Don’t gloat over tactical success 

The last few weeks may not have been historically momentous, as some in the establishment would like us to believe, but certainly India has been in the news, both within and globally, and more for good reasons. The reported surgical strikes conducted by India on September 29, 2016 at seven Pakistani terror-camp locations across the volatile Line of Control (LoC) changed the mood of the nation in one swift master-stroke.

That all political parties in India, cutting across party lines, unequivocally feted the Indian Army and the Modi government for this timely initiative to teach a perennially treacherous Pakistan a befitting lesson, showcased to the world Indian unity when confronted with a national challenge. However, like any succulent dish, happy tidings have a nasty habit of not lingering for long. With the euphoria of India's ‘macho' actions against a terror-exporting Pakistan gradually receding, the mood in India's agitated political environment is back to its not-so-cordial normal.

Electronic media channels, naturally looking for better TRPs, seemed to exacerbate the eternal political divide by pinning down some political parties with awkward and insolent questions on the parties' sense of nationalism and their degree of support to the government, as if it is a quantifiable commodity.

Most political outfits seem to have walked into the media trap with the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), chest-thumping themselves as the sole repository of fiery patriotism leaving other political dispensations in the country far behind in self-assessed jingoistic formulations. Anyway, the media does not direct national policies and hence it is time for the nation to leave behind the cacophony of proving one's patriotism, introspect and seriously plan for the myriad challenges looming ahead.

India's surgical strike targeting Pakistan over a frontage of 250 km across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir has sent a clear message to the state and non-state actors conglomerate in Pakistan that India's patience must not be taken for granted. However, it is apparent, once again, that history has a bad habit of repeating itself as regards Pakistan is concerned. Terror activities inside the Kashmir Valley, once again, are increasing, with the Pakistanis and their terrorist protégés taking on the security forces, snatching rifles from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police personnel besides committing arson at unprotected governmental buildings.

With Pakistani mischief in full flow, India now needs to zealously implement some baby steps it pragmatically initiated recently. First and foremost, India must build up, with alacrity, its military muscle to thwart threats emanating from a two half-front challenge (China, Pakistan and internal security), even collectively in a worst case scenario. Secondly, India must pursue relentlessly the diplomatic measures it has instituted recently with the global community and the UN to get Pakistan declared a terrorist state.

For China, its strategic game changer, namely, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and development of the Gwadar port is only possible with Pakistan's submission to the Chinese, and thus come what may, China's support for Pakistan is etched in stone. That the CPEC runs through the "disputed territories" in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) is hardly of consequence to a nation like China which scoffs at internationally accepted norms in statecraft.

Nevertheless, Pakistan's consistent record in promoting terrorism across the world must prompt the international community imposing economic sanctions against it. Diplomatic ostracisation of Pakistan by the world community must be endeavoured for with greater determination by India as done at the recently concluded BRICS-BIMSTEC meetings in Goa.

Pakistan's stock has predictably fallen with its South Asian neighbours and much over the globe as Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's lamenting the same to his Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) has come to indicate. Importantly, India needs to carve out a consistent and coherent policy towards its continually errant neighbor. India must cut off all economic, social and diplomatic ties with Pakistan.

The enduring message to Pakistan should be that we do not need them anyway. Keeping one's guard up in totality and the powder dry, India has to be ready for any eventuality in the entire spectrum of conflict. Persistent gloating over a moderate tactical success across the LoC is hardly becoming of the largest state in South Asia as it endeavours to establish a safe and harmonious environment in the region. (The article is by arrangement with South Asia Monitor /www.southasiamonitor.org)

By Lt Gen (Retd) Kamal Davar