India’s concerns on cross-border terror echoed
Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh’s three-day visit to Bahrain has been successful by all accounts. The major issues discussed were economic and security ties. Rajnath Singh met the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Crown Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. He raised the issue of cross-border terrorism with Bahrain's Prime Minister, and got the needed diplomatic support from the Gulf state. Although the Gulf Cooperation Council has been a vociferous opponent of terrorism in the region, it has done little to address the social, economic and ideological causes of the persistent problem. Perhaps the meeting between Singh and the Bahraini Ministers will have convinced the latter that terrorism is as much an ideological issue as it is a military one.
To win the battle against terrorism, it is important to address the ideological core that nourishes hatred and foments violence. Kashmir as an issue should be considered important from the Indo-Bahraini perspective. Bahrain's Interior Minister, lt General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, has been forthcoming in his support to India's effort against global terrorism. The words that expressed this sentiment were, “We look forward to working together in the fight against terrorism and in strengthening our mutual and regional security.” Regional security, as an agenda, is appropriately high on the Government's priority list. Getting international support on Pakistan’s ceaseless terror-related issues can be effective in the long run to corner Pakistan amongst the nations of the Gulf region. To show the abrasive nature of Pakistan's destructive policy on Kashmir, which has been responsible for minimal development and rights violations when other Indian States are economically growing or are trying to create the necessary infrastructure that should lead to growth soon, ought to be an important diplomatic aim. Perhaps no other contender in the Gulf region is better suited to understand the Kashmir dilemma than a Gulf state which has benefitted from rapid economic growth.
Since Bahrain has a large Indian community, the Indian diaspora was another aspect of Singh's diplomatic concentration. Indian communities living abroad have generally been active members of the foreign society. Not only have they contributed to economic welfare and social diversity, they have also participated politically and culturally as best as they could. Now, care must be taken that important policy gestures translate into better people-to-people relations, ease in administrative grievances and higher economic participation. Indians living abroad can be a rich and alternative source of foreign investment. The Government must ensure that diplomatic missions act as a resource centre to budding investors and people with economic interests in India. Enhancing our diplomatic missions’ capacity ought to be the Government's priority, if it wants sustained gains.