Question

Compare the expenditure by the Indian government on traditional security with its expenditure on non-traditional security.

Answer 1

Basis of Difference	Traditional security expenditure	Non-traditional security expenditure
Main purpose	Protecting the country from external and internal military threats	Protecting people from poverty, disease, hunger, disasters, inequality and human-rights violations
Major areas	Defence forces, weapons, nuclear capability, border security, intelligence and military infrastructure	Health, education, food security, sanitation, employment, poverty alleviation, disaster management and social welfare
Nature of spending	Usually concentrated, visible and treated as a direct national-security requirement	Distributed across several ministries and welfare programmes; often less visibly classified as security expenditure
Relative priority	Receives a large and clearly identifiable allocation in the Union Budget	Also receives substantial expenditure, but it is divided among development and welfare sectors rather than one security budget
Impact	Strengthens sovereignty, territorial integrity, deterrence and defence capability	Improves human development, dignity, resilience and the everyday security of citizens