choose helipads and resource bases, and make contingency plans.

Q5. List the main tasks of the armed forces after a disaster.

Search and rescue, evacuation and shelter camps, relief supplies and medical aid, command and control, and restoring roads and bridges.

Exam tip

Remember NDRF = 5 forces (BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB) at 12 locations.

Quick summary

A strong nation needs strong science, technology and manufacturing. This chapter shows how India built space, missile, nuclear and electronics capability. Most of these are 'dual-use' technologies that serve both civilian life and the armed forces.

Key points

• Science studies nature; technology applies that knowledge in practice; engineering uses maths and science to design and make tools, machines and weapon systems.
• India was strong in astronomy, maths and textiles in the past. Tipu Sultan used rockets against the British in 1780. British rule kept the industrial revolution out of India.
• Dual-use technology serves both civilian and military goals, e.g. GPS, satellites, nuclear science.
• Space: ISRO was set up in 1969. Dr Vikram Sarabhai is the father of India's space programme. The first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was launched in 1975 on a Soviet rocket; India's first successful launch came in 1983. Launch vehicles: SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV. IRS satellites were the first major defence use (reconnaissance).
• Missiles: the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme began in 1983, led by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, India's 'Missile Man' and 11th President (2002). Its five missiles: Agni, Trishul, Akash, Prithvi and Nag. Later ones include Brahmos, Nirbhay, K4, K15 and Astra.
• Nuclear: Homi Bhabha led the Atomic Energy Commission (1948) and the Department of Atomic Energy (1954). India tested at Pokhran in 1974 (for peaceful purposes) and in 1998, when it declared itself a nuclear weapons state, for self-defence only.
• India did not sign the NPT (1968) because it is discriminatory: it limits non-nuclear states but not nuclear ones.
• Electronics: National Policy on Electronics 2012; PARAM 800, the first supercomputer from C-DAC (Dr Vijay Bhatkar); National Cyber Security Policy 2013.

Important terms

• Dual-use technology – technology that serves both civil and military goals.
• Ballistic missile – a missile that follows a curved path after its rocket stops.
• Cyber security – protecting computers, networks and data from attack.

Key facts

5 important questions

Q1. What is dual-use technology? Give an example.

Technology that serves both civilian and military purposes, e.g. GPS or satellites.

Q2. Who is called India's Missile Man?

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, chief of the IGMDP and 11th President of India.

Q3. Name the five missiles of the IGMDP.

Agni, Trishul, Akash, Prithvi and Nag.

Q4. Why did India not sign the NPT?

Because it is discriminatory: it bars non-nuclear countries from making weapons but puts no limit on the countries that already have them.

Q5. Why did India become a nuclear weapons state in 1998?

Nuclear weapons had grown in the neighbourhood, India faced terrorism and proxy war, and nuclear states made no move towards disarmament. India keeps them only for self-defence.

Exam tip

Match each scientist with his field: Sarabhai – space, Bhabha – nuclear, Kalam – missiles, Bhatkar – supercomputer.

Quick summary

This chapter is a guide to joining the armed forces. It lists the officer entries after Class 12 and after graduation, the non-officer (jawan, sailor, airman) entries, the recruitment websites, and the gallantry and service awards given to soldiers.

Key points

• Always check the latest details in Employment News and on the official UPSC and service websites; the book's list is only a guideline.
• Officer entries after 12th: National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune; technical entry for the Army and Navy; Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC); AFMC nursing entry.
• Officer entries after graduation (you can apply in the final year): Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam, for a Permanent or Short Service Commission; engineers' entry in all three services; legal and education cadres.
• Every officer entry except AFMC and nursing has an SSB interview.
• Non-officer entries: announced by the Directorate of Recruitment for jawans (Army), naviks (Navy) and airmen (Air Force). The minimum is usually 12th; some craftsmen are taken after 10th. Diploma holders can join directly as NCOs (naik, havildar or equal ranks).
• Paramilitary forces (BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB) recruit through their own websites.

Important terms

• Commission – the appointment of an officer; it can be permanent or short service.
• SSB – Services Selection Board, which interviews officer candidates.
• NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer, e.g. naik, havildar.

Key facts

• Distinguished service awards: Param Vishisht, Ati Vishisht and Vishisht Seva Medals. Wartime service awards: Sarvottam, Uttam and Yudh Seva Medals.
• Sena Medal (Army), Nao Sena Medal (Navy) and Vayu Sena Medal (Air Force) reward devotion to duty or courage.

5 important questions

Q1. Name two officer entries open after Class 12.

The National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune and the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC).

Q2. Which exam can graduates take to become officers?

The Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam.

Q3. What are the highest wartime and peacetime gallantry awards?

Wartime: Param Vir Chakra. Peacetime: Ashoka Chakra.

Q4. Explain the non-officer entries into the armed forces.

The Directorate of Recruitment announces vacancies for jawans, naviks and airmen. Minimum qualification is 12th (some craftsmen after 10th); diploma holders may join as NCOs.

Q5. Where should a student look for correct recruitment information?

In Employment News, on the UPSC website and on the official Army, Navy, Air Force and paramilitary websites.

Exam tip

Keep the two award ladders apart: PVC–MVC–VrC (in the face of the enemy) and AC–KC–SC (otherwise).