Tuesday, 25 August 2015

What are the takeaways from the 'cancelled' India-Pakistan NSA talks? With reference to Former Foreign Secretary of India Amb Kanwal Sibal's write up in Swami Vivekananda International Foundation, here is a brief reply to the esteemed dignitary over the issue.

"I might have to disagree a little with the pessimist assumption that the talks which were to occur last Sunday were merely an eye wash and could have signalled our weakness. Rather the talks were an intelligent move by the fantastic-duo (PM Modi and NSA Doval) to entrap the other side in a comprehensive dialogue on the issue of terrorism, on which India already has an edge with the comprehensive 'Doval dossiers'. Also, even with the last minute refusal to attend the talks (by Pakistan), the strategy of our 'fantastic-duo' has succeeded in isolating Pakistan with a global projection that it is unwilling to talk on terror and we give a prime priority to it, signalling our seriousness in combating terror.
Currently, the game is 1-1 because Pakistani side has successfully countered the above political move with an image that India is unwilling to talk 'bilaterally' on Kashmir issue and it is violating the letter and spirit of the Simla Agreement(1972).
What comes next in the coming months would be crucial because currently though the game is draw(tie), still India has an edge over Pakistan because the world regards terrorism as a more sincere and strategic threat to not only South and West Asia but to global peace and stability. Most of the world is least concerned about the stalemate over Kashmir question.
In Afghanistan, India is a major force, both US and China knows that and for Pakistan to replace India in Afghanistan, the public opinion and not only the political authority would guide the future course of action. India, despite being an energy-hungry developing economy, is not a neo-colonizer and this works in a very positive way for India."
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