23 September 2024 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis
1. India needs a ‘National Security Strategy’
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
| Topic: GS2 – Governance – Government Policies |
| Context |
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Demand for a National Security Strategy
- The need for a National Security Strategy (NSS) is back in public discourse due to India’s evolving geopolitical environment.
- Old adversaries like China are strengthening, while new alliances, such as with the U.S., are still uncertain.
- India’s economic ambitions, such as becoming a $4 trillion economy, face challenges from the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, affecting global growth.
- A strong economy is crucial to national security, as every ministry, from health to defence, relies on a share of the economic resources.
Defining National Security
- The term ‘national security’ varies based on time and the state in question.
- In the U.S., it once meant a union of values and national interests, allowing for the support of dictators when necessary for economic gain.
- U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) documents outline objectives for power projection, both domestically and internationally.
- Countries like the U.K. and France use their security strategies to emphasise their global roles despite economic or military limitations.
India’s Need for an NSS
- India needs a coherent NSS that integrates various sectors such as defence, finance, investments, and climate change.
- The creation of an NSS requires a top-secret process, given that it would necessitate a clear identification of threats, such as the economic and military challenges posed by China.
- Such an exercise is needed to prioritise within limited resources and to set strategic directions.
Multi-Alignment as India’s Approach
- India’s current strategy of “multi-alignment” involves forming alliances with nations that could provide defence technology and support in times of crisis.
- The Quad (Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S.) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) illustrate this flexible approach, as India balances relations with both Western powers and China.
- India’s $85 billion trade deficit with China complicates the relationship, given China’s frequent territorial incursions.
Challenges in Public Transparency
- Public national security documents, like those of the U.S. or U.K., often exaggerate or highlight strengths for political and diplomatic purposes.
- In India’s case, transparency in a public NSS could expose military and economic vulnerabilities, particularly in areas like shipbuilding or submarine capabilities, where India lags far behind China.
- A public NSS could also reduce India’s flexibility in foreign policy, as seen in its careful balancing on issues like the Russia-Ukraine and Gaza conflicts.
Budgeting and Prioritization
- National security is closely linked with economic strength, which in turn impacts defence capabilities.
- While India’s defence budget is somewhat transparent, an NSS would require clear prioritisation of resources, especially in areas like the Indo-Pacific, where India needs to upgrade its naval capabilities.
- Pakistan’s opaque defence budget highlights how secrecy is sometimes necessary, especially for nations with vulnerabilities.
Internal and External Messaging
- A public NSS would need to balance the demands of social media-fueled nationalism with the realities of India’s military and economic limitations.
- India’s foreign policy approach avoids the chest-thumping seen in other countries and emphasises results-oriented action, as demonstrated by its swift, effective interventions in foreign conflicts.
- Any display of bravado in a public NSS would face criticism from political opponents and might hinder India’s diplomatic flexibility.
The Economy as a Central Component
- An NSS must integrate economic goals with national security priorities, as a strong economy is the foundation of sovereignty and defence capabilities.
- Such an exercise would involve setting priorities for industries, financial institutions, and other sectors that support national security.
Conclusion: A Discreet but Urgent Need
- India urgently needs an NSS, but it should be kept secret to avoid revealing vulnerabilities to adversaries.
- The NSS should be concise, focused, and linked to economic and defence priorities, with directives issued to individual ministries as needed.
- The National Security Council Secretariat can lead this effort, ensuring a cohesive strategy that guides India toward its long-term national goals.
| Practice Question: Discuss the importance of a National Security Strategy (NSS) for India in the context of current geopolitical challenges and economic ambitions. How should India balance secrecy, defence prioritisation, and economic resilience in crafting such a strategy? (250 Words /15 marks) |
2. Capturing the cost of healthy diets
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 9)
| Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Health |
| Context |
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Struggles with Nutritional Outcomes in India
- Despite reductions in poverty and rising incomes over the last decade, India has struggled to improve nutritional outcomes significantly.
- National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) in 2015-16 and 2019-21 show persistently high rates of child undernutrition and rising rates of anaemia among adults.
- Concurrently, obesity and overweight issues are on the rise in both rural and urban areas.
The Triple Burden of Malnutrition
- India faces a ‘triple burden of malnutrition’, characterised by undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies.
- A healthy, nutritious diet is key to addressing this burden, but many Indians do not consume such diets.
The Cost of Healthy Diets
- Rising food prices, particularly for vegetables, fruits, pulses, and eggs, make healthy diets unaffordable for many.
- Real wages have stagnated or declined, further exacerbating the issue.
- According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 report, 55.6% of India’s population (788 million people) could not afford a nutritionally adequate diet in 2022.
Thalinomics and Its Limitations
- The cost of a thali (a meal comprising rice/wheat, pulses, vegetables, and other ingredients) has gained popularity as a way to measure meal costs.
- In 2019-20, the Economic Survey introduced the concept of ‘Thalinomics’, calculating the cost of a ‘typical’ thali based on the 2011 Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs).
- However, the thali does not accurately reflect nutritional recommendations.
- The thali provides only about 61% of the recommended daily food requirements in grams and 65% of caloric recommendations according to the NIN’s 2021 guidelines.
- Additionally, the thali excludes nutrient-rich food groups like green leafy vegetables, dairy, and nuts/seeds.
- The methodology relies on outdated 2011-12 consumer expenditure data and does not account for variations in regional food preferences and availability.
Proposal for an Alternate Method: CoHD
- It is suggested that the government adopt a new measure called the Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) to assess the affordability of nutritious diets.
- The CoHD calculates the minimum daily expenditure needed to meet the energy recommendations prescribed by national FBDGs.
- The CoHD uses already available price data and does not rely on costly household consumption surveys.
- The calculations are simple, can be automated, and provide a more accurate measure than thali costs.
Comparison of CoHD and Thali Costs
- The CoHD, does not move in tandem with thali costs, especially during crises like the COVID-19 lockdowns, when the CoHD was significantly higher due to supply disruptions of perishable foods.
- This illustrates that thali costs, while intuitive, underestimate the true cost of nutritious diets, particularly during crises.
Conclusion: Importance of CoHD
- The thali, though a useful measure, does not fully capture the cost of nutritious diets and can underestimate it in times of crisis.
- The CoHD offers a more accurate and reliable method to track the cost of a healthy diet, ensuring better alignment with nutritional recommendations and short-term price fluctuations.
- This alternative measure would provide a more realistic understanding of the affordability of nutritious diets in India and aid in addressing the country’s nutritional challenges.
| Practice Question: Discuss the limitations of Thalinomics in addressing India’s nutritional challenges and the potential benefits of using the Cost of Healthy Diet (CoHD) as an alternative measure. (150 Words /10 marks) |
