Terrorism is fourth world war, says Union minister M J Akbar

HYDERABAD: Union minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar described terrorism as the 'fourth world war' but since it was being fought by 'non-state actors and radicals' who did not believe in rules, the Indian armed forces were in a dilemma on how to engage with the adversaries.
He was speaking at the College of Defence Management in Secunderabad on Saturday. He shared his views on "India's aspirations and role in emerging world order" in an interaction with offices of the higher defence management course (HDMC).

The minister described the 'cold war' as the third world war. "The fourth world war - which is the war against terrorism - has taken the wars out of the control of the nation-state into the hands of non-state actors and radicals who no longer believe in the concept of the nation-state but believe in 'faith-based spaces'. Indian Armed forces are faced with the dilemma of fighting based on rules of engagement with the new adversaries who do not follow the same rules," he said.

Akbar said it was for future leaders to be aware of it and to be trained for it. India, he opined, can once again show the world the path to deal with this new challenge of terrorism, and therefore be the harbinger of the new world order in the 21st century.

The College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad where the minister spoke is the nation's leading centre of excellence in developing management thought to optimise the effectiveness of the armed forces for meeting the challenges to national security. Officers attending the course are of Colonel equivalent ranks who are the future leaders of the Indian Armed Forces and friendly foreign countries.

During his interaction with Major General Sandeep Sharma, Commandant of CDM, faculty members and participants, the minister expressed confidence on the important role CDM can play in providing credible ideas for India's role in the emerging world order through research-based studies. Akbar said India was going through an internal change and reforms at social and economic fronts, which were both exciting and disturbing. "The changes once fructified will remove the shackles which have kept India from its emergence to its true potential in the new world order," he said.