2017 · GS Paper 4 · Q6(b) · 10 marks
Strength, peace and security are considered to be the pillars of international relations. Elucidate.
In short
Strength gives a nation the capacity to act, security protects it from traditional and non-traditional threats, and peace is the stable order both should serve, so the three pillars hold only together and under ethics. India's credible minimum deterrence with a No First Use doctrine shows strength used to deter rather than dominate.
Model answer
Ghissu Editorial · Verified 4 Oct 2026 · 270 words
Strength as the base
Military, economic and moral strength give a nation a voice, and India's credible minimum deterrence after Pokhran-II (1998), with a No First Use doctrine (2003), uses strength to deter, not dominate.
Security as the shield
Security now spans cyberspace, energy and health, so Vaccine Maitri (2021) and Operation Dost after the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake treated human security as national security.
Peace as the goal
Peace is a stable order of trust, expressed in the Panchsheel principles of 1954 and India's large troop contribution to UN peacekeeping.
Strength without restraint
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 caused an energy and food crisis far beyond Europe, showing how unchecked power breeds insecurity for all.
Peace without strength
The 1962 war taught India that goodwill must be backed by preparedness.
Security through cooperation
Terrorism and climate change need collective security, which Kant's Perpetual Peace (1795) and the UN Charter seek to provide.
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Question from the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2017 paper. Answer written by Ghissu's engine and checked against our editorial standards. Found an error? Tell us and we correct it within 48 hours.