Why does PM Modi deviate from the real goals of India in army uniform?

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CIvilian leaders in military uniforms are an attraction unmatched by any other clothing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worn it every Diwali since the India-China clash in Doklam in 2017. This year, he spent some time with the Army and addressed soldiers in Rajouri, Jammu, off the Line of Control. He was wearing an army camouflage jacket and a red-banded cap, worn by colonels and above. He wore the emblem of the Indian army in the form of a crown, that is to say, in the middle of the red stripe around the cap. No rank badge was worn.

The speech skills of the Prime Minister and the speech delivered in his unique style would have touched the hearts of the soldiers and boosted their morale. ‘We are fortunate to have a leader like Modi’ will probably be a lasting memory for those who saw him in flesh and blood. Even for those who saw it on video, and especially for his millions of supporters around the world, it would have had a similar effect.

Gaining popularity is, apparently, the default currency of democratic leaders. Wearing a military uniform gives an added edge in terms of projecting the image of a strong leader. In a world that is rife with geopolitical tensions at the global and regional levels, other leaders have reached out to military uniforms to bolster their popularity, which is seen as a symbol of the power that Security can protect a nation against threats.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has been seen in almost all military uniforms of the armed forces during his 20-year rule. Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey and Xi Jinping in China have been there since before Modi appeared on the list. Putin, Erdogan and Xi, unlike Modi, are all heads of state. All their countries are passing through a challenging phase in their geopolitical journey. Historically, civilians wearing military uniforms in times of war is an ancient tradition, as the emperor included both the civil and military components of the state.

As per the Constitutional mandate of India, the country’s armed forces are indebted to their loyalty to the President of India, who is its Commander-in-Chief. It is also in the name of the President, who symbolizes the head of state, that the government headed by the Prime Minister carries out its functions. This is in contrast to China, where the armed forces owe their allegiance to the Communist Party. The two hierarchies are very different. Hence there are reasons to question the practice adopted by PM Modi.

Read also: Echoing Modi’s ‘All is Well’ line in Kashmir, Army risks losing initiative to Pakistan

When a PM wears the uniform

Legally speaking, there seems to be no serious bar on the prime minister’s wearing of military uniform. The matter of wearing a uniform comes under Indian Penal Code 171:”Wearing a garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent. – Whoever does not belong to a certain class of public servants, wears any dress or holds any token similar to that used by that class of public servants, with the intention that it may be believed may, or with the knowledge that he is likely to be deemed to belong to that class of public servants, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both., It is quite clear that one can wear the uniform as long as it is not used for cheating. It is also under the provision that wearing combat attire is prohibited by local orders in areas where terrorists disguise themselves by posing as soldiers. Terrorists often use this tactic in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, when the Indian Prime Minister wears a military uniform, the issue should not be of a legal nature. Then it is about political ethics in a democracy. Constitutionally, only the President of India can incorporate both civilian and military leadership in one person. When a popular prime minister like Modi wears the army uniform, apart from the strong image, there is an unconscious suggestion that the nation should emulate the uniform and be ready to fight for the country. This sentiment was expressed by two friends who commented, ‘After watching the video’ [Modi’s]’We wanted to join the army’. It is a nationalist sentiment, which can do both good and bad for the country in the long run.

The goodness comes from the fact that a nation in danger of security needs the full support of its citizens. Bad is the possible militarization of civil society. Militarization is the phenomenon when civilians see military solutions as the dominant method for addressing external and internal security threats. The use of force is then logically given priority and the resulting fight is usually portrayed as an ideological one. An ideology, especially one of a religious nature, can give rise to emotional issues that give leaders wide opportunities to increase their popularity.

The India-Pakistan relationship dynamic is currently in such an emotional context. On the other hand, in the public imagination, the India-China relationship is seen as a territorial dispute. Therefore, it does not carry the same political advantage that the image of Modi in uniform suggests – that he is the rightful owner of the armed forces. In the statement of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the 2016 surgical strike, the Indian Army was called ‘Modi’s army is illustrative. Overall, Pakistan has emerged as a staple for electoral success.

Read also: Birthday greetings and ‘aarti’ have no place in our army. it needs to be fixed

Keeping the focus on India’s priorities

The militarization of any society is always a subtle process that creeps into the political body and feeds on the enmity of the other. It is played in the mind of the citizens. Images of a prime minister in uniform perpetuate the belief that violence or its threat is the ultimate arbiter of political disputes. Political science calls this realism. But in the Indian context, where all opposing nuclear powers are, the jury is still out on whether war can be used as an instrument of the state to achieve favorable political outcomes.

India’s focus on national security should be on protecting its territory and protecting it from any vectors hindering its progress in terms of poverty alleviation, illiteracy and health. Militarization may distort the priority of scarce resources, even though it may help strengthen the political party in power. There is also no dearth of young Indians willing to fight for the country, because unlike China, they will not fight for the party in power.

Nationalism is the oxygen of popular leaders, especially when the world order is in disarray. But it should not let the country’s attention wander from its primary goals. The prime minister who lives on in his non-military presence must certainly help and assist in achieving our national goals, without resorting to distractions.

Lt Gen (Retd) Dr. Prakash Menon Director, Strategic Studies Programme, Taxila Institute; Former Military Adviser, National Security Council Secretariat; and former member, Executive Council, IDSA. He tweeted @prakashmenon51. Thoughts are personal.

(Edited by Neera Mazumdar)

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