UPSC Mains 2025 GS4 Q2a: model answer
Carl von Clausewitz once said, “War is a diplomacy by other means.” Critically analyse the above statement in the present context of contemporary geo-political conflict.
What the question wants
Interpret the idea that war continues politics, test it against current conflicts, and add an ethical view.
How to structure it
Intro: Clausewitz's idea. Body: (1) Where it holds; (2) Where it falls short; (3) Ethical view. Conclusion: War may still be politics.
- 1(1) Where it holds
- 2(2) Where it falls short
- 3(3) Ethical view
Model answer
Clausewitz, the Prussian strategist, argued that war is a continuation of politics by other means: force is used to achieve political ends when talks fail.
Where it holds
- Russia-Ukraine: military moves are tied to bargaining over territory and NATO.
- Operation Sindoor (2025): limited strikes sent a political message on terrorism and were followed by a ceasefire.
- Coercive tools like sanctions and cyber attacks blur the line between war and diplomacy.
Where it falls short
- Modern wars kill civilians on a massive scale, as in Gaza and Sudan; treating war as normal statecraft hides this cost.
- Non-State actors and terror groups do not follow political logic.
- The UN Charter outlaws force except self-defence.
Ethical view: just war theory demands just cause, last resort and proportionality. Gandhi went further: means must be as pure as ends.
War may still be politics, but in our age it should be the last word, never the next sentence of diplomacy.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
Clausewitz continuation of politics just war theory proportionality Gandhian means-ends
Where most answers lose marks
- Only narrating current wars.
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19 Oct 2026Learn the concept
Question text as printed in the official UPSC question paper: https://www.upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/GENERAL-STUDIES-PAPER-IV-QP-CSM-25-010925.pdf The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.