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New style but same mistake
December 30, 2011
After successive failures to move India to any direction and realize the impartibility of Cold Start Doctrine (CSD) without support of foreign powers, New Delhi consumed the year 2011 to straighten ties with the West and modernize its armed forces. Though India has not totally abandoned the CSD, it has realized it is unworkable at this stage. Hence, the Indian Army has devised another plan for raising four new divisions of force and making massive purchases. The new divisions would include Independent Mountain Divisions and Airborne Brigades.
In a briefing held early this month, countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and China were posed as biggest enemies and it was decided to work in collaboration with the US, the UK, Australia, Italy and Israel. Last year, Washington gave New Delhi a bill of $4.5 billion against its lavish military purchases. With these impressive purchases India has become the world’s third biggest arms purchaser from the US despite the fact that the US firms could not win bid for an estimated $10 billion contract for sale of 126 jets aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF).
The US arms sales to India include naval reconnaissance planes, giant transporters, sea-skimming missiles and other weapon systems. It is pertinent to mention here that India’s defence budget for current year was $36.1 billion, which New Delhi has already expanded. Last month the Indian Defense Ministry allocated an amount of $12 billion for programme to modernize the armed forces with special emphasis on fire power. A few days back, an additional grant of over Rs3,000 crore was approved to support deals including the procurement of 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft.
A few days back, Indian Defence Minister A K Antony attended a meeting in which besides Army Chief General V K Singh, Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne and Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, foreign dignitaries were also present. The meeting reviewed the overall security situation in the country, especially rebellions and insurgencies in different parts of India. Accordingly, joint operations were planned to handle war-like situations. New Delhi is well aware of conspiracies by western nations but the long-term ambitions has led India to adopt a hibernation strategy until it gets a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Although, it is in the blood of the caste Indians to not accept western domination or adopt the role presently being assigned by the western nations, unfortunately those ignorant of history are sitting on the top and moving towards a wrong direction. No doubt, the Indian history is full of praises for the warriors but the lessons learnt from wars have compelled some of the nationalities living in India to adopt the path of peace and harmony. After 9/11 attacks, Washington looked for new strategic partners to fulfill objectives in Asia and Middle East. The Indian tilt toward Russia and its pro-Iran policy made Washington to win India to its side to act as front man to achieve the long-term US objectives as far as African continent.
In another development, the US has withdrawn 60,000 combatant troops from Afghanistan in 2011 and another 23,000 personnel would be airlifted to other locations by spring of 2012. Thereafter, only reconstruction teams and some security personnel, looking after the US business interests, would remain in Afghanistan. India is much perturbed over the US withdrawal, as it generously invested over $2 billion in Afghanistan. It is interesting to note that over 102,000 Afghan refugees are living in India while the India military and police are running at least 38 courses for the Afghans nationals in different training schools. The Indian pressure compelled Washington to promise joint ventures with India in Afghanistan. In the same context, the US will continue to occupy all the three fortified bases in the name of training to Afghan armed forces and police.
One really wonders what is happing inside Afghanistan as reports emitting from these bases are indicative of mass training of Georgian soldiers against Russians. In the past, New Delhi also tried to send its commandos to Afghanistan but they had to face a tough resistance. It would be a big mistake on the part of Indians if they repeat the same folly. In fact, one thing New Delhi fails to realize is that there is a marked difference between the Indian culture and Islamic one and its grafting is unacceptable to Afghans. If India continues its “cultural invasion” tactics which are quite successful in Pakistan, Afghans may one day target India directly.
Massive militarization of South Asia and Indian Ocean is taking place to save the collapsing western economy and to win huge kickbacks for Indian approving authorities. It is pertinent to mention here that with almost 15% of world’s population, India is the second most populated country in the world. According to 2011 statistics, the total population of India is 1,210,200,000. Corruption is India’s one of the major concerns. Kickbacks in defence purchases, CWG, 2G scam and S band scams are threatening its economy and pace of development. As regards the industrial development, India was once Asia’s third largest economy but it is on the retreat due to corruption, high interest rates and elevated inflation ratio. Corruption, bribery, poverty, disease, unemployment, maladministration and injustice is on the rise while social ethics and values are at the lowest. Naturally, such an environment gave birth to campaigners against corruption like Anna Hazare, who in April 2011 raised his voice on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha.
Ironically, a Lokpal bill was drafted in 1969 to prevent corruption but till date Rajya Sabha is unable to pass it. However, corrupt people in India are of the view that Lokpal bill will create a revolution in our country which would be capable enough to topple the existing government and create an imbalance. To save India from further decline, there are very few options left including one suggested by Anna Hazare “Corrupt people should be hanged”. However, this seems difficult as corrupt leaders have devised a strategy to trap Anna Hazare by linking him with the RSS. Being Muslim one feels that although Hindus and Muslims are two different nations, one is not threatened by the other. On wonders in such a case, how fellow Hindus in India feel threatened by the campaign of Anna Hazare. Sultan Ferozud Din Tughlaq ruled India with an iron hand as far as justice system is concerned. It is same what Anna Hazare is suggesting. Certain elements in India are linking the campaign against corruption with the RSS to evade punishments but even if the RSS is involved why should someone oppose it.
Due to western propaganda, despite confidence building measures between India and Pakistan, New Delhi is continuing the cold war situation with Pakistan and Islamabad is countering it in the same coin. New Delhi is modernizing and equipping its armed forces so that in the event of worsening of political and security situation or setbacks, a strike could be carried out with an aim to install pro-India lobby in power in Islamabad. Currently, India is following a policy of making Pakistani provinces slowly bleed through terrorism, especially in the province of Khyber PK and Balochistan. In Sindh, it is following an entirely different policy that aims at the socio-religious-cultural invasion.
New Delhi has invested billions of dollars in synthesizing Sindhi media and local press. In the name of cultural, linguistic and heritage uniformity as well as the notion of common Hindu-Muslim shrines much loss has been incurred in the genuine identity of the people of Sindh and Balochistan. The Indian web of intelligence networks is working efficiently in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Benefitting from the US occupation of Afghanistan, the Indian networks in Afghanistan, Azad Kashmir and other provinces are carrying out assassinations in Pakistan and Afghanistan to destabilize these countries. A media campaign is adding fuel to the fire by presenting these countries and inefficient and corrupt. India’s growing ties with enemies of the East is disastrous for the whole region. Do the Indians expect a different treatment from the US, the UK and Australia from the way they treated the original inhabitants? It took over three centuries to get rid of these people but the Indian leadership is adamant to once again install them on the Indian throne. One strongly feels that if countries of the region discard western originated propaganda against each other, there would not only be peace and harmony in the region, but we would also be able to live like friendly nations for years to come.
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