Of Democracies, Wars and Responses to War: A Comparative Perspective on War and Security in India and the United States

War has existed from the beginning of human history and will continue in centuries to come even if all states accept democracy as their preferred form of government. The United States and India are both democracies and both have been involved in wars and conflicts since their inception as democracies. However, they face different threats and their responses to challenges have been different. Geopolitics, a country’s status in the world, historical background and other factors shape a country’s responses to crisis situations, and sometimes its democratic credentials play a very small role in this. America’s superpower status and its objective of maintaining its unique position has often coloured its responses to security challenges. India is a comparatively new democracy, and its main concern till recently has been to maintain its territorial security. However, it is an ‘emerging’ country and is now seen as emerging as a global player. Will its changing status have an effect on its foreign policy responses?