PRINCIPLES OF WAR-NEED FOR RE-EVALUATION IN
CONTEXT OF THE INDIAN EXPERIENCE

1. Kautilya’s Arthashastra is the oldest treatise known to exist, which throws some light on ancient India’s strategic culture. The ‘principles of war’ as known today can be traced back to Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’, written over 2000 years ago. Carl Von Clausewitz, a Prussian General who is well known for his work ‘On War’ wrote a memorandum for the military instruction of the Prussian Crown Prince during 1810 - 1812 which was published as ‘The Most Important Principles for the Conduct Of War’. Thereafter, we have Marshal Foch who held forth that a theory of war starts from a number of principles and then went on to enunciate a few principles (of war). After the First World War, Major General JFC Fuller enunciated a set of eight principles and these were accepted and included in the British Field Service Regulations 1920. These eight principles remained in vogue through the intervening years and during World War II. In 1946, Field Marshal Montgomery added two more principles, morale and administration. ‘Political Mobilisation’is a principle of war enunciated by China and no other country. After Independence, ten ‘principles of war’ came to be accepted by the Indian Armed Forces and continue to be so till today. These are: Selection and Maintenances of Aim, Offensive Action, Concentration of Force, Economy of Effort, Flexibility, Cooperation, Security, Surprise, Administration and Maintenance of Morale.

2. The ‘principles of war’ as generally accepted today were evolved as a result of the experience gained by the commanders during the First and the Second World Wars. The Second World War involved maneuvers by large forces and was spread across many countries and even continents. In terms of the size of the forces involved, the spaces over which battles were fought, technologies used and the intensity of operations, the Second World War was major landmark in the history of conventional warfare In recent years, the nature of conflict has undergone transformation. Asymmetric was have become common. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon are classic examples of this change. Nuclear weapons have added yet another dimension to warfare. The spectrum of conflict today ranges from sub-conventional to conventional and to conventional with a nuclear overhang.

3. Since Independence, Indian Armed Forces have been involved in a number of wars and conflicts, in define of India’s sovereignty and integrity. There have been exceptions like the Sri Lankan experience and the operation undertaken in support of the Maldives Government in 1995. In addition to conventional wars, Indian Army has been constantly engaged in low intensity conflicts since the early 1960s. All these wars and conflicts have generated a wealth of experience, which is still to be properly evaluated.

5. Keeping in view the nature of wars and conflicts that India may face in the foreseeable future, what changes if any, to the set of ten principles, as accepted today, are recommended? Do we need a separate or an additional set of principles for low intensity conflict/ In the Indian context, are there any principles, which should have an overarching importance over the rest?


Group ‘B’: Open to All Officers upto 10 years of Service

1. In the recent past, there have been a number of cases of suicides and fratricide in the Indian Army. These cases would indicate that the level of stress went beyond the individual’s threshold and he/she felt that the extreme step was the only course open. Two points emerge from such incidents. Firstly, the unit did not become aware or take note of the indicators that may have been forthcoming. Secondly, the individual did not feel confident that he/she could share his/her concerns with colleagues or those in authority before taking the extreme step. Both causes require introspection by the System.

2. Stress as a phenomenon is inherent in any individual’s life and work environment. Degrees may vary. Life in the Armed Forces, due to the nature of work and hazardous environment would seem to be more stressful as compared to other professions or walks of life. Prolonged employment in counter insurgency operations, deployment in isolated posts and inhospitable terrain, frequent moves resulting in unsettled family life, separation from family for long periods are just some of the factors which act as stress multipliers. Then there are stresses caused by the pyramidal structure of the Armed Forces, i.e promotions and peer completion.

3. there are societal factors as well, which also generate stress. The joint family system has broken down. As a result, the families of military personnel have to live by themselves quite frequently during service. Individual aspirations have risen. There is an understandable desire to provide good education to children and for material acquisitions to improve quality of life. From the career point of view and to sustain improved quality of life, wives are increasingly taking up jobs, which leaves little time for the family and in some cases, due to the nature of employment; the families are split in different locations. To this must be added the generally unsympathetic attitude of the civil administration in resolving the problems faced by the Armed Forces personnel.

4. An environment totally free from stress does not exist anywhere. The individual needs organisationl support to overcome stress related problems, as and when they occur. An organisation like the Armed Forces must evolve institutional mechanisms to minimise or mitigate stress related issues amongst its rank and file.

5. Keeping the above in view, the easy should generally address the following issues:-

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION OF INDIA
GOLD MEDAL ESSAY COMPETITION – 2008

RULES

1. Competition Group ‘A’ is open to all commissioned officers of the Armed Forces of India, officers of the Territorial Army and the Senior Division of National Cadet Corps, and Gazettdd Officers of the Civil Administration in India including retired officers.

2. Competition Group ‘B’ is restricted to officers upto 10 years service.

3. Essay may vary in length between 3,000 to 5,000 words. The world length should be shown in brackets at the end of essay. Entries violating the length are liable to be rejected.

4. Essay should be typed on one side of the paper in double space and should be submitted in TRIPLICATE

5. Entries will be strictly ANONYMOUS. No detail pertaining to the officer is to be mentioned on the essay or in the covering letter. The officer is to select a MOTTO and type it on all copies of the first page of his essay. One sealed enveloped is to accompany the essay with a paper indicating the MOTTO, personal number, rank, name, date of commission, unit, address and e-mail written on it. On the outside of the envelope, only the MOTTO is to be written. These envelopes will be opened during the USI Council meeting, after the judges have given their decision.

6. the easy must be an officer's personal and original effort without plagiarism and cup-paste job. Jointly written essay are not accepted.

7. Three judges chosen by the USE ill adjudicate. Marks will be given on the basis of the following:

8. The award of the judges will be final. They may recommend the Gold Medal to the winners and/or a cash prize of Rs. 10,000/- as well as cash prize to the runners-up of Rs. 5,000/-. The names of the winners of the essay competition will be published in the USI Journal. Winning Essay found suitable in each Group will be published in the USI Journal and and additional sum of Rs, 5,000 will be given on publication.

9. The Institution reserves the right not to make an award, if none of the essays submitted are of a standard which the judges consider adequate. Cases of plagiarism will invite disqualification.

10. Copyright of all essays submitted will be reserved by the United Service Institution of India.

11. All essays should be sent to the Director, United Service Institution of India, Rao Tula Ram Marg, Post Bag No. 8 Vasant Vihar PO, New Delhi – 110 057, (in triplicate) latest by 15 September 2008. The envelopes should be marked as follows:

2. References / Endnotes