ABSTRACT
From having a limited role in the early years of independence, the use of military as an instrument of foreign policy has increased over the years. India’s strategic outlook has dictated its policy discourse since independence. India has sought to advance its security, but this conception of security has been largely defensive, influenced by the wars India has fought. The only imperative these wars have generated is a greater concern for building up defence to deter attack, and much of India’s military strategic thinking has consequently been formulated in the context of defending territory.
