Anit Mukherjee. 2020. The Absent Dialogue: Politicians, Bureaucrats and the Military in India (Book review)

Abstract

India is widely—and rightly—recognised for being one of only a few postcolonial states that has avoided interference by its military in its politics. At one time or another, most have experienced some kind of intervention, coup d’état, or period of military rule. In India, there have been occasions when generals have overstepped the mark and there are present concerns about the politicisation of the armed forces, but it has been remarkably successful in keeping its armed forces under civilian control. Indeed, so strict is that control that some analysts and officers suggest that India’s military is not just constrained from interfering in politics, but also held back from becoming a more effective fighting force. A swathe of failings has been attributed to this ‘civilian dominance’, as it is sometimes called, from the procurement of unsuitable weapons to the appointment of subpar senior officers.