A great deal of research and effort has gone into the production of "India Beseiged". A huge canvas has been covered and a penetrating study has been made of the strategic study of Independent India. The author terms his work as his study of the threats perception that India faced the Day One of Independence to the present, and also attempts to put into perspective what the future is likely to be. I totally agree with the author that corruption and mismanagement have been of monumental levels and that our achievements , if all had been on the straight and narrow road, would or should have been far more impressive. However, it cannot be decried, and it is the bitter truth, that dynamics of money circulation in business outweighs the slow and steady progress of the straight and narrow. It needs pondering whether for the fast growth there is definite place for short cuts.

India is beseiged indeed. And it is good to highlight the weakness and to create awareness. In a democracy it is the people who vote parties and leaders to power. As such they invariably,fully deserve what they get. I consider it a matter of luck and dynamism that Indians, despite their privations, still have given the message of 'perform or be damned' to the polity of the nation. Despite the bleakness and the darkness of the clouds, the silver lining is very much there. Kuldip Ludra's book is one bit of that lighting.

The author in his detailed study of the nation since independence has covered the geo-strategic importance as also the impact that the major players, on the international scene, have had the growth of India. His pointed and telling mention of self interests of the western powers and the earstwhile Soviet Union brings out the disadvantages under which the Indian Foreign Policy got practiced. Where as the weakness of what was done and how it affected us has come out strongly, the inter play of options that could have been availed off has been left to the readers' imagination. There is constant reference to perfidious behaviour of the United States of America towards India. The author traces the causes at appropriate places highlights the reason where lack of trust and a feeling that India, willfully opposed US policies, was the raison d'etre for this attitude. The collapse of the Soviet Union and it's impact on India has been well covered. The bi-polarity of the super powers acted as a check and a balance, which suited India as also its espousal of the Non-Aligned Movement. The loss of this pillar of support in more ways than one came as a shock to an un-prepared India, as indeed it also did to the whole world.

The internal scenario of the nation has been well researched and lucidly presented. Insurgency has been covered in detail for all the states that have been affected by it. The causes and reasons for its spread and the consequences have allo received more than adequate attention. That the causes were political or foreign inspired is vividly spelt out as is the fact that venality of all the concerned not only fanned the fire but also resulted in the involvement of the army in a role which affected its preparedness for war and and defence of the nation.

Kuldip Ludra has developed into a prolific thinker and writer on National Security issues. It is, therefore, necessary for me to recommend that a deep study of his chapters grouped around 'Threat Perception' is a must for all who are drawn towards this important but neglected aspect. He has painstakingly put together his views on the most important of the nations requirement. The views expressed would no doubt raise issues for debate as they are at times provocative. But then and detailed analysis alone can cull out the real answer.

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