K. Subrahmanyam, who passed away on 2 February 2011, has been hailed as one of India's leading strategic thinkers. Having joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1950, his career graph turned out to be unique. He was one of those rare bureaucrats who came to be recognised more as a strategist than as a typical government official.
While the cooperative security approach has not succeeded in resolving conflicts in South Asia, it might work when it comes to resolving human security related issues.
It will not be fair to assess the success or failure of the Conference at this stage. The fact that there was an attempt to forge regional cooperation on Afghanistan was a positive but feeble step.
A National Security Strategy document should be realistic and balanced. While recognizing the challenges, it should also underline the opportunities. For, a successful national security strategy can give a fillip to our national consciousness, economy and socio-economic development, thus creating a calmer environment conducive for national development.
If India is able to sustain a comprehensive partnership with Afghanistan in trying circumstances, it would serve as a model for managing its relationships with other neighbours.
The PM’s speech in the UN General Assembly shows that Indian foreign policy may be rediscovering age old themes which had become subdued in recent years.
Game theory can be helpful in understanding how India and Pakistan can get out of the low paying unhelpful situations, throw light on crisis escalation and crisis stability, and to understand their nuclear thresholds.
Will Cooperative Security Work in South Asia?
While the cooperative security approach has not succeeded in resolving conflicts in South Asia, it might work when it comes to resolving human security related issues.