The United Service Institution of India was founded in 1870 by a soldier scholar, Colonel (later Major General) Sir Charles MacGregor. The story of its growth is the story of the growth of the Indian Armed Forces. It was founded for ‘furtherance of interest and knowledge in the art, science and literature of the Defence Services.’

Subscribe

Sign up to get update about us. Don't be hasitate your email is safe.

United Service Institution of India

UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION OF INDIA

Military Heritage || Geopolitics || Comprehensive National Security || Military Affairs || Niche and Disruptive Technologies || UN Peace Keeping || Professional Military Education

USI Vision

USI Vision – 2030

In the last 150 years since its inception, the USI of India has emerged as India’s pre-eminent think tank on matters of national security. The initial aim of establishing the USI was the 'Furtherance of interest and knowledge in the art, science, and literature of the Defence Services'. During the pre-independence period, the USI played a leading role in shaping the strategic thought of the British Empire—not only on how to rule India but also in generating informed policy debates on its expeditionary forays into the strategic neighbourhood of Afghanistan, Tibet, China, Burma, and elsewhere. Much of those perspectives and reflections are encapsulated in the old journals of the USI and the plethora of archives preserved in the USI library. Post-independence, the USI has transformed into a typical track 1.5 institution that has rendered yeoman service in developing a strategic culture among the policymakers and the strategic community of modern India. The USI has acquired a unique multi-disciplinary character vis-à-vis other think tanks in terms of its activities, which range from historical research to publications of diverse literature, career progression of military officers, and a niche in net assessment, scenario building, and strategic gaming.

The Vision Paper 2020 was approved by the USI Council on January 14, 2014, and has served the USI well. A new Vision 2030, prepared by the USI Team, was endorsed by the USI Council on December 1, 2020. The Council ruled that the new Vision 2030 be circulated to the Service HQs for perusal and value addition. The Vision 2030 is encapsulated in the succeeding paragraph.

Vision 2030: Transform USI into a tri-service military institution with a niche for multi-disciplinary progressive policy research and narrative building in comprehensive national security with a military focus in a wider global geopolitical context, while preserving its rich heritage and unique character as India’s oldest think tank.

Transformation Focus 2030

It emphasises the following:

  • Resource Generation - Elicit financial support from various sources such as NSCS, MoD, MEA, other Ministries, DRDO, DMA, HQ IDS, Service HQs, training establishments, university projects, sponsors, membership drive, and better marketing of USI facilities.
  • Induction of Talent - With improvement in financial state, fill the suppressed key appointments and induct quality and multi-disciplinary research faculty.
  • - Align the focus of research and activities with the needs of other stakeholders in the knowledge domain, focusing on military heritage, strategic security, and military affairs.
  • Focus of Research and Publications - Focus on policy research and publications on new generation warfare, military doctrines and strategy, operational art, disruptive force development, jointmanship, Indian Military Heritage, and post-independence wars and conflicts.
  • Node of Excellence for Strategic Studies and Simulation - Conduct Net Assessment projects, Strategic Scenario Games, Core programs, Jointmanship capsules, and customised courses in military education for Service officers and other aspirants pursuing internships and studies in defense and security.
  • Node of Excellence for Career Progression - With the advent of digital technology, there is a need to shift the conduct of career progression courses from manual and postal-based systems to e-learning; creation of paid customised digital content, virtual classroom learning, online correction work, and YouTube tutorials, etc.
  • Node of Excellence for Military Heritage, Military History, and Conflict Studies. CMHCS is a repository of India’s Military Heritage with a niche in conceptualisation, curation, and creation of war memorials, war museums, planning and conduct of Staff Rides to epic battlefields besides seminal research and publication on Military History and Conflict Studies. This unique core competency should be leveraged at the national and international level.
  • Node for Defence Diplomacy - USI has been a preferred port of call for foreign delegations, lectures by visiting dignitaries, and UN diplomacy. The USI’s expertise and infrastructure capacity should be utilised for the conduct of tailor-made courses, workshops, and table-top scenario games for foreign military officers. As part of defense diplomacy, the USI should organise periodic interaction with foreign defense advisors, diplomats, and other opinion makers. Likewise, our military advisors should be given orientation training under the aegis of USI before taking up assignments abroad. The resource faculty of USI could be utilised for advocacy and narrative building.

Visibility and Outreach through Digitisation

  • Utilise social media platforms.
  • Provide fortnightly updates to members, NSCS, Ministries, DMA, HQ IDS, Service HQs, think tanks, partner universities, and diplomatic missions in India and abroad.
  • Engage with Military Training Establishments and Commands.
  • Connect with the IAS Academy, National Police Academy, FSI, PMF, and CAPFs.
  • Produce and propagate digital knowledge content, including YouTube series and podcasts.
  • Upgrade the website to make it more user- and mobile-friendly.
  • Increase outreach with the help of Ministries to engage with international think tanks through Track 1.5 Dialogues.
  • Foster joint projects and events with foreign think tanks on issues that promote literature and multilateral cooperation.
  • Revive UN-related work at the policy and doctrinal level.

Document institutional knowledge of the institution for posterity.