PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES THE INDIAN MODEL

Transcription

1 1 PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES THE INDIAN MODEL Introduction The challenge of strategic education stems from the structure of strategy. Strategy understood as a bridge between means and ends is neither purely means nor purely ends. So while the military professional is expected to master the application of the military instrument, he also needs to acquire the capability to judge the likely political outcome that is expected to result from the application of the military instrument. There is therefore a currency conversion that has to take place from achieved military objectives to visualized political outcomes. The currency conversion is further complicated because the military instrument which represents force is a blunt instrument. Blunt because the instrument has to be applied against an opposing force who is normally an intelligent adversary capable of generating and applying counter force, taking evasive action and who perhaps also working to a plan. So in the strategic education process, the challenge is to provide the insights about the currency conversion from military power into political goals. The military instrument is also not the only tool that is being applied and is part of an array of instruments available to the state. The other instrument includes diplomacy, economics, psychological inter alia. Strategic education therefore needs to span the understanding of the multitude of state instruments. The professional military leadership and the civilian counterparts have to understand the nature of the whole so that his perspective on the role of the military in a larger context is understood. Prime Issues therefore that emerge are the development of appropriate horizons among leadership of both armed forces and civil hierarchy and the criticality of synergy. One of the key elements of strategy is coordination and

2 2 synchronization of all actions and the requirements of continuous exchange between theory and history. Like most countries, such a synergy, overcoming the considerations of turf and organizational barriers is a lacuna that we need to address. Our Current Methodologies of Training Components. There are three important components towards the advancement of military officers in their careers. These can be classified as professional service training, training for joint operations and finally to educate military and civil officers for leadership roles in national security at strategic levels. Certain distinctive features of officer training, conducted presently along the hierarchical progression are :- (a) Levels. Military training may be divided into five levels i.e. Pre-Commis sioning, Basic, Middle, Senior and General/Air/Flag Officers. (b) Focus. The primary focus at each level of training may be linked to levels of military activity i.e. tactical, operational and strategic or in management terms, at functional, directional and conceptual levels. (c) Training Progression. Training is a continuum, in that each level builds upon the previously gained knowledge. Short cuts or voids would, in most cases, prevent full growth of individuals as military commanders or staff. There is a need to progressively provide a widened horizon in order to enable officers to successfully adapt to discharge assigned charter of duties. Career Progression Profile. A glimpse of current command and staff training at various levels in the service is:-

3 3 Type Service Profile (Yrs/Month) Duration Joint Aim Remarks Yrs Yes@ Molding Joint Pre- Commission into officers Basic 0-1 Yr 6 Mths No Orientation to Service Specific Profile training Service arm Specific Junior Command 5-6 Yr 3 Mths No Command of Sub-units Staff 9-10 Yr 1 Yr Yes Staff Duties Defence Services Staff College Senior Command Higher Command Higher Defence Management Course National Defence College Yr 3 Mths No Battalion Command 20 Yr 1 Yr Yes Command upto Division or Equivalent level 20 Yr 1 Yr Yes Defence Management at Directional Level Yr 1 Strategic Studies and National Security Yr 10 Days Yes Security Leadership and Management Think Tanks None 2-3 Yr Yes Research Only in Army Conducted by each service Incl Civil Service and Foreigners A Critique. Our present methodologies reveal both adequacies and inadequacies. On the positive side, training is satisfactorily imparted to acquire skills in handling military situations, particularly in single service environment. The major drawback in the present arrangement is the lack of joint approach that shapes strategic education from the lower to the higher level. The need to is to

4 align all the service specific and joint training being undertaken towards a common goal that considers at each level the context which relates to the nature of the whole. The expansion of knowledge regarding the nature of the whole connects the levels from the tactical to the strategic. Some more areas we can improve are evolving uniform personnel policies for growth in profession, providing opportunity for self growth meaningfully, laying emphasis on development of values and ethos, absorption of technology and its application, understanding military industrial framework, greater opportunity for interacting with civilian counterparts not only in courses but also in field. We also need to work more on training for jointness including field exposure(s) between training at the NDA to DSSC (09-10 yrs) to Higher Command (20-22 yrs) and NDC (30 yrs). Particularly we need to attend to officers who are not able to undergo these courses. Scope of organizational structures and facilities rendered in institutes of higher learning like the IDSA and USI etc need to be enhanced substantially. It is these factors that have led us to find a solution through the medium of a Defence University. The Indian National Defence University(INDU) As mentioned earlier, the Indian Armed Forces have earned the reputation of being highly professional and among the best in the world. One significant factor contributing to this capability and reputation is the excellent training imparted to officers at various stages in their professional career in institutions that themselves are reputed to be amongst the best in the world. Training in the Armed Forces is based primarily on the information and perspectives of those who have past experience. Hence the present training and educational institutions and methods of instruction have been deemed adequate to meet the demands of respective professions and operations in the current context. The challenge now is to educate and adequately prepare national security leaders to 4

5 enable them to look at strategic security challenges holistically and formulate policies based on researched and informed inputs. 5 There are three important components towards the advancement of military officers in their careers. These can be classified as professional service training, training for joint operations and planning and finally to educate military and civil officers for leadership roles in national security at strategic levels. All these have been incorporated in the structure we formulated. INDU Vision. The INDU will be guided by the following vision. Must be and perceived to be a centre of excellence and innovation for policy oriented research and teaching. A multi-disciplinary organization with information age security leaders as its alumni. Aspects of joint and inter service and civil department operations along with resource management, acquisition, information and technology strategies being the focus of enquiry and learning leading to conceptualization and assessments of grand strategy. An educational system where national security managers in the Services and outside the Services understand each other s objectives and compulsions and establish personal relationships. The accent on university to be marked by commitment to open and free enquiry and scholarly debate. In return for freedom and autonomy, the university will dedicate itself to systematic, rigorous and critical enquiry. To serve as a think tank contributing to policy formulation a debates on security and strategy.

6 6 INDU Mission. The mission of INDU shall be to conduct all such research programs as may be necessary to enable it to serve as a think tank on all strategic issues of concern to government and its various agencies, and to provide appropriate educational and awareness programs on related subjects to present as well as potential future leaders in the national security community. More specifically the INDU will strive to achieve the following mission objectives. - To educate national security leaders on all aspects of national security strategy, national military strategy, national resource strategy, national information strategy and national technology strategy through teaching and research. - To promote policy oriented research on all aspects relating to national security as an input to strategic national security policy making. - Through an appropriate security research organization, provide the Ministry of Defence and Services with researched policy options on issues referred to them. - To provide a war gaming and simulation centre for policy makers at the strategic level and to provide re-education of service officers in the technology of warfare. - To encourage awareness of national security issues by reaching out to scholars and an audience beyond the official machinery. - To make available opportunities for higher studies through distance learning to interested military personnel. - To accord recognition by awarding degrees and diplomas.

7 7 INDU Organization Features. A proposed Organisation Chart is appended. Highlights that merit attention are :- - INDU will be an Institution of National Importance, established by an Act of Parliament with the President of India as Visitor. - INDU will come under the functional and administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. - The INDU President will be an eminent person in Strategic studies. Vice President will be a diplomat. There will be arrangement for boards of advisors and board of studies for general and technical advice. - Commandants/Directors of the Colleges will be largely from the services with suitable background. In the case of NISS(details below), the Director would be a retired practitioner from amongst the services, civil agencies, or a senior academic, retired or in service. - Faculty will consist of people from the military, civil services and from the academic community. In exceptional cases suitable retired officers may be appointed. INDU Constituents. The INDU shall consist of the following:- National Defence College College of National Security Policy to prepare future leaders of the armed forces, foreign and civil services and agencies for high level policy, command and staff responsibilities. Will conduct 10 months post graduate course. Institute of Defence Management to develop and harness the management thought. Will also provide research and consultancy.

8 8 Institute for Advanced Technology Studies Will focus on Technology and Information Studies. 10 months course. National Institute of Strategic Studies This institute will primarily have three missions. The first is to deal with policy research and analysis on issues of strategic importance, for which it will have various centers. The second is to provide war gaming and simulation facilities to the Ministry of Defence and the Services. The third is to support the educational tasks of INDU. Department of Research will be a major component with centres being - Centre for Neighbourhood Studies - Centre for Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorism - Centre for Chinese Studies - Centre for Evaluation of Strategic Thought - Centre for International Security Issues - Centre for Maritime Security Studies - Centre for Eurasian Studies - Centre for South East Asian Studies National Defence Academy Defence Services Staff College Corporate Fellows Programme These will serve to attain a spirit of jointness at induction and junior levels. National Defence Open University The mission is to bring distance learning within reach of those service personnel who wish to pursue the higher education goals of INDU but are unable to do so owing to the exigencies of service. This facility will come up in later time frame.

9 9 Way Forward Regional and Global Linkages Strategic Culture in India. Strategic Culture is a distinctive body of beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding the threat or use of force persistent over time and tends to outlast the era of inception. A strategic culture is rooted in the early formative experiences of the state. It is deeply influenced by the philosophical, political, cultural, and cognitive characteristics of the state and its elite. A Strategic Culture is ultimately a tradition of thought. A deep study of Indian Military History will reveal that there is substantial Strategic Culture in India (as enshrined in Kautilya s magnum opus The Artha Shastra ) that has remained constant over the millenniums. Our glorious victories in wars that we were forced to fight, coping with terrorism, vibrant economy that overcame consequences of global recession with ease, one well recognized stability in policies and their practices, our being firewall against bad influences in nuclear and non nuclear domain all bear testimony to our strategic dispensation. INDU Model adopted by us go with our past traditions, psyche and value system of our nation. Strategic Partnership. India has established strategic partnerships with several countries. Such partnerships are issue based aimed to attain at certain objectives. Look East Policy enumerated by India in 90s and practiced ever since has brought us close to East Asian Region. Resultantly, India is gradually increasing proximity to ARF member countries. Multilateral Security. ARF and multilateral security within the area of ARF, the world s six largest armed forces reside i.e. China, the US, India, North Korea, Russia, and South Korea. The ARF is the only governmental level forum for security cooperation in a broader Asia Pacific that embraces all these countries. Moreover, within the ARF s geography, there are three (US, China, Russia) of the world s five Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) recognized nuclear states, two non NPT nuclear states (India and Pakistan) and one seemingly crossing the

10 nuclear threshold (North Korea). All members must make all out efforts to facilitate multilateral security particularly in South and Southeast Asia. 10 Enhancing Cooperation. It is also for serious consideration that we enhance the scope of cooperation by enhancing the scope of exchange of ideas and interaction among participants nominated from all walks of governance who are selected on the basis of their potential for future leadership. The establishment of an ASEAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY would facilitate the needed interaction, enhance mutual understanding and cooperation. It is also prudent to network over institutions to exchange highlights of curriculum, research findings and expression of opinions. In Indian context, the National Defence College would remain a major conduit for some time. We would welcome such integration, in case it is institutionalized by mutual concurrence of all stake holders.

11 11 ORGANISATION NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY Board of Advisors President Vice President National Defence College National Institute of Strategic Studies Institute of Defence Management College of National Security Policy Institute for Advanced Technology Studies NDA DSSC Corporate National Defence Fellows Open University Programme Two Star Orientation Programme Prog. For Security Leadership Management Dept. of Research Dept. of Wargaming & Sim College of Defence Management College Indus Resources Mgmt Centre Research and Consultation College Technical Studies College Info Studies in Security Centre for Neighborhood Studies Centre for Chinese Studies Centre for International Security Issues Centre for Eurasian Studies Centre for Counter Insurgency & Counter Terrorism Centre for Evaluation of Strategic Thought Centre for Maritime Security Studies Centre for South East Asian Studies