26 April 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis
1. The toolkit for Pakistan
(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Ideas Page – Page No. – 13)
| Topic: GS2 – International Relations |
| Context |
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Can India Ignore Pakistan in Its Strategic Vision?
- India’s aspiration for security, stability, and prosperity cannot realistically exclude Pakistan from its strategic calculations.
- As a geographically contiguous nation and a nuclear power, Pakistan holds significant influence over the regional security environment.
- The idea of metaphorically pressing “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” on Pakistan is not just impractical but dangerous.
- A peaceful neighborhood is an enabler of growth — and peace with Pakistan, while immensely challenging, is a pragmatic necessity rather than a sentimental ideal.
- Historical lessons, such as the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, underscore the high cost of ignoring unstable or antagonistic neighbors.
What is the Current Reality of the State of Pakistan?
- Pakistan today remains deeply entrenched in a civil-military imbalance where the army continues to dominate both foreign and security policies.
- For decades, it has manipulated democratic structures and used India as a scapegoat to justify its control.
- The military establishment presents itself as Pakistan’s savior against internal and external threats, perpetuating a narrative that has fostered hostility, especially toward India.
- Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, once a product of military backing, has now turned into its critic.
- His imprisonment has not silenced his influence, and recent international developments, such as the US’s proposed Pakistan Democracy Act, suggest growing pressure on Pakistan’s military elite.
- Additionally, the Pakistani army is increasingly being seen as ineffective in managing security challenges, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant activity has surged post-US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
What is the Current Geopolitics of the Region?
- Pakistan is currently facing heightened internal instability and external scrutiny.
- The hijacking of the Jaffar Express by Baloch militants was a symbolic and tactical blow to the army’s authority.
- The army’s attempt to pin blame on India and Afghanistan reflects a familiar strategy — diverting attention from domestic failures by amplifying external threats.
- Statements by General Munir, such as calling Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” have reignited tensions and were soon followed by the Pahalgam attack in India.
- These provocative actions and communal rhetoric appear designed to incite internal unrest in India and build a narrative of victimhood that supports extremist recruitment.
- Furthermore, Pakistan is now trying to leverage the recent cooling of relations between India and Bangladesh, potentially aiming to cultivate proxy networks in eastern India.
- Meanwhile, the India-China border situation remains unresolved, inadvertently strengthening Pakistan’s strategic leverage.
Can India Leverage Global Networks for a Peace Strategy?
- India’s best path forward lies in strategic patience and the intelligent use of global alliances.
- The success of the FATF grey-listing from 2018 to 2021 showed that international pressure can influence Pakistan’s behavior.
- During that period, militant activity against India decreased, and key terror operatives were arrested.
- However, once removed from the FATF grey list, Pakistan reverted to supporting proxy actors.
- A similar multi-pronged strategy — combining diplomatic pressure, economic isolation, and international legal accountability — can be revived and sustained.
- Tying Pakistan down through multilateral forums, sanctions, and counter-terrorism frameworks can help neutralize its belligerence.
- This must be accompanied by public diplomacy and narrative control, especially in regional and global media.
Conclusion:
- The India-Pakistan equation is a deeply entrenched, multilayered challenge. Ignoring Pakistan or reducing it to a single dimension (security threat) is strategically myopic.
- Instead, India must continue to develop its global partnerships — with the US, Europe, ASEAN, and Gulf countries — to apply consistent pressure on Pakistan to abandon its policy of using terrorism as a tool of statecraft.
- Peace with Pakistan may not be around the corner, but a sustained, strategic approach rooted in realism and backed by global leverage offers the best chance at transforming the conflict into coexistence.
- Can India show the required patience and finesse? It must — for its own growth, security, and regional leadership.
| Practice Question: In light of recent developments, critically examine India’s strategic options in dealing with Pakistan’s internal instability and cross-border provocations. How can global partnerships be leveraged to ensure long-term regional peace and security? (250 Words /15 marks) |
Read more – 25 April 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis
