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OPINION JUNE 12, 2026 | The Indian Eye 11

na’s MCF strategy is closely linked
to the country’s objectives of build-
ing a strong economy and military
under Xi Jinping’s regime. It aims
to dismantle China’s traditional de-
velopment paradigm in which the
military and civilian sectors operate
as self-contained, insular and highly
monopolistic entities.
National Strategic Integration
is said to incorporate MCF’s devel-
opment strategy to achieve key long-
term goals. Various terminologies
and forms of National Strategic In-
tegration have been used by China
since 2016. For the first time, Xi Jin-
ping used the term “Integrated Na-
tional Strategic System” at the head-
quarters of the former PLA Strategic
Support Force in August 2016. Xi
Jinping repeated this terminology
at the 19th National Congress of the
CPC in October 2017. However, it
remained obscure until he re-em-
phasised its significance at the 20th
National Congress of the CPC in Oc-
tober 2022. The 20th Party Congress Building an integrated strategic system means a system free of institutional impediments and barriers (File Photo)
emphasised strengthening the coor-
dinated strategic planning between ity integration and sharing networks. objectives of building strategic capa- CONCLUSION
the military and civilian sectors, en- By integrating heterogeneous bilities in their respective domains.
suring the alignment of policies and resources and capabilities across di- The ‘national security strategic hina’s objective behind the
institutions, and facilitating the shar- verse domains such as the military, system’ encompasses domains such ‘National Strategic Integra-
ing of resources and factors. government, economy, science and as politics, military affairs, territorial Ction’ is to build long-term,
At the 14th National People’s technology, and society, it constructs integrity, economy, culture, society, sustained strategic capabilities to
Congress in March 2023, Xi Jinping a complex architectural framework science and technology, cyberspace, support the CPC in achieving its goal
changed this term to “Integrated featuring vertical and horizontal ecology, natural resources, nuclear of a prosperous country and a strong
National Strategic System and Ca- linkages and multi-layered nesting, security, overseas interests, outer army by 2049. The system aims to
pabilities”. In his speech at the 14th forming a dynamic network that en- space, deep sea, polar region, bios- effectively optimise all resources, ef-
NPC meeting, Xi Jinping said: “con- compasses the entire national strate- ecurity, data security, artificial intel- forts and forces to get the best results
solidating and enhancing the inte- gic landscape. The boundaries of this ligence, finance, and food security. and outputs for the national economy
grated national strategic system and mega-system are characterised by The ‘national development strategic and national defence and security.
capabilities constitutes a strategic de- their inherent fluidity and extensibil- system’ meanwhile comprises ma- The idea is to create more wealth
ployment made by the CPC Central ity, and its structural design endows jor strategies at the national devel- and influence and to secure interests
Committee in response to the new it with significant capabilities for dy- opment level, strategies aimed at in a relatively short time, with a high
circumstance, new tasks, and new re- namic adaptation and expansion. Its strengthening specific sectors, and guarantee of security both within the
quirements facing the endeavour to fundamental objective is to achieve regional development strategies. It country and abroad. However, the
build a strong country and a strong the optimal allocation of resources will integrate national defence and system will be highly centralised with
military, and with a view to better across all domains and to realise a military development within the a strict top-down hierarchy.
coordinating development and secu- non-linear enhancement of national broader framework of economic
rity, as well as coordinating econom- strategic capabilities. and social development. These stra- Dr. Abhishek Kumar Darbey studies
ic construction and national defence The National Strategic Integra- tegic capabilities are indispensable China Military that covers significant
construction.” tion was pursued during the 14th for new tasks under new conditions, activities of China’s Armed Forces, and
The integrated national strategic Five-Year Plan (2020–2025), and it including some of Xi Jinping’s pro- China’s defence & security issues in
system and capabilities constitute a will be carried forward in the 15th posed goals, such as building a mod- foreign and domestic affairs for more
higher-tier, cross-domain macro-sys- Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). It com- ern socialist country, the great reju- than a decade. His research interests
tem, specifically encompassing two dis- prises layers such as national, global, venation of the Chinese nation, and also include China-Africa relations
tinct components: the “integrated na- and regional strategies, and centres transforming the PLA into a world- and the Chinese language, literature,
tional strategic system”, characterised on the principle of ‘integration’, class military force by 2049. history and culture.
by cross-domain top-level strategic de- orchestrating strategic planning, Building an integrated strategic Views expressed are of the author and
sign and “integrated national strategic resource allocation, and national system means a system free of insti- do not necessarily reflect the views of
capabilities”, characterised by a net- defence and security capabilities. Ca- tutional impediments and barriers. the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
work of deep, cross-system integration. pability building will be in two areas: The integrated national strategic Government of India.
This mega-system spans multiple lay- economic development and national capabilities encompass not only the
ers including strategic decision-mak- defence and security. The integrat- capacity to maintain static resource This article first appeared in the
ing coordination mechanisms, ed national strategic system will en- reserves but also the dynamic capac- Comments section of the website (www.
multi-dimensional resource alloca- compass ‘national security strategic ity to transform those resources into idsa.in) of Manohar Parrikar Institute
tion systems, institutional and policy system’ and ‘national development tangible outcomes that fulfil national for Defense Studies and Analyses, New
alignment frameworks, and capabil- strategic system’ with the ultimate strategic objectives. Delhi, on June 4, 2026

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