Incongruence

I came across this article by Nirupama Rao. It was mind-boggling to read this article. It could be one of these three versions:

1. Sarcastic dissonance
2. Bitter awakening
3. Blinding Flash of the obvious

If this article was written prior to recent Indo-Pakistan conflict, I would have taken it in a different stead. But it has been written on 3 Jun.

Why it could be a Sarcastic Dissonace? We have seen humiliation of India at the hands of Pakistan. If nothing else, Pakistan has gained appreciably in its statue. India was humbled and its stature was severely dented. Is it out of sheer frustration that the author is trying to bury her head in sand. Who in a normal senses can deny emphatic presence of Pakistan. India and its ahutors should rather show some grace by accepting the reality of power potential of Pakistan. Complete comity of nations have admired success of Pakistan. And here is a learned author seemingly terming Pakistan as a non-entity. It is said in Urdu language, “if a pigeon closes its eyes, it doesn’t mean that cat will not be able to see it or hunt it”. The author is trying to close her eyes like a pigeon that will not make the reality to go away.

Why it could be seen as a bitter awakening?India is being tipped by the US as counter balance to China. India and China are contesting on Indian Ocean. India calls it as its personal lake whereas China sees it as global common. The author is trying to woo China. Too good thing to happen. Its highly desireable by hapless people of South Asia who have suffered due to hegemonic designs of India. May be India is getting a bitter awakening to mend its fences with China. Indeed it will be a great happening for least integrated and most impoverished region of South Asia. But there is a caveat. In such a geostrategic setting, India will have a similar status of a small fiddle to China as India wishes for Pakistan.

Why it could be Blinding Flash of the Obvious (BFO)? They say “jaanain na jaanain Gul hee na jaanain, baagh to saraa jaanain hai” (strangely its only flower which doesn’t know, whereas whole garden knows). The whole World knows how strategic equation has altered in South Asia less of course Nirupama Rao. Either she was asleep or she is shying away from accepting realities.

She has called Pakistan as “perennial disruptor”, again she couldn’t be farther from reality. It’s India which imposes Kautilian Dictum on South Asia. Kautilia had said once there is a giant surrounded by small states, it will eat up smaller states as “a large fish eats up small fish”. Coupled with this conflict-based ideology of India and condescending, boorish and overbearing attitude of India towards its neighbours, makes India a troublesome country. Actual perennial disruptor is India which has been a revisionist state. It’s matter of pot calling the cattle black.

Oh my Gosh, Pakistan is a predatory state. Dear Nirupama Rao, where are you sleeping. How could you be so illogical. India has had problems with all of its neighbours, starting from Goa, Junagarh, Hyderabad, Sikkim, Kashmir, the lust of India to annex territories is insatiable. Bad days for India are just beginning. The neighbours who have all along suffered due to intransigence of India will nibble at it once cajoled by China. Only logical recommendation in her article is to mend fences with China, accept might of China, find its own place and behave like a small fiddle.

Few more pearls of wisdom, “decouple China and Pakistan by treating China as systemic peer and Pakistan as a tactical irritant”. Wao, China is competing with the US for a superpower status, India isn’t even a regional power. Expecting China to see India as a systemic peer is like a mouse competing with an elephant. A tactical irritant has profoundly bled India. Both assertions are illogical to say the least.

“India’s operational strategy must ensure that it never has to fight both adversaries simultaneously”. A huge wish list. Indian Army Chief Deepak Kapoor had said in mid 2000s that India will sort out Pakistan in two weeks and shift its Center of Gravity to China border. Those lofty claims have come to bitter awakening. India will not fight a two-front war, it will rather fight a mutiple-front or a three-front war unless it doesn’t behave like a responsible state.

“Asia and Asians must be principal stake holders in their security architecture”. Indeed it’s on the horizon. Asia is rising but India is doing bidding for the US. Parag Khanna has said, first Asia will be Asianised and then the World will be Asianised. Yes India can be a bonafide stake holder provided, it comes to the right side of the room. Become a poodle of China and join Asianisation of Asia.

The author has termed India as a great power. Ambassador Riaz Khokhar had said, India is big but it isn’t great. For being great one has to have big heart. I wish India transitions from being big to being great. It’s a tall order seeing meanness of Indian mindset.

On the whole India is betting on a horse which is not only distant power but also down the hill. Conversely Pakistan has an ally which is neighbour and going up the hill. India’s alliances are with extra regional powers. Pakistan’s alliances are with regional powers. India should keep its fingers crossed and start to behave. The only positive thing I have noticed in this article is that there seems to be bitter awakening. Sense is beginning prevail that India should not contest China. I wish it happens and India joins CPEC not as spoiler but as a supportive partner.