India’s New Military Doctrine: NSA Ajit Doval Led Panel To Submit National Security Strategy To Centre In October

The National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval-led Defence Planning Committee is likely to submit the National Security Strategy (NSS) to the government in October, reports Hindustan Times.

The NSS, which would effectively be India’s military doctrine, will be focusing on future war fronts, requirement of naval expeditionary and the projection of comprehensive national power.

The report has been nearly completed and some final works is being done on it before its submission next month, three senior officials involved in the exercise were cited in the report as saying.

According to the report, after the Modi government or the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) accepts the document defining the country’s military posture, the unclassified part of the report will be made public.

The report of the DPC, which was constituted in April 2018, was delayed pending the announcement of a new post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who will be the single point military adviser to the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the creation of the CDS post during his speech on Independence day.

As per the report, the draft NSS is expected to defined India’s position on no first use of nuclear weapons in the current context as well as other red lines which could lead to strategic escalation. Furthermore, the report will also define military threats to India in terms of the possible number of fronts. At present, the Indian military has preparations on for threats from two fronts, north and the west, in a worst-case scenario.