As the fastest growing major economy, India ought to have by now achieved major power status with a permanent UNSC seat. But over a decade of ineffectual defence modernisation has led to anaemic ‘Comprehensive National Power’. Unsurprisingly therefore, the Lowy Institute’s 2019 Asia Power Index concludes that “India underachieves relative to both its size and potential”. Her ‘Act-East-Policy’ underperforms both in economic relationships and defence networks. In this context, a galaxy of security experts with lifetimes of experience provides deep insights into “Securing India’s Strategic Space”. Without a National Security Doctrine, our strategic approach is necessarily fuzzy. Hence, dealing with China, the Afghan dilemma, great power play in Central Asia and the Indo-Pacific remain reactive and diffident.