Surgical Strikes by India cause Shock and Awe in Pakistan
- In Current Affairs
- 01:32 PM, Oct 03, 2016
- Sunanda Vashisht
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This quote is usually attributed to Albert Einstein although there is some confusion about the authenticity of this claim. Regardless of who it is attributed to, it perfectly sums up India’s relation with Pakistan for last three decades. Opedists and arm chair commentators (this includes me) are usually the laziest people in the human food chain. Some commentator came up with a grand term for this insanity. They called it ‘Strategic Restraint’. Strategic restraint essentially meant huffing and puffing after being attacked and then withdrawing to lick one’s own wounds till attacked again. The attacks continued unabated and with every attack we resolved to commit ourselves to higher degree of Strategic Restraint. Body bags came home but nothing could deter our resolve to remain strategically restrained. Kashmir kept smoldering, Mumbai city was under siege for days, Parliament was attacked but we remained steadfast. We were told we are bigger than them, more mature than them and of course unlike them we belong to a liberal democracy. Many of us bought that empty spiel and were content with false sense of superiority.
How much this strategic restraint had become an albatross around our neck was only visible when the news of Surgical Strikes conducted successfully by Indian Army came. Across the length and breadth of nation, Indians welcomed the action and finally heaved a sense of relief. Not because the entire nation had turned into a bunch of war mongers but because there was a sense of relief that we refuse to suffer grief and pain for years without pushing back. Suffering endlessly and not being able to retaliate in order to protect yourself can make people sadists and wallow in their own grief. This in nutshell was the situation before September 29th, the day completion of successful surgical strikes was announced by the Indian Government.
This is not the first time Indian Army has crossed LOC, this is not the first time Indian Army has managed to shock the enemy, this is certainly not the first time Indian Army has proven to be the superior force, then what has changed this time that Pakistanis are completely in Shock and Awe issuing denials, cooking up stories and sounding flustered. What is really different this time is that Indian political leadership is convinced that doing same thing over and over is insanity. Narendra Modi has finally pressed the reset button on Pakistan. What is remarkable about last few days isn’t the military operation which is by no means anything less than jaw dropping and awe inspiring. What is even more inspiring is how India was ready to take on Pakistan with full might not only militarily but diplomatically as well and both at the same time.
If anybody thinks what happened in last few days after Uri Attack was knee jerk and last minute retaliation they have really got it all wrong. Preparation for this day has been happening since Modi assumed power. The first invitation to Nawaz Sharif along with other SAARC leaders for swearing in ceremony was the first moment when reset button was pressed. When Modi stopped ‘unexpectedly’ in Pakistan to join wedding celebration and birthday celebration of Nawaz, he was giving Pakistan a long rope. Modi in first two years declared by his actions that he meant peace but at the same time he wasn’t going to let Pakistan continue its low cost war of bleeding India to death. First orders were given to the forces on LOC to retaliate in full measure if they were attacked. Peace initiatives continued however. Talks were given a chance.
Pakistan as always responded with terror and deceit. Their meddling in Kashmir continued unabated and with their needless provocation of declaring terrorist Burhan Wani who wanted to create an Islamic Caliphate, a martyr they rubbed India the wrong way. A major attack in Pathankot happened and India in unprecedented move gave access to Pakistan to come and investigate the incident. One day the longest of the long ropes also would fall short and that happened with Uri Attack. With Uri, Pakistan really forgot that a new political dispensation has taken oven in New Delhi. Their patience would wear thin. In fact, more than the government, Uri tested the patience of ordinary Indians. Most of them said enough is enough. If this government came to the same conclusion they were not wrong.
What happened after Uri convinced me that India had been preparing for this day. A huge diplomatic offensive was launched. From New York to New Delhi it was communicated in strong words that India had tried very hard but Pakistan had chosen not to reciprocate in similar vein. Sushma Swaraj raised Balochistan issue at the United Nations for the first time. Indian diplomats in world capitals were put to work, with the result there was major sympathy for India after Uri. With all the diplomatic ducks in order, Modi decided to get rid of the last frontier- the Simla Agreement. The Surgical Strike across LOC indicated that reset button had indeed been pressed. LOC would not be accepted as the de facto border any more.
This has undone any hopes for Kashmir solution anytime soon. It was probably right time to neglect Simla Agreement because Pakistan had not kept its promise and there was no need for India to honor it either. If it takes going back to the story board then that is what it means. Earlier agreements have refused to wield results. It would be insanity to do same things again and again.
These Surgical Strikes and the narrative that has been built around it has liberated India from its flawed Pakistan Policy. Like a mature democracy that will not take nonsense, India declared the Surgical Strikes had been undertaken and at the same time declared it was in no way interested in any form of escalation. Indian DGMO had already informed his Pakistani counterpart before the Press Conference. India clearly declared it had taken war to terrorists because Pakistan had been unable to control terror on its soil.
It would be foolish to presume that there will be no retaliation or Pakistan will shut down its terror camps. This will escalate at some point. India has to show it can move on from Strategic Restraint to Controlled Escalation. It will be a tough job given the nuclear shadow both countries operate under. Narendra Modi understands that. He has assumed controlled risk is better than ‘strategic’ lethargy.
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