Faced with sub optimal existential security challenges, discover how the Indian defence and security establishment is coping (or not) with myriad threats from mass terror in Mumbai to Pakistani nuclear weapons, to the Lashkar E Taiyyaba to the PREPAK and KYKL, to China's string of pearls to delayed Gorshkov and failed helicopter deals. And the prognosis of RMA or modernisation or even worse still, mere replacements based on hard facts culled from Parliamentary proceedings and reports of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence. By one of the foremost contemporary defence analysts in India and author most lately of, "Mumbai 26/11: Security Imperatives for the Future" and Editor of, "India's Comprehensive National Power: Synergy Through Joint Decision Making ". This book is a modest attempt to fill this gap by placing in perspective the policy on defence and security by the security establishment and its manifestation into capabilities to meet the current and emerging challenges. The Book is divided into four parts. In Part I the key defence and security policies, their translation into Armed Forces and security doctrines, the budgetary support provided and the technology environment for implementation has been covered in separate chapters. In Part 2 manifestation of policies into capacities in terms of strategic systems, integration and jointness, army, navy and air force capability and counter terrorism infra structure has been examined. Part 3 covers the defence industrial base and in the concluding Part 4 a summary of assessment of national security readiness has been provided.