NEW DELHI, Sep 24: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday stressed the need for a balance between diplomatic engagement and military preparedness, saying India has both the “power of argument” and the “argument of power” to safeguard its national interests.
Addressing a defence conclave organised by News18, Singh said India would use the approach and language appropriate to the situation while continuing to pursue peace through diplomacy.
He said soft power could strengthen hard power but could not replace military capabilities. According to Singh, India’s traditional understanding has viewed peace and strength as complementary rather than contradictory.
The Defence Minister argued that security policies based solely on expectations of peaceful behaviour from other countries could leave a nation vulnerable. He said India had drawn lessons from past experiences and was now focusing on combining diplomatic efforts with credible defence capabilities.
Singh pointed to the surgical strikes, the 2019 Balakot operation and Operation Sindoor as examples of India’s willingness and ability to take decisive action when required. At the same time, he said the country remained committed to resolving issues through democracy and diplomacy.
“Diplomacy is important, but diplomacy gets strengthened when it is backed by capability,” Singh said.
He cautioned that military preparedness without diplomatic engagement could increase tensions and create security dilemmas, while diplomacy without adequate capabilities could expose a country to serious risks. Maintaining an appropriate balance between the two, he said, was essential for national security.
Singh also highlighted the changing nature of security threats in the 21st century. He said national security could no longer be viewed only through the protection of geographical borders, as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and attempts to create social unrest could pose significant challenges.
Economic and energy security have also become integral to national security, he said, warning that hostile actors could seek to disrupt economic activity or energy supply chains.
Describing a narrow focus on physical borders as a “perimeter fallacy”, Singh said the boundaries of security threats had become increasingly fluid even though national borders remained fixed.
He called for a comprehensive approach to security challenges and said the government was working to strengthen defence preparedness and make the armed forces future-ready.
Singh further said India’s national security policy must be guided by ground realities and national interests rather than wishful thinking. He noted that India’s history of facing conflicts had reinforced the importance of maintaining adequate defence preparedness.
The conclave was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen N S Raja Subramani and several defence and strategic affairs experts and senior officials.