Question

Which one of the following statements is True about the concept of ‘Co-operative Security' ?

• A. Initiating action by the developed countries against non-traditional threats.
• B. Ensuring ‘collective security' by the NATO countries in case of threats.
• C. Strengthening internal security by various measures within a state.
• D. Involving several countries to decide on a collective solution against non-traditional threats.

Hint:

Cooperative Security = International Cooperation + Non-military Multi-lateral solutions + Non-traditional Threats (e.g., climate change, poverty, pandemics, terrorism).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Concept: Security is broadly classified into traditional and non-traditional notions. Non-traditional security issues encompass human security and global security threats such as poverty, epidemics, global warming, terrorism, human rights violations, and refugee crises. Addressing these multi-faceted and borderless challenges requires international collaboration rather than unilateral military force.

Step 1: Understanding the scope of Non-Traditional Threats.
Non-traditional threats affect populations globally across national boundaries. For instance, global warming, terrorism, and pandemics cannot be tackled by any single nation acting alone, regardless of how militarily or economically powerful that state might be.

Step 2: Defining Co-operative Security.
Co-operative Security refers to a strategy where nation-states, regional bodies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international bodies cooperate to find non-military or joint multi-lateral solutions to global non-traditional threats. It relies on bilateral, regional, or global cooperation, diplomacy, multilateral agreements, and collective policymaking.

Step 3: Evaluating the options.
- Option (A) is incorrect because non-traditional threats require cooperation among all affected countries, not just developed ones.
- Option (B) refers to traditional collective military security under alliance systems like NATO.
- Option (C) refers to domestic law and order enforcement within a single nation state.
- Option (D) correctly captures the core definition of cooperative security: involving various international actors and countries to collaboratively devise solutions against shared non-traditional security threats.