National Security

India is a developing country with extremely powerful neighbours such as China. On one side, it suffers from clashes with Pakistan over different land conflicts such as Kashmir and Sir Creek, and on the other side, it has China which is equally active in illegal; and acquisition. 

It is the responsibility of the Indian government to protect the boundaries of the nation and avoid an event of national threat. Security against external factors such as different countries is very common, but it should be noted that internal security in many different aspects is also part of national security. The prime focus of maintaining national security has been to avoid war and any situation that might lead to it. National security is also responsible for maintaining peace and avoiding civil unrest. This article will discuss various types of national security and the powers the Indian security act has given the Indian security council.

National Security Council of India

India is a country that has suffered from a lot of terrorism in the past and internal civil unrest. Moreover, even in the current scenario, there are various border conflicts. Hence, there is a continuous need for active security. On realising the need for the same, former prime minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, established the national security council of India in 1998. Although credit for the National Security Council goes to the prime minister, it was the brainchild of Brajesh Mishra, who was also The first national security advisor of India.

The structure of the National security council consists of the national security advisor as its head along with some key cabinet ministers such as the defence minister, home minister, finance minister, and the head of NITI  aayog. The reason behind people from such diverse sectors being a part of national security is the dynamic aspect of it which is not restricted to just armed forces. It is a setup with three major components which are assigned with a specific area of operations as discussed below:

• Strategic Policy Group- This is the core of the National security council, where all the probable threats are identified, and all the decisions regarding further actions and policy framing are made. All the major members, such as the national security advisor and key cabinet ministers, are part of it.
• National Security Advisory Board- On one side, the strategic policy group makes the decisions, and on the other side, NSAB advises it regarding all the decisions. Highly qualified intellectuals from different streams constitute it.
• Joint Intelligence Committee-  This component of National security councils deals directly with the research and analysis wing of India as well as the three armed forces of India. It has a person hitting it from the position of Joint secretariat.

Types of National Security

There are various aspects of national security which are never restricted to borders or the armed forces. Moreover, as the world is growing, various other aspects can cause major threats to the country’s security. With rising threats, the government’s approach towards national security has diversified, and the major types are discussed below.

• Defence Security- The defence forces of India are responsible for all kinds of physical security in India, including various other bodies such as BSF(Border Security Forces) and the police system. The main motive behind this is to protect the citizens and the institutions as well as avoid any political or civil unrest in the country.

• Infrastructure Protection- India has many important buildings and physical infrastructure. It has one of the seven wonders of the world. Besides the spectacular architecture, there are many important buildings such as the parliament, the hospitals, bridges and many more. It is the responsibility of the government to protect all these things from any attack or probable disaster. One of the major examples of the violation of infrastructure protection was the Mumbai attack of 2008 when many important infrastructures of the city were bombed by terrorists.

• Cyber Security, The rise of the internet has led to one more major security area in the country. Cyber security is the component that deals with all kinds of major threats posed through the digital world. Cyber security is a major issue in dominant artificial intelligence, and the government is pretty active with the same. Therefore, people who are subjected to any cyber threat can complain regarding the same as it is not limited to armed forces or the government. 

• Political Security It is believed that a country with a stable political sector can grow far better than the one which is not. Therefore, political security is a major aspect of national security because it is not just related to the government but includes the protection of various rights.

• Environmental Protection It is the core responsibility of the government to protect the environment and provide awareness regarding the same among its citizens. A healthy environment is extremely important for the health and climate of a country.

Conclusion

National security is a matter of major importance for the government and all the citizens of the country. Its availability is not just for the sake of border protection but has diversified itself towards different aspects such as cyber security and environmental security.