Republic Day 2018 | Laying limb and life in service of nation, writes Nitin Gokhale

In the 68 years since India became a Republic, the Indian military’s contribution in nurturing and strengthening democracy cannot be overstated.

It has—particularly the Indian Army— put down fissiparous and secessionist forces within the country at great cost to itself over the last nearly seven decades. It has protected India from within and without.

The Indian military also holds a unique distinction of helping create a nation (Bangladesh) in the neighbourhood and then quietly walking away to let the people take charge. From disaster relief in floods, tsunamis and earthquakes, to building road over bridges for the railways; from quelling rioters in communal strife to being the last resort in internal counter-insurgency operations, the Indian military has been omnipresent.

Because of its versatility, adaptability, selfless attitude and resourcefulness it has become what it is today: Nation Builders.

Viewed in the context of India’s immediate and extended neighbourhood, the Indian military’s stellar role stands out in stark contrast to its counterparts in other countries.

Remember, the Indian and Pakistani armies originated from the same source, the British army. Yet, six decades since they parted ways, there couldn’t be a bigger dissimilarity in the way the two have evolved.

As they say, India has an army while the Pakistani army has a nation!

More importantly, the Indian military has also withstood systematic assaults on its status from politicians and bureaucrats who are forever looking for ways to downgrade the military’s status.

A nation’s military provides what is called a hard-edged back-up to its international standing. A strong military -- and especially a powerful, well-trained, fully-equipped army -- acts as a deterrent against adversaries. And yet, the Indian military appears to be under siege.

So what does the future hold for the Indian military? Right now, it is going through a churn brought about by combination of factors, ranging from societal changes, organisational restructuring, undue internal bickering and simply higher aspirations among both officers and men. The military has many things going for it but it needs to shed flab, train for future wars and more importantly get the society’s real support not just lip service.

The the worldly-wise Chanakya had told the king of Magadh centuries ago:

“The Mauryan soldier does not himself the Royal treasuries enrich nor does he the Royal granaries fill… The soldier only and merely ensures that… He is thus the very basis and silent, barely visible cornerstone of our fame, culture, physical well-being and prosperity; in short, of the entire nation building activity.”

The Indian society at large, has however forgotten Chanakya’s advice. The Indian soldier today stands at the crossroads, confused about his status in the society and unsure about his own role in a nation amidst changing societal norms.

The reality is: the society no longer respects the soldier and his work in protecting the nation in the same measure as it did in the previous century. It may pay lip service in times of crisis but that’s it. Sundry politicians and Indian-origin scholars with western degrees often deride the men in uniform either casually passing remarks about how soldiers anyway join the army to die or comparing the current Indian Chief to a despot like Gen Dyer who ordered the massacre in Jallianwala bagh. A local politician, a thanedar, seems to command more clout in society today. This has often led to a loss of self-esteem among ordinary soldiers.

As if the external forces were not enough in buffering the military the armed forces are  now paying a huge price for policies of divide and rule adopted by some self-serving and supine leaders in the past. Favouritism, nepotism and whimsical changes to promotion policies has corroded the vitals of the military.

The author is a national security analyst