Defence Education and Diplomacy: Learning from International Issues

The old and recent Kashmir attacks are the best case studies for defence education and diplomacy to learn about intricate issues. Study of the intricate issue of Kashmir allows Indian students to know more about national and international human rights, political tensions, and peaceful protest in international relations.

Defence Education: Strategic Awareness

Study of the Kashmir issue can be useful for defence education in the following manner:

• Intelligence gathering and strategic reaction: Successful operations on the part of security agencies ensure that intelligence gathering and strategic reaction remain at the forefront of upholding national security.
• Counter-terrorism methods: The Kashmir conflict puts into sharp relief the need for successful counter-terrorism methods, i.e., intelligence exchange and coordination among security agencies.
• National security methods: Students are able to examine the role of national security methods in stability at the regional level and global politics.

Preparing for Diplomacy: Training for Peaceful Intentions

• Training for diplomacy can be on:
• Conflict resolution: PoK and IoK conflicts had always been an example of diplomacy success at conflict resolution and peaceful co-existence attained.
• International cooperation between nations: Through learning, the students can appreciate how international organizations and diplomatic missions have assisted to solve difficult matters of international nature.
• Cultural sensitivity: The Kashmir conflict reminds us the importance of cultural sensitivity and tolerance in diplomacy, especially where there is a high level of cultural and religious diversity.

The Kashmir conflict is a valuable learning experience for defence education and diplomacy students. The students can learn the skill of critical thinking, compassion, and evidence-based dialogue from this complex conflict and become skilled enough to approach more complex international conflicts and frame more inclusive and peace-oriented agendas.

Books to Refer on Defence Education and Diplomacy:

Defence Diplomacy

Indian Defence Diplomacy: A Handbook by Cmde Roby Thomas - A comprehensive guide to defence diplomacy, covering its origins, Indian experiences, and proposals to vitalize the discipline.

India's Defence Diplomacy in the 21st Century by Dr. Sanjay Kumar - Explores India's defence diplomacy in the modern era.

Foreign Policy and Geopolitics

The India Way by S. Jaishankar - Analyzes the challenges of becoming a leading power and spells out policy responses, placing India's foreign policy in historical context.

From Chanakya to Modi by Aparna Pande - Explores the deeper civilizational roots of Indian foreign policy and identifies the neural roots of India's engagement with the world.

Perilous Interventions by Hardeep Puri - Shows how recent instances of force in various regions have gone wrong, including India's misadventure in Sri Lanka.

The McMahon Line by J J Singh - Examines the British India's Tibet policy and its repercussions for contemporary times, providing recommendations for the future.

India's China Challenge by Ananth Krishnan - Tells the story of the complex political relationship between India and China, exploring economic dimensions and cultural connections