Authors : Athira Sajeev

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 4 - April

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2nkhrzhj

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26apr429

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : The COVID-19 pandemic has redefined the outlines of national and global security, situating health emergencies as a crux within the domain of non-traditional security threats. For India, the pandemic examined the persistence of its healthcare framework and revealed the complicated linkages between human well-being and national governance under the ambit of human security. Unlike traditional security threats that emanate from military or political strife, pandemics appear as intangible, cross-border challenges that undermine societies from within. The outbreak drastically affected India’s socioeconomic fabric. It also put down peculiar trauma on public health institutions and accentuated drawbacks in health infrastructure, policy coordination, and crisis management. Pandemic as a non-traditional threat, featured that security can no longer be confined to territorial defence but must encompass the protection of human lives, livelihoods, and dignity. The concept of human security, which prioritizes human well-being, becomes vital in understanding India’s vulnerabilities and preparedness. The crisis underlines the need for an integrated health emergency policy within the broader framework of national security. Strengthening public health governance, fostering inter-governmental cooperation, and investing in research and technology are essential to building a resilient security architecture. Furthermore, India’s pandemic experience highlights the significance of global cooperation, as no nation can tackle such crises in isolation. Thus, pandemics challenge India to rethink its conventional security paradigm and need to adopt a comprehensive approach where health is recognized as a vital pillar of security. Addressing pandemics as non-traditional security challenges requires not only institutional reforms but also a shift in policy mindset from reactive containment to proactive preparedness rooted in the principles of human security and sustainable governance.

Keywords : Non-Traditional Security, Pandemic, COVID-19, Human Security, Health Security, Public Health, Health Emergencies.

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