There are times, in the history of nations, when they stand at the threshold of greatness. India is poised at such a point. The decisions made today have critical implications for the future. In order to achieve great power status, it is important for a nation to have a security surplus, economic and military hard power, and intellectual soft power. Achieving these, for India, requires clear thinking and the will to put into action, plans designed to realize the goals.

To achieve a security surplus, India needs to stabilize its borders, develop the capability to project, and sustain control beyond its borders. Today, India is constrained by China, Pakistan, and faces instability in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. India must bring military, diplomatic and political resources to mitigate this situation. Economic and military hard power is necessary for a nation to engage in economic warfare, and obtain technological superiority over the enemy. Today, India is experiencing some of the fastest growth rates in the world because of its economic reforms in the last decade. However, it must tackle the remaining legacy of a command economy if India is to develop into an economic power. It is necessary to undertake actions that will stimulate economic growth and foster concomitant advances in science and technology. Intellectual soft power includes the creation of a durable political and economic system, intellectual leadership, strategic foresight, diplomatic skill, and education. Clearly, much remains to be achieved in this arena as well.

As India pursues great power status, it is imperative that the strategies necessary to achieve this are adopted. It is necessary that India develop the strategic thought and debate that enables an accurate assessment of its needs. So also is the need to create policies that address these needs. The political will to withstand international pressure is critical. India must realize that it is beholden only to its interests. Consequently, there is no place for shibboleths in the affairs of state. The diplomatic record of accomplishment of the Vajpayee administration has been creditable in this regard. However, it must be emphasized that India cannot be all things to all nations, if she has her best interests at heart. This means that we must speedily address short comings in our armed forces and the delays in procurement, in the creation of a strategic command, in the creation of a National Security Council, in information warfare, and in the reorganization of the Ministry of Defense among other matters. India cannot delay or shelve projects that are critical to its security, in order to curry favor in foreign capitals.

This issue focuses on the state of the armed forces. Lather recognizes the need for greater mountain warfare, rapid action forces, unified intelligence processing, and creating a framework for integrated operations. The proposed restructuring of the Armed Forces is undertaken on this basis. Subramaniam addresses the changes that should be seen in the Indian Army based on a more realistic assessment of its role and needs. Mazumdar recognizes the role of the Indian Navy in projecting and sustaining control over the Indian Ocean Region and documents the moves made to solidify its vision of the future. Chattopadhyay documents the changing role of the Indian Air Force, and the acquisitions and changes in force structure necessary to accommodate its new role. The News and Views section, as always, provides short insightful commentary on influential articles of relevance to India.

We bring our readers a new section, "Know Your Army." This section provides primers aimed at improving our readers' information about the regiments upon which India's security rests. The first in a series of articles is about the Army's senior most regiment - The Brigade of the Guards.

Finally, we have a special section addressing some of the concerns evinced about India’s nuclear forces. Natarajan critically analyzes Iyengar’s comments on India’s nuclear weapons with a view to disabuse the reader, scientifically, of erroneous analyses of Iyengar’s comments. Badri-Maharaj systematically addresses an issue that has pre-occupied opinion-makers in India recently. He documents the maturity of the Indian nuclear program and provides an insightful comparison of the nuclear capability of India and Pakistan.

Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to Rakesh Koshy for his copy editing efforts, Shaji Manipurath for his work on the cover and our readers & well wishers who have seen the "new" Monitor into its first year.