On the other side of Wagah lies a state which is to undergo a democratic transition, with the elections bringing in a whole new level of sweet and sour for the neighboring nations. So, the ruling party and the opposition undergo a frenzy of emotions, with the nostalgic 1990s taking over and clouding their judgment. Adding to this ‘not so tolerant and liberal mix’ of politicians and senior military staff alike, is the confidence that they have, perhaps, taken over as the ‘US of South Asia’ with one nuclear submarine and one aircraft carrier. The ‘not so China-centric strategy’ has indeed served them well, but success can never be measured to be colossal in a matter of only a few months. While importing almost a staggering 70% of its arms and the defense budget spiking to almost $34 billion, the recessive nature of global economy is sure to hit the shores of Mumbai as it did to many other nations. Where most of the payment is yet to be realized in favor of the arms that India is scheduled to procure by 2020, there is little comfort for Delhi. With global economic trends bearing a negative mark on trade and the People’s Republic of China trying to replicate what it did back in 1962, not to mention the titanic investments by China in expanding their military capabilities as well as restructuring the global economy to suit their liking, there is much that this ‘regional hegemon-to-be’ has to overcome.
All this tension and already accepted hostility brings a danger that would encompass everyone without prejudice. If a diesel-powered submarine was so vulnerable as to catch fire in a dock and create such a mess, what is to stop the INS Arihant from undergoing such a disaster and creating a massive problem involving high quantity of radioactive material from its 83 MWe critical nuclear reactor currently functioning on 40% enriched Uranium? Where both the nations in the Arabian Sea-Indian Ocean have neither witnessed a proper nuclear disaster nor have ever contained a radioactive meltdown before that too on board a floating vessel, the chances, if something of this sort were to occur, are grim and the consequences would be grave. From 1961 onwards, there have been countless nuclear accidents regarding Soviet/Russian nuclear submarines, from uncontrollable chain reactions to reactor meltdowns to fires and partial sinking, cumulatively resulting in around 500 deaths and uncalculated environmental damage. The Indian submarine designs and technology almost replicate the Soviet/Russian Akula and November type vessels which have been prone to nuclear incidents in the past. Yet, with respect to nuclear safety and security, Pakistan can inquire of India as to nuclear safety and security on board the vessel, which is still in its test phase and scheduled to be commissioned somewhere in 2014.
As far as the LoC is concerned, dialogue is something that the Pakistani population and the media should not view as a ‘coward’s tool’; it should rather be viewed as the ‘sane choice’. The Indian rhetoric of annihilation stops short of the Mutual Assured Destruction barrier, and there is nothing an aircraft carrier or an ‘under testing’ nuclear submarine can do much about. It is merely an angry child that refuses to take sweets from the Chenab Rangers and plays the game of ‘dare if you will’ and, that too, to no end.
Discussion6 Comments
A very well articulated piece. Good work and nice to see that someone is talking sense during a war hysteria created by media.
Sharreh Qazi a very good effort from your side. Indian aggression on LoC reflects Indian mindset towards its neighbors, and it is sure that India always use coercive strategy/diplomacy to its immediate neighbors.
Good article but here’s the problem. Pakistan is willing to talk. In fact pakistan has even made concessions that are against its national interests. However the problem lies with the indians. They have not made any concessions and they are still not willing to talk. Instead they fund ttp and Baluch terrorists to destabilize pakistan. They are more brutal in their treatment of Kashmiris than they have ever been. There cannot be talks b/c india has never been interested in talking. From the beginning indian mentality has been a no-compromise, win through any means necessary mentality.
because they have more power then pakistan..they are supported by major powers and others terroists org.
I wish you could sent this article to the the chief advisor of the Prime Minister and his brother! And to his foreign/security advisor to get their views.They are people who matter across the board.Your feelings are very well expressed but they must be put across to the right pawns.
Indians are beguiled by Western made hysteria, your nation is no different to 10 years ago. The west has afforded you flex in access to their markets and even then Indian economy only grew at 8% after years of stagnation and then decline. 8% GDP can not feed all of India and this is the height of your growth India. Indians are lost in a frenzy of purpose and exuberant that they have a noble past and empire one that does not exist I like to add. This favouritism from the West to India has created a bubble around the Indian, his confused, bruised psyche thinks each and every Indian is an emperor and the most greatest individual in the world. This is fine, you can dream but better you dream with your feet on the ground, because when the ordinary Indian looks around him in contrast how they as a people are being projected and manufactured in the west and he rubs his eyes in disappointment at his actual life, his dissatisfaction is projected to Pakistan.
All Indians I come across behave like this, which mean Indian communities and their society must think like this. Therefore how can you expect peace from them, I term them a shizophrenic state with duplicit personalities.
Just look at all these blogs and sites where Indians pretend to be European, American even Chinese to shower praise on Indian history, nation and people but through the demonisation of others.
To post as Chinese , American, European and Pakistan when in reality your an Indian. To look to bring down others a peg or two is a common trait amongst Indians to hide your own incompetences. Or some times Indians try to re evaluate why they are loved from a distance because mythological cultures look beautiful from a distance but on close inspection. Indians and their cultures remain backward and shackled so often I have seen the Indian psyche demand from the world why do you hate us. Indians are naturally an abusive nation, they use profanity everyday towards family, friends, at work towards outsiders, the shackled culture tries to be more western and it does not look right and too much of their own culture shows a shackled backward nation culturally however diverse. Indians confused why they do not have the romantic admiration in the same way people have for other great eras and civilisations of the past, Chinese civilisations, European civilisations, Greek, Roman, Persian and even Islamic Civilisations etc. I see a confused psyche, one that is ignorant of all their own incompetences and one that is very bruised and displays an inferiority complex so try to project their unrecorded, uncertified Mythological Empires to show they too were great. For Indians the facade of a great past is real true but the outsiders treats it for what it is, a myth, a legend a poor one and that.
Indians suffer from a inferiority complex and the individual psyche like the posters here / author display exactly what I mean. A bitter, vile people do not exhume greatness.
When Indians are not asking why why why do you fail to appreciate our rich history and empires ( based on myth) they are always writing profanities towards others in the region ones who do have a great past, history and regardless of problems people are drawn to these people. The typical brunt of Indian self introspection projecting hatred at others is Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Chin is a great and old civilisation.
The Indus or Khorasani / Mughal empire re a great civilisation
Sri Lankans have an amazing history and are comfortable with their past as they are present.
The people of the Ganges are incapable – I want every non Indian to copy my post and revisit 10 years from now. India will continue have 50% of its people poor, divided on caste and religion and the bitterness of the common Indian will remain. It will be no different from where it is today.
Indians fed up with their lives in a verty stricken, culturally chained shackled nation flock Internet cafes and booths and project their dissatisfaction by demonising others.
Today it is their common target for their own deficiencies – Pakistan.
On another board it is The Chinese, The Sr Lankans, Bangladeshis.
This is the psyche of medieval people, broken and disheartened people not of a strong responsible modern nation.
The Indians outside India always carry this engrained inferiority complex but try to assert themselves over Chinese and Pakistanis. Publicly alone they never do as they are incapable but put Indians in a group of Indians and you hear them whine, moan and defame Pakistanis and Chinese.
The most bizarre is defamation of Islam yet Indiansnflood middle eastern countries and Turkey. Within India their is a large number of Muslims, so let us not mince word what we are talking about here is a Hindu psyche that is petty, extrovert in demonising others and never looks within with introspection.
I do not foresee the Hindu in the Indian changing if anything radicalised even more with an invisible sense of destiny and purpose that will take India to the brink.
Indian Hindus want to be seen as great and this effects their psyche and makes them very unstable to prove this they are becoming ultra right wing affiliating to right wing backward Hindu Fanatical Political groups and militias.
Little do you realise The Chinese and Pakistanis use this as a strength.
India views her success through a dismembered Pakistan and a voiceless, defenceless China and regardless how much you do or say to extend friendship it does not fit with the long time Hindu right wing plan. The Hindu right wing is growing stronger and use Demonisation of Islam, Pakistan and China as way of tapping into the bruised Indian ego.
Do not expect peace any day soon, continue striving and we should BUT not at the expense of compromising Pakistan’s internal and regional security.
Our success depends on a peaceful India but never through compromise of our national interest.
India sees her success through a dismembered non existent Pakistan as she has grandiose unrealistic plans engrained in her foreign policy.
Therefore where do you strike a middle ground and compromising on Kashmir is not that middle ground. Firstly you as Pakistanis have to support us Kashmiris as we are you, part of you but as Al Quaid said we also are the jugular vein to Pakistan.
Compromising on trade will destroy our economy?
Why must we compromise and hurt our national interest.
Personally we need to focus to mend what used to be fortress Pakistan, make us secure, stable, productive and to keep India in check we must become stronger politically, culturally, economically and militarily. Regionally we have always had greater ties and admiration and this is where our energies must go while continue to follow ZABs philosophy with little means continue to defend Pakistan.
The minute we compromise with India we will erode efforts to secure our national interest and in turn we will become weaker, so bit by bit we will become non existence as a individual nation and will be seen through the extension of Indian foreign policy.
Do you want to become Bangladesh.
So by all means extend friendship but look them in the eyes at NO compromise and why should we.