The referent for the traditional notion of security means

The correct answer is Option (2) → The state with its territory and governing institutions.

The ‘referent’ answers the question ‘Security for who?’.

Option (1) It is not just the state but also individuals. — Incorrect. This is the non-traditional reply, which expands the referent to individuals, communities and all of humankind.

Option (2) The state with its territory and governing institutions. — Correct. In the traditional security conception, the referent is the state with its territory and governing institutions.

Option (3) It goes beyond the military threats to include communities — Incorrect. Going beyond military threats is the mark of the non-traditional notions of security; traditional security is concerned mainly with the use or threat of military force.

Option (4) The referent is human security — Incorrect. ‘Human security’ is the name given to the non-traditional views; it is about the protection of people more than the protection of states.

NCERT: Contemporary World Politics — Chapter 5: Security in the Contemporary World (2025-26)