NEW DELHI, 12 November 2005 — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday emphasized the need of strengthening collective institutions and defeating trans-border challenges such as terrorism. He made these comments just hours before leaving for the 13th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Summit being hosted by Bangladesh.
While addressing leading strategic thinkers and diplomats at 40th anniversary of Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Manmohan made a strong case for developing “non-military measures” to address such security challenges. “Whether it is a war in its classical sense, or in its many variations such as internal conflict, insurgent movement or even transnational terrorism, non-military measures are invariably needed to evolve durable solutions,” Manmohan said.
During his address, the premier also pointed out that it would not be in India’s interest to see “failed states emerging in our neighborhood” as it would have far reaching consequences for “our national security.” Despite progress recorded by humankind, “our record in coping with conflict seems to be, probably, worsening,” Singh said. “Estimates suggest that mortality caused by conflict has increased dramatically, from 1.6 million in the sixteenth century to nearly 110 million in the twentieth century.”
Quoting Bonar Law as having rightly said: “There is no such thing as an inevitable war. If war comes, it will be from the failure of human wisdom,” Manmohan pointed out: “I believe that peace in our troubled and violent age requires eternal vigilance, patience and wisdom. We must all work together to analyze all the potential causes of conflict so that timely action can be taken to deal with them without recourse to the use of arms.” Describing violence as “only a symptom of larger social and economic ailments,” he said: “Sometimes external factors such as regional conflict, scarcity of resources and economic shocks adversely affect societies. For instance, competition for the increasingly expensive sources of energy, particularly the hydrocarbons, can lead to local and even global economic crises, and eventually if care is not taken, may lead to serious conflicts as well.”
Taking note of the link between internal sense of alienation among people, which is “exploited by external forces inimical to our nation,” the premier said: “Therefore, apart from firm political and administrative handling of such threats, we also need economic and social space within which a political leadership can contend with such problems. This space can be created by rapid, social and economic development.”
Against this backdrop, the Indian premier asserted: “It is, therefore, imperative to contend with both trans-border, regional and global ramifications of local problems as well as the reverse. In devising strategies to meet trans-border challenges, we must now consider ways of evolving multinational strategies.” Criticizing the “flawed” Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in a veiled reference to Pakistan’s nuclear policy, Singh questioned the clandestine proliferation pursued by some.
On the occasion, defense analyst and strategic affairs expert, former IDSA director K. Subrahmanyam was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lauding Subrahmanyam as the “doyen of the strategic community in India,” the premier presented the award, a silver plaque, to him.
