Saturday, April 8, 2017

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'India, US and Pakistan' that was published in Newsband

India, US and Pakistan
Donald Trump administration is open to playing a proactive role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Indian and US interests today are increasingly converging. This is especially true in the area of fighting terrorism.
Trump wants to go all out against the Islamic State (IS). New Delhi and Washington are veering to the same position on terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Both want Islamabad to crack down on terrorism.
Pakistan-based terror is intrinsically linked to the Kashmir issue, US intervention against terrorism will certainly aid India’s case here. It is in india's and humanity's interest, to dismantle Pakistan completely and disarm the terrorist population and teach them secular democratic modern education to come out of this dangerous Islamic extremist ideology.
Given the fast changing contours in our neighbourhood, India would be called upon to reframe & recalibrate its policies towards the region. Terrorism & Kashmir are inextricably linked regardless of Indian concerns. However, Pakistan is not willing to resolve Kashmir issue for its own interest which is to trouble India.
The developments in Afghanistan are bound to raise considerable anxiety in Delhi. Pakistan has shrewdly involved China & Russia to ostensibly stabilise the situation but maintain its centrality over Afghan affairs while sidelining India. The US has been pushed to the background despite its military presence in Afghanistan. Hence india would have to reconfigure its relationship with Russia over its new found alliance with Islamabad. Hence there is a convergence of interests appearing between US & India on the Afghan front. Keeping this in mind, India would have to make a master plan with the US to weaken Pakistan's position on Kashmir & Afghanistan.
India has wasted enough time upon discussion, dialogue, secretary level meetings, with Pakistan, ignoring the fact that defacto power lies with Pakistan army & not with Pakistan Govt. Pakistan Army supports terror groups. India lives constantly under tension of terror attacks. India loses more & more jawans by terror attacks in Kashmir - so also civilians. Kashmir economy is ruined. The heaven of earth has become hell of earth.

A tentative dialogue, internally in Kashmir, and externally with Pakistan, could perhaps be initiated - no preconditions, no exalted expectations, but with sincerity and seriousness of intent. It could be entirely away from media gaze. Help should be sought from Washington to influence Pakistan's behaviour and it would be prudent and wise on our part to be careful of China.

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