This article explores the concept of human security and examines the scope for its adoption as a normative and policy framework in India. Human security prioritises non-military methods as a means of achieving security without compromising the priorities accorded to traditional security threats. It requires the fulfilment of people’s basic needs and rights. The objective of the article is to show that the human security approach can be usefully applied as a policy measure in India to reinforce successes in the social and economic spheres so that the possibility of dissatisfaction turning into violent opposition and internal conflict is minimised.