PSEB SS Defence Studies flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Defence versus security

Defence refers to protecting the state from external armed threat, while security is wider, including economic, environmental, societal and political safety of individuals and states.

Strategic Studies

A sub-field of Defence Studies examining how military means are related to political ends, including strategy, deterrence, force planning and the causes of war.

Levels of analysis

Analytical layers used to explain war and peace: individual leaders, the state and its institutions, regional settings, and the international system as a whole.

Civil-military relations

The relationship between elected civilian authority and armed forces, centred on civilian supremacy, professional autonomy, and preventing military interference in political decision-making.

Defence economics

The study of defence budgets, the opportunity cost of military spending, defence industry and procurement, and how resources are allocated between security and development.

Kautilya's four upayas

In the Arthashastra, four methods of statecraft toward rivals: conciliation (sama), gifts or bribery (dama), dissension or sowing discord (bheda), and force (danda).

Clausewitz's remarkable trinity

Three interacting forces in war: primordial violence and passion (the people), the play of chance and creativity (the commander and army), and political reason (the government).

Total versus limited war

Total war mobilises all societal resources and aims at the enemy's complete defeat; limited war restricts means, geography or objectives to serve a narrower political purpose.

Asymmetric warfare

Conflict between parties of very unequal military capability, where the weaker side uses unconventional methods such as guerrilla tactics, terrorism or information operations to offset disadvantage.

Hybrid warfare

The blended use of regular and irregular forces, cyber operations, disinformation, economic pressure and proxy groups, often below the threshold of open armed conflict.

Deterrence by denial

A deterrence strategy that aims to convince an adversary its attack will fail to achieve objectives, by defensive measures and resilience rather than by threat of retaliation.

Deterrence by punishment

A strategy threatening costly retaliation, such as nuclear or conventional strikes, so that the expected cost to the attacker outweighs any anticipated gain.

Stability-instability paradox

When mutual nuclear deterrence makes general war unlikely, it may also lower the risk of limited conventional conflict, encouraging low-level aggression and proxy confrontation.

Revolution in Military Affairs

A fundamental change in warfare driven by new technologies such as precision weapons, stealth and networked command systems, altering force structure, doctrine and the tempo of operations.

Counterinsurgency principles

Core ideas include a clear political aim, protecting the population, intelligence-led operations, unity of effort among agencies, and building legitimate local governance rather than relying on firepower.

Negative versus positive peace

Negative peace is the mere absence of direct violence; positive peace includes the absence of structural and cultural violence, with justice and cooperation present in society.

Chief of Defence Staff

India's senior-most uniformed officer, created in 2019, serving as principal military adviser to the government and heading the Department of Military Affairs.

President as Supreme Commander

Under the Constitution, the President of India is the supreme commander of the armed forces, exercising authority in accordance with law and on the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Integrated Theatre Commands

Proposed joint structures placing army, navy and air force assets in a single geographical or functional command, to improve coordination and reduce duplication.

Andaman and Nicobar Command

India's first tri-service operational command, established in 2001 at Port Blair, integrating army, navy, air force and coast guard elements for the eastern maritime approaches.

India's nuclear doctrine

Declared policy of credible minimum deterrence, no first use, and massive retaliation, with civilian political control exercised through the Nuclear Command Authority.

DRDO

The Defence Research and Development Organisation conducts defence research and develops weapon systems, missiles and platforms for India's armed forces.

Paramilitary forces of India

Central armed police and border forces such as BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles, which handle border guarding, internal security and counter-insurgency duties.

Defence indigenisation

Policy of reducing dependence on imported weapons by developing domestic design, production and supply chains, supported by positive lists and 'Make in India' procurement categories.

Article 2(4) of UN Charter

The provision prohibiting all UN members from threatening or using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, subject to Charter exceptions.

Article 51 self-defence

The Charter recognises an inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs, until the Security Council takes measures to restore peace.

Jus ad bellum

The body of rules governing whether resort to war is lawful, requiring just cause, legitimate authority, right intention, proportionality, last resort and reasonable prospect of success.

Jus in bello

The rules governing conduct during armed conflict, including distinction between combatants and civilians, proportionality in attack, military necessity and prohibition of unnecessary suffering.

Geneva Conventions

Four 1949 treaties and their Additional Protocols protecting wounded soldiers, prisoners of war, shipwrecked personnel and civilians, with grave breaches treated as war crimes.

Collective security

A system where states agree that aggression against one member will be met by collective response from all, as envisaged in the UN Charter's Chapter VII framework.

Collective defence

A treaty arrangement where an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all, exemplified by Article 5 of the NATO treaty.

Chemical Weapons Convention

A disarmament treaty banning development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, verified by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.