Priyanka Tiwari
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The 2025 US Intelligence Report prioritizes national security threats in a very specific manner, tracking China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea in that order. This assignment of priority is different from the Indian position which has resisted naming a predominate threat capturing the complexity of its region and internal struggles.
Pakistan: Deep-Rooted Security Concerns
Traditionally, India’s principal security concern has revolved around Pakistan as an existential threat. This view has been shaped by several wars, years of seething border violence, and proxy war strategies. The large scale military garrisons in Jammu and Kashmir are a testament to the staggering costs of capping insurgency from across the border. To many, Pakistan is still the most active and enduring challenge that India faces.
China: The Evolving Strategic Challenge
There's an increasing consensus among Indian defenders that it is indeed China which overtakes others as the central concern. Among the many factors are not only contested borders, but also rising aggression and spending on the armed forces, acceleration of Defense industry, aggressiveness in international relations, and strategic encirclement moves in the Indian Ocean elevate its perceptions.
China is now a primary economic competitor for India. A persistent trade deficit with China has adversely impacted India's economy. As much as Chinese policies are aggressive competitively, Indian policies have not been proactive responsive. Even with efforts to manage, the trade relations are disproportionate and overly favorable to China while economically straining India’s industries.
Security through Development: an Alternate Viewpoint
Some observers claim that the more pertinent issue of national security for India lies within its own borders. Per capita income, skill gap, and unemployment rate are flagged as primary vulnerabilities. Such thinkers recommend setting higher developmental goals rather than focusing on external military objectives, arguing resilience from within is critical to overarching national security.
The Two-Front War Vision: A Strategic Gap
India does face a plausible, albeit hypothetical, risk of enduring a two-front war with China and Pakistan. Coordinating their efforts is certainly a looming threat. While not an active topic of discussion for the last few decades, India should more openly ponder preparing strategically for simultaneous threats coming from each flank.
Finding a Suitable Balance Between Ethical Issues and Strategic Interests
Like with some of its other neighbors, India is quite careful with how it deals with the instability in Pakistan. In public discourse, the proposition of a weaker or a divided Pakistan potentially enhancing Indian security is not given much attention. Even more sophisticated discussions and strategizing is needed for advantages such as regionally containing Pakistan’s ability to wage proxy wars.
Absence of A Unified And Clearly Defined National Security Order
There is no centralized framework in India which attempts to divide into actionable priorities on defending and protecting India’s borders. Defining an official hierarchical structure for threats would bring more clarity to the confusion in regard to policies within the broader field of national security. As compared to the US where emphasis is laid on stating all levels of intelligence and defense concentration, India does not have such structured guidelines which leads to chaotic defense and foreign relations policy.
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