Presented here is an inquiry into the nature of conflict and the part Military forces play in its resolution. The purpose is to examine the need for Indian armed forces and arrive at guidelines on how they should be structured. National security in this age is likely to suffer if it were to remain predominantly in the hands of specialists, may they be soldiers, scientists, bureaucrats, or politicians. 'Renaissance-men' for leadership are hard to find. A system has to take over and collective intelligence must perform that which has gone beyond the capacity of mere individuals. The book concludes by making suggestions in this regard which will be of great value in the Indian context.
