Does Climate Change Have an Impact on National Security? An Indian Perspective

Abstract

Describing the situation of national security of South-East Asia and then coming to the present day national security of India. The Hindu philosophy of Karma is very apt in this context “Do not aspire for results but act and only then there would be a result”. The relationship between climate change and security is here to stay and it would be myopic on the part of the security establishment to not take cognizance. The political compulsions of public posturing should not deter the establishment towards combating the changing security scenario in their backyard. Failure to recognise the devastating implications of climate change on peace and security could prove to be very costly resulting in the worldwide instability and retarded development not to mention – loss of human life.

The need of the hour is of a collective vision, a vision of a world where we are able to co-exist with nature giving back as much as we take, Jonathan Swift said it best when he said, and “Vision is the art of seeing things invisible”. It is the collective responsibility of the Parliaments to make this invisible apparent and tangible for the masses to follow.

Keywords: National Security, Climate Change, Worldwide Instability, Loss of Human Life, Collective Responsibility