THE RISE OF ‘INTELLIGENCE DIPLOMACY’ IN A TIME OF GLOBAL SECURITY CHALLENGES

THE CONTEXT: India has applied new diplomatic tactics based on intelligence, meetings, consultations, and naval diplomacy. Such approaches are evidence of India’s movement from seclusion toward integration into the global security dialogue. Of importance, too especially, is India’s movement towards fruitful intelligence cooperation and modernizing its intelligence agencies.

ISSUES:

• Intelligence Diplomacy: Intelligence diplomacy is the policy priority, so India shares the data with the allied countries’ governments and security agencies. This suggests that India is moving from isolationist to mutually intelligent relationships.
• Conference Diplomacy: India’s participation in the conference diplomacy in the form of the Raisina Dialogue, which is an event supported by the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of External Affairs, creates an avenue for the country to influence the global strategic discourse and build the transnational networks.
• Naval Diplomacy: The Milan Naval Exercise in the Bay of Bengal manifests India’s naval diplomacy, a primary military diplomacy tool India uses to promote regional cooperation and security and highlight India’s strategic relevance in the Indo-Pacific.
• Expansion of International Engagements: The paper focuses on the fast boost in global communities involved in international affairs, which provides the grounds for the emergence of think tanks and media outlets discussing foreign and security policies.
• Modernization of Intelligence Agencies: India’s intelligence diplomacy is also an integral part of a broader effort at the modernization of intelligence agencies, which date back to the turn of the 19th century, like the Intelligence Bureau.
• Global and Regional Security Challenges: Employing Indian diplomatic skills, including naval and intelligence diplomacy, answers the many new risks to world peace, which are deepened military crises, economic stress, and the return of great power rivalry.

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Enhance Multilateral Intelligence Sharing: India should continue enhancing intelligence cooperation with partners with similar outlooks, such as the “Five Eyes” agreement, to improve collective security and, therefore, be able to respond better and more coordinated to threats.
• Adopt Agile Global Expansion Strategies: India must take a light footprint approach in its external relations and concentrate on local partnerships with stakeholders while using human resources well to gain benefits.
• Prepare for Complex Threats: India should face variegated security challenges, such as cyber threats and terrorism, by upgrading its defence capability and resilience.
• Leverage Conferences for Conflict Prevention: India should use conference diplomacy as a potential method for conflict prevention & resolution, bringing everyone to the table and making them talk in a neutral setting.
• Enhance Maritime Infrastructure: Investing in maritime infrastructure and capabilities will strengthen India’s naval diplomacy and bring a more robust Indian presence and influence in strategically significant water bodies.
• Invest in Training and Development: The intelligence service’s employees’ skills and capabilities should be constantly developed through continuous training and the latest technology.

THE CONCLUSION:

India’s strategic engagement in intelligence sharing, international conferences, and naval exercises demonstrates its commitment to addressing global and regional security challenges. India’s way forward involves enhancing multilateral intelligence sharing, leveraging conference diplomacy for conflict resolution, and expanding naval diplomacy efforts to strengthen its position in the Indo-Pacific region.

UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTIONS:

Q.1 The sea is an essential Component of the Cosmos’ Discuss, considering the above statement, the role of the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) in protecting the environment and enhancing maritime safety and security. (2023)

Q.2 What are the maritime security challenges in India? Discuss the organizational, technical, and procedural initiatives to improve maritime security. (2022)

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q.1 Examine the role of ‘intelligence diplomacy’ in India’s foreign policy and its significance in the context of global and regional security challenges. Discuss how India’s engagement in ‘conference diplomacy’ and ‘naval diplomacy’ complements its intelligence diplomacy efforts.”

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/intelligence-diplomacy-india-global-security-maritime-raisina-dialogue-9169519/