NEW DELHI: A new strategic think-tank, the defence planning committee, will formulate national military and security strategy and oversee foreign acquisitions and sales, making defence preparedness much more than an acquisition-centric exercise.
The committee will have a cross-ministry mandate with national security adviser, principal secretary to PM, three chiefs of armed forces, defence secretary, foreign secretary and chief of the integrated defence staff (IDS) to the chairman chiefs of staff committee (CISC) as its high-powered members.
The panel will refine recommendations for defence procurement as it is expected to take a longer view of acquisitions and how they fit into current and future scenarios. The committee is to function through various sub-committees that provide inputs for senior functionaries and assess unconventional and emerging threats apart from developing more regular defence concepts.
Significantly, specific inputs provided to the committee are to be put up to the defence minister in the form of reports and quicken the process of approvals and time lines. The committee, set up by the government, is intended to make defence planning and strategy a more integrated and forward looking process intended to provide key inputs to define security priorities.
It will examine “ways and means” across ministries to develop capabilities and meet national goals. The decision is intended to address persistent criticism of India’s defence planning that it lacks centralised and organised planning integrating civilian and defence agencies and is often confined to silos.
There is an inordinate emphasis on acquisitions and debate is often about purchases and shortages. The need to align long term goals with procurement and doctrines is sought to be addressed by a mandate to take up “capability development planning” and place it before the cabinet committee for security for approval. Importantly, the panel will “evaluate foreign policy imperatives” and chalk out a strategy for international engagement that includes boosting Make in India exports and foreign assistance programs.
The committee’s wide ranging charge will include inter-connected subjects like defence diplomacy, manufacturing and policy and strategy that can bring together expertise in the government to one table. The new committee is also expected, to some extent, fill the gap caused by the absence of a national counter-terrorism centre, a jinxed proposal gathering dust since the UPA term in office.
The high level panel will also be expected to smoothen defence acquisitions by reconciling the often conflicting claims of defence PSU manufacturers and the three services who are pressing for armament upgrades.