Invite to Sharif, others, puts ball in their court
Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi's decision to invite heads of Government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation for his swearing-in ceremony on May 26, has taken the commentariat by pleasant surprise. This is among the many firsts that one can expect from Mr Modi as he settles down to the governance of the country. Regardless of how many SAARC leaders turn up for the event — quite a few have already confirmed their presence — the Prime Minister-elect has send out the strong message that he looks forward to India's enhanced interaction with countries of South Asia that are its immediate or close neighbours. The focus of attention has naturally been on the fact that Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa are among the invitees. India has had a troubled relationship with Sri lanka (in recent months) and Pakistan (for as long as the two became independent nations), and the invitation to them is seen as a goodwill gesture that can pave the way for meaningful ties in the coming months between their respective regimes and the new Government led by Mr Modi. To what extent will this move help in breaking the ice in the medium and long term remains to be seen. The issues that beset the relationships between India and Pakistan and India and Sri lanka are complex and do not lend themselves to instant solutions. Yet, the invite at least seeks to prepare the ground for a conciliatory approach that takes into consideration the sensitivities and concerns of India. It is interesting that the invitation comes in the backdrop of reservations by certain allies of the BJP towards the leadership of the two countries. While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray favours a tough stance against Pakistan until the latter makes meaningful progress in addressing India's security concerns, MDMK leader Vaiko wants the invitation to Mr Rajapaksa revoked because the former believes that the Sri lankan regime had committed atrocities on the Tamil population there under the pretext of fighting liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorists. But neither of these leaders should have any problem if greater interaction between New Delhi and Islamabad and between New Delhi and Colombo can lead to a resolution of their grievances.
Of course, much will depend on how the two countries react subsequently to the initiatives that Mr Modi's regime has now taken. If the response turns out to be unfavourable in the coming months, it is likely that New Delhi will harden its position. In that situation, the hardening will be real and not flimsy as it was in the case of the Manmohan Singh Government. Meanwhile, it must be remembered that the cases of Islamabad and Colombo are very different from each other. We have a friendly Government in the latter which has successfully tackled militancy in its country. But Mr Nawaz Sharif, for all his protestations of goodwill, has not moved much to allay India’s apprehensions. The culprits of 26/11 continue to be shielded by Pakistan, just as those like Hafiz Saeed who spew anti-India venom, roam free on the streets of that country.
In a broader context, Mr Modi's initiative to invite the SAARC leaders could re-energise the organisation itself. The SAARC has in recent years been reduced to a virtual non-entity in the global scheme of things, and has not managed to capitalise on the potential it possesses. The primary reason for this failure is the acrimony within. If its leaders can work in harmony, the combined might of SAARC can change global equations.