Not much long back, India said that China is using its veto power to help Pakistan in its terror activities. The intentions of China and Pakistan of disrupting peace have been a major problem for India. They are just not willing to declare Hafiz Saeed a global terrorist. Now they are shielding his son – Hafiz Tala Saeed, who has been named a global terrorist by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, under its clause of Prevention of Unlawful activities.
Recently at the United Nations, India doubled down on pushing reforms in the United Nations and proposed NORMS (New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism), which will endeavor to deal with problems of cross border terror with a more reformed approach. At the convention, S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, came down heavily on China and Pakistan on the issue of terrorism.
India said that multiparty platforms are being misused to protect terror perpetrators and justify their actions. China has refused to accept a number of Pakistan-based terrorists and has obstructed their UN listing; this includes Abdul Rauf, Abdul Makki, Sajid Mir and Shahid Mahmood.
China is definitely creating problems for India, the recent skirmish at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh is testament to that. Chinese ministers and diplomats keep repeating the same thing just like other countries, it too needs international cooperation in eliminating terror. They ask –‘How do you define a terrorist group?’ According to them, it has to satisfy their scrutiny and criteria before they decide if it is a terror group or not. They claim they have their own set of processes to determine the same. It is difficult to comprehend by what logic do they say such things? Their standpoint on the problem is uncanny and unacceptable. Also, it seems that they do not want bad press for their good friend Pakistan.
Talk between the militaries is absolutely necessary at this juncture; it is helping India focus on its internal preparations. India must continue engaging in serious talks until it becomes really necessary to combat them. It is for all to see what is happening in Russia and Ukraine. India has shown its wisdom in staying away from the blocks. India has managed to keep the option of reaching out to both the sides to find a middle ground and encourage dialogue & diplomacy. It was only after talks that China withdrew their troops in Eastern Ladakh and also from the areas adjacent to Galwan.
India and Pakistan are old adversaries and China is bound to take advantage of the situation. The ‘Gargantuan Blunder’ of India was to let China become a permanent member of the UN Security Council in 1952. Since then, China has used its power unjustly against India.
Healthy dialogue must ensue because India well remembers what happened in 1962. China walked in with so much ease, there was almost no resistance from the Indian side. Then in 1965, India had a draw with Pakistan, which it would have won, had it not been for wrong political decisions. The Haji Peer Pass was vital for India, but India could not capture it; the Indian forces had made the roads, and were ready with their guns, but the then Government failed the forces. They could not open up the Haji Peer Pass, even though it was made reachable.
India has two adversaries on its borders – China and Pakistan. The main problem lies in the fact that the disputes are also largely cultural. China hates India for giving refuge to Dalai Lama. Pakistan looked somewhat less disturbed when Jammu and Kashmir was ruled by the Abdullahs. Also, in spite of the best efforts by the forces, it is not possible to monitor every nook and cranny of the borders, where the climatic conditions and terrain areas are hostile. India is rapidly developing technological warfare capabilities and is now also a big exporter of arms, which would be hugely worrisome for China and Pakistan. India just successfully concluded joint military exercises with the U.S.
Perception has changed geopolitics. Today, India’s border infrastructure is much better than it was around two decades back. It has been two years since Galwan happened, but China is still creating problems. Top sources suggest that the Chinese are just not battle ready yet. “They scream, scare and keep trying probably because they have compulsory conscription in their armed forces,” says a top army official.
The borders are going to have disputes, especially since the borders marked by the British and the historical agreements are not duly followed by the neighbors. India claims that the 25th WMCC talks were fruitful and the 17th round of military talks are expected to resolve the ongoing border issues.
China itself is trapped in its own multifaceted problems like the Ring Zhang, the Uighur Muslim problem, the Tibetan autonomous region dispute, the South China Sea face off with its neighbours, the Islands that Japan claim is theirs. They also have plenty of problems with Indonesia and other ASEAN countries. Their problems with the US and Australia are well known to the world. The ‘One China’ policy has been challenged. Their own people are coming out in support of Taiwan. The same goes for Pakistan who India claims is a completely ‘Failed State’ and points at their leadership, which changes with the drop of a hat.
China has to deal with their own problems first, like the Coronavirus, the widespread resentment against the CPC. Ghettos of minorities are being tortured in China, which the whole world is watching. “The working mechanisms of the Chinese and Pakistanis is different, the former works by formulation while the latter is a rogue assailant who first engage in biryani diplomacy, then sneak in and strike Pathankot the next day,” says Retd. Colonel R.S. Malik who served the Indian army for more than 3 decades.
India lost 20 of its brave soldiers in Galwan. The Chinese lost probably more than 45; some sources even say around 100. A few incidents are bound to happen at controversial borders, but efforts must be made to save and protect human lives. China must not be taken at face value. Their expansionist policy is well known. India has upgraded its infrastructure and the process is ongoing. Now there are helipads, good roads and tunnels at the borders. Hence, diplomacy and equal military commander level discussions are must from time to time. India is gradually making China and Pakistan accept its strength. It has made clear that it is not an aggressor, but if China and Pakistan indulge in any misadventure, Indian forces are prepared to give them a befitting reply.
When one talks about Pakistan bred terror in India, one name that pops up first in India is the Hurriyat. For a reality check on Pakistani sponsored terror, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir sheds some light. Baig was the founding member of J&K People’s Democratic Party led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. After Mufti’s death in 2016, Baig was named as Patron of the party.
“The Hurriyat is dead now. Is there any Hurriyat leader around? They don’t exist anymore, no one knows them better than me,” said Baig. He further says that some people are just making money by calling themselves Hurriyat leaders; they are just masquerading around for their own profit. Baig points out that many canards are circulating in the media.
India has made its stance clear that it is ready to deal with any untoward situation with both the neighbours and if its patience is tested it will not step back in launching full scale attacks, but the diplomatic fraternity of India must ensure that such a situation does not arise, as war is something that benefits no one – history best replies that.
[Photo by Cell105, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
Shaumik Samar Ghosh is an author, journalist and columnist currently based in India.
