India needs to have a declared national security policy and a specialised cadre for national security administration, former Defence Secretary NN Vohra said on Friday, while delivering the keynote address at an event at the India International Centre (IIC).The discussion titled “Civil Military Relations and National Security” saw former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, former Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda and former Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra explore a slew of national issues such as the impact of theatre commands, slowness in the acquisition process and the role of the civilian bureaucracy in the Ministry of Defence. Former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran moderated the discussion.Vohra, also a former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, set the ball rolling by saying, “There is no substitute for not having a national security policy,” adding that if India could have policies on health, agriculture, industries, international trade, nuclear and telecom sectors, then why not on national security?Such a policy, he reasoned, would identify national security priorities, including things that must not be done and threats that must be guarded against.“The time has come to have a national security administration service that runs institutions, bodies and agencies concerned with national security,” said Vohra.Admiral Arun Prakash said civilian control over the military meant that political leadership exercised authority, though the Defence Minister often delegated powers to the bureaucracy. “Parliament has never discussed the defence budget, nor sought a white paper,” the Admiral pointed out.He also backed the idea of a national security policy and a national security administration cadre. He suggested that the government should define the status of the military, noting that it was neither classified as an all-India service nor as a Group-A service.On acquisitions, he said, “For 40 years, we have not been able to produce a jet engine or marine engine. That is where we stand on self-reliance.”General Hooda commented on the transformed nature of political-military relations, saying, “We now have political leadership that is less risk-averse in using military force.”“A crisis will occur periodically and escalate rapidly. Crisis management needs good military-civilian relations,” he added.Former Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra offered a different perspective on the idea of a national security policy. “I don’t think a written-down document adds much value. It certainly is not going to ensure funds. It will only put pressure on the civilian and political class, which is well known to be unwilling to take that pressure,” he said.The panel also discussed the role of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the theatre commands. Vohra asked, “Who will the theatre commander talk to? If operations are ongoing and he faces a problem, whom will he approach — the Army Chief, the CDS or the Defence Minister?”General Hooda said theatre commands would change the route of military advice to the political leadership.“At the moment, force employment is controlled from New Delhi through the service chiefs. A theatre commander sitting in Lucknow will be empowered to employ force,” he said.Vohra said the CDS currently enjoyed no operational authority and yet he was required to introduce jointness and integrating the combat capability of the three services. “He is a four-star officer and his peers, the three service chiefs, are equal in rank,” Vohra noted.“After getting four-star rank, you are supposed to coordinate, influence and direct the thought processes of three serving chiefs who are also four-star officers. These are large issues which are bothersome,” he added.Describing the role of the CDS as crucial, Vohra said it had to be within the framework a certain statute of government. “So it has a certain sanctity and a certain lasting quality,” he suggested.Mitra, who was Defence Secretary during the Balakot air strike in February 2019 and the Doklam stand-off with China in 2017, said: “I can tell you that the Chief of Staff Committee works. Earlier, it used to be headed by one of the three service chiefs by rotation. Since January 2020, it has been headed by the CDS.”