Meenakashi Lekhi

Is India too defensive and tolerant when its core national security is threatened? Has it been a ‘soft state’ in responding to terrorist provocations from Pakistan and territorial encroachments from China? Does India lack a strategic culture of raising the costs of aggression by its two principal adversaries? The past record of the Indian state has been questioned on such grounds. But this changed during the prime ministership of Narendra Modi. Guided by a ‘security first’ vision and the doctrine of ‘offensive defense’, his government sought to alter the strategic calculus of India’s opponents by credibly demonstrating a willingness to use commensurate military force and apply diplomatic and economic pressure. Crunch Time: Narendra Modi’s National Security Crises offers a comprehensive analysis of how ‘new India’ conducted itself during episodes of major national security crises. It is a testament to how a strong-willed political leadership with mass social support can transform a country’s strategic culture and deter its foes.