Which of the following statements are correct regarding alliance building as a component of traditional security?
(A) An alliance is a coalition of states to coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack.
(B) They are based on a fairly clear identification of who constitutes the threat.
(C) They are formed by countries to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance.
(D) They are based on fixed national interests that rarely change.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (C) only
(A) An alliance is a coalition of states to coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack. Correct.
(B) They are based on a fairly clear identification of who constitutes the threat. Correct. Most alliances are also formalised in written treaties.
(C) They are formed by countries to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance. Correct.
(D) They are based on fixed national interests that rarely change. Incorrect. Alliances are based on national interests and can change when national interests change. The US backed the Islamic militants in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, but later attacked them.
NCERT (2025-26): “Traditional Notions: External … A fourth and related component of traditional security policy is alliance building. An alliance is a coalition of states that coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack. Most alliances are formalised in written treaties and are based on a fairly clear identification of who constitutes the threat. Countries form alliances to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance. Alliances are based on national interests and can change when national interests change.…” |