The ‘Biju way’ of proactive security strategy

Synopsis Biju Patnaik’s strategic vision challenged India’s non-alignment policy during critical national security moments. His approach involved seeking US collaboration for defense, a move that proved crucial after the 1962 China war. Patnaik’s legacy includes the formation of the Special Frontier Force and facilitating US intelligence sharing, influencing India’s defense strategies even today. New Delhi: Facile, politically convenient insinuations on Biju Patnaik warrant a closer look at a difficult phase in India’s national security timeline, one where clear and present threats stood at odds with Jawaharlal Nehru’s non-alignment model. The two clashed head on when China attacked India in 1962…