India needs national security strategy: Former NSA Shivshankar Menon
New Delhi (PTI): India requires a national security strategy, and while it may take time, the government should come out with a white paper on defence to make clear its thinking on important issues, former national security adviser (NSA) Shivshankar Menon said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the launch of book "India's National Security Challenges", which has been edited by former Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra, Menon also said "deterrence has broken down on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China".
Stressing that defence reforms are required, Menon said in the past, at least three attempts have been made to produce a national security strategy.
"At least three attempts that I know of in past to produce a national security strategy. In each case, hesitation came not from professionals, but from political level. I sense, but cannot prove, that they do not wish their hands to be tied," he said.
"If you agree on ends in a national strategy, you have to provide the means. I think this is where the resistance comes from," the former NSA said.
Citing examples of lack of clarity, Menon mentioned that the operational role of the chief of defence staff (CDS) is unclear.
"Today, if you look a CDS' charter, he is the principal military advisor...he is also equivalent to the Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, and he is also supposed to drive military reform. What is unclear is his operational role, and that is something on which we need much more clarity. There is also a larger issue of multiple institutions created over time, and their relation with each other," he said.
"A clear chain of command is essential if we have to respond to the security situation that faces us. Frankly, uncertainty in this aspect affects our capability to deter our adversaries," he said.
Menon said while a full fledged national security policy may be difficult at this time, the government should bring a white paper on defence.
"It is time for a white paper on defence that makes clear the government's thinking on all of these issues and the path forward," he said.
He also mentioned first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat who died in a plane crash in December 2021, and said he was "very committed" to introducing "jointness" and a theatre command.
"We hear much less about it today," he said.
Menon added that in countries which have gone for jointness and theaterisation, there was lack of consensus among stakeholders, and what is needed is a "political decision at the top".
Commenting on the India-China border situation, Menon said, "Deterrence has broken down on LAC with China. What happened in 2020 in western sector and subsequent developments including the disengagement in some areas, is evident in satellite pics that people can access. These do not suggest deterrence has been re-established."
"There is a political impasse, and a military stand-off. The LAC is live, there is nothing to suggest we are making progress. We are either stabilising the border with China or preventing China from using the threat of action on the border," he said.
He also said that several reforms started during the term of Gen Rawat have not been completed.
"Reform half done creates new vulnerabilities without resolving old ones. We are today in a situation where many reforms begun by former CDS, those reforms are still incomplete. Besides, as I said, the operational role needs to be clear at every level, from NSA, CDS downward..." he said, citing the example of the Agnipath scheme, which he said, impacted India-Nepal relationship.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
