While it is too early to say whether Modi could reprise Vajpayee’s bus ride to lahore, his intent vis-a-vis Pakistan is clear: India wants friendly relations with its western neighbour
The huge victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in India’s 16th general election had sparked debate about which direction the country’s foreign policy would go. And with the strident Narendra Modi heading the Government, there were fears that relations between Pakistan would be hit hard. The fears were genuine in the sense that while in Opposition, Modi had always chided the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government for its “soft” response to terror attacks emanating from Pakistan. Against this backdrop, the widely held perception was that the newly-formed BJP Government would be tough on Pakistan.
The opposite of this happened. Modi in a surprise move invited Pakistan’s elected premier Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony and then for bilateral talks. The move was a masterstroke. Modi was the first Indian Prime Minister to host a Pakistani leader for official talks in New Delhi since the 2008 Mumbai attacks by Pakistan’s militant group — lashkar-e-Tayyeba — in which 166 people were killed.
At the swearing-in ceremony, Modi had said: “let us together dream of a strong, developed and inclusive India that actively engages with the global community to strengthen the cause of world peace and development.”
like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Modi appears to have decided to reach out to Pakistan so that contentious issues between the two nuclear-armed countries — that have fought three wars since Independence from British colonial rule in 1947 — are resolved. With an overwhelming mandate from the voters, Modi-led BJP is in a better position to deal with Pakistan and might even give a final push to settling major issues, including Kashmir, so that more efforts are invested in economic development.
The last time hopes of a normalisation of ties between the two neighbours had sprung was in 1999 when the BJP was in power. Vajpayee had then taken the bus to lahore to sign a peace accord. While it is too early to say whether Modi could reprise Vajpayee’s bus ride, Modi’s intent vis-a-vis Pakistan is clear: he wants friendly relations.
Modi’s reputation may allow him more leeway to get closer to Pakistan. It is a golden opportunity for both the neighbours to resolve issues and set forth on the road to economic development. Chances for such a development are high with Sharif in power. like Modi, Pakistan too has a premier who has come to power riding on public mandate. Being a Punjabi, Sharif is in an advantageous position to strike a peace pact with India.
With the Pakistani army too sidelined for the time being, this could be the best of time for the two premiers to seal the deal on peace, thus bringing an end to conflict and terrorism.
With the onus now on Sharif, it would be interesting to see how he succeeds in reining in rogue and radical elements in Pakistan who would encourage conflict between the two countries and attempt to provoke India. Also for peace to happen, it is important that Pakistan dismantles the anti-India terror camps bent on jeopardising peace and spreading hatred. The other big quandary for both India and Pakistan would be the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
The development has the potential to change the security dynamics in the region.The strengthening of democracy and sidelining of Taliban in Afghanistan are crucial things to permanent peace in the region.
The road to peace right now is full of hurdles. But an initiative has already been taken by Modi-led BJP; it is now for Pakistan to reciprocate.
(The writer is editor of okhlatimes.com)