{"id":335901,"date":"2025-05-07T21:01:14","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T15:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=335901"},"modified":"2025-05-12T20:39:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T15:09:57","slug":"new-security-challenges-force-india-to-rethink-defence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/new-security-challenges-force-india-to-rethink-defence\/","title":{"rendered":"New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: The post New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence has been created, based on the article \u201c<strong>Our defence policy must gear up for a 3.5-front security challenge<\/strong>\u201d published in \u201c<strong>Live Mints<\/strong>\u201d on 7 May 2025. <strong>New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-336441 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?resize=501%2C332&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence\" width=\"501\" height=\"332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?resize=1024%2C680&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?resize=768%2C510&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> GS Paper3-Security challenges &amp; Science and technology-indigenization of technology<\/p>\n<p><strong>Context<\/strong>: The Pahalgam attack and increasing tensions with Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh highlight growing security threats. Simultaneously, global instability\u2014driven by the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas conflict\u2014necessitates a fresh review of India\u2019s defence strategy and spending priorities.<\/p>\n<p>For detailed information on <strong>Challenges faced by India<\/strong><strong>\u2019<\/strong><strong>s defense \u2013 India<\/strong><strong>\u2019<\/strong><strong>s defense budgeting and the point of deterrence<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/challenges-faced-by-indias-defense-indias-defense-budgeting-and-the-point-of-deterrence\/\">read this article here<\/a><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h2><strong> Escalating Geopolitical Tensions<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Multi-Front Security Concerns: <\/strong>India now faces a 3.5-front challenge\u2014from Pakistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, China, and rising instability in Bangladesh. China\u2019s assertive border posturing over the last decade adds to the pressure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Global Rearmament Trends: <\/strong>The international security environment is shifting. Germany is restarting tank production in a 176-year-old factory, while Japan is considering changes to its pacifist constitution. These changes signal a return to hard-power politics.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Conflict as a Global Risk: <\/strong>\u2018State-based Armed Conflict\u2019 topped the list of global risks for 2025 in a recent survey. Countries are asserting sovereignty and carving out zones of influence, heightening the threat of confrontations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h2><strong> Need for Defence Spending Reform<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spending Not Keeping Pace: <\/strong>India spends around 2% of its GDP on defence. Yet, defence outlays rose only 6.3% in 2023\u201324, 5.2% in 2024\u201325, and are budgeted to grow by 6.2% in 2025\u201326\u2014well below India\u2019s nominal GDP growth of 10\u201312%.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China<\/strong><strong>\u2019<\/strong><strong>s Military Advantage: <\/strong>China\u2019s military budget exceeds $300 billion and has grown faster than its GDP, unlike India\u2019s sub-$90 billion defence spending. This widening gap poses strategic risks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poor Capital Allocation: <\/strong>Of India\u2019s \u20b96.8 trillion defence budget for 2025\u201326, only 26% is for capital expenditure. The rest covers routine costs\u2014salaries, pensions, maintenance. Pension costs alone exceed 20% of revenue expenditure. The upcoming 8th Pay Commission may further tilt spending toward salaries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h2><strong> Advancing Strategic and Technological Capabilities<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Digital and AI-Based Defence Tools: <\/strong>India must develop digital defence systems, including AI and cryptographic technologies. Defence R&amp;D should be prioritized, just as physical border infrastructure was earlier strengthened.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Emerging Space Threats: <\/strong>Space may become a future battlefield. Though nuclear weapons are banned under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, conventional militarization by countries like China is advancing rapidly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Urgent Investment in Space Security: <\/strong>India must strengthen satellite protection, surveillance, and ground-based systems. Space strategy must align with military needs and prepare for future conflict theatres.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li>\n<h2><strong>Public-Private Collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use India<\/strong><strong>\u2019<\/strong><strong>s Startup Ecosystem: <\/strong>India should involve its private sector and startups in defence production. This can accelerate indigenization and reduce external dependence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enhance Strategic Autonomy<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>Leveraging private innovation will boost national security and help build a self-reliant defence system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Question for practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Discuss how rising regional and global security threats are reshaping India\u2019s defence strategy and spending priorities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Source: The post New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence has been created, based on the article \u201cOur defence policy must gear up for a 3.5-front security challenge\u201d published in \u201cLive Mints\u201d on 7 May 2025. New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence. UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper3-Security challenges &amp; Science and technology-indigenization&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/new-security-challenges-force-india-to-rethink-defence\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">New Security Challenges Force India to Rethink Defence<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":336441,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[216,406,10501],"class_list":["post-335901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-gs-paper-3","tag-internal-security","tag-live-mint","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/New-Security-Challenges-Force-India-to-Rethink-Defence.png?fit=1280%2C850&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335901"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335901\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/336441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}