Development of defence strategies in India has been slow and uneven due to the absence of a clear direction from the highest levels of government and the non-inclusion of the military in strategic decision-making. Focusing on the relative strengths of the state and society in this area, this volume provides a comprehensive assessment of the current situation and points to policy-relevant adjustments and changes necessary to future-proof India's defence preparedness. It also maps both continuity and change in India's evolving strategic capabilities.

Belonging to the Oxford International Relations in South Asia series, this volume is the second part of a two-part project on Indian military modernization. While the first part focused mainly on India's conventional military modernization, the second part analyses the country's progress in advanced technologies: cruise missiles, nuclear weapons, anti-satellite weapons, missile defence, and information-based warfare.

South Asia has acquired a strategic role and importance in the rapidly evolving global and political scenario. The present series analyses foreign and security policies in the region.