The Canadian National Security Programme visited IDSA on February 25, 2010. The delegation comprising 20 members of Colonel and equivalent ranks was led by the Commandant, Brig. Gen. D.C. Hilton. It was accompanied by the Senior Mentor and the Academic Adviser.

The Canadian Forces’ National Security Programme (NSP) is the senior professional military programme offered to officers in the Canadian Forces. It can be equated to India’s National Defence College. The NSP is a ten month in-house course designed to prepare senior officers for employment as strategic level leaders and joint task force commanders and senior staff. The NSP consists of several core areas of study, one of which is a Field Research Exercise (FSE) set in an international venue. The International FSE focuses on countries that are important to Canada’s national security, foreign, defence and trade policies. India was identified as the location for the 2010 FSE due to its status as a regional leader and its increasing impact and influence globally.

At IDSA, the delegation was briefed on India’s overall security perspective and its perspective on China, Pakistan and Afghanistan by Col. Raj Shukla, Air Cmde. (Retd.) Ramesh Phadke, Col. (Retd.) Ali Ahmed and Lt. Col. D.P.K. Pillay, respectively. The briefing was followed by a discussion. The questions ranged from what would be the tipping point of India’s ascent to great power status to prospects of mediation in the Kashmir issue. Air Cmde. (Retd.) Phadke chaired the session. The session concluded with an exchange of mementoes.

Prepared by Ali Ahmed, Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.