Wider and deeper Editorial 10th Marʼ19

IndianExpress
Headline : Wider and deeper Editorial 10th Marʼ19 IndianExpress

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Pulwama attack:

The devastating attack on the CRPF convoy on February 14 at Pulwama has caused
outrage in the country.
The Jaish-e-Mohammad, Masood Azharʼs terrorist outfit located in Pakistan, has owned
up to the attack.

India's response:

India took up large diplomatic endeavours to get all the countries to condemn the attack
by Pakistan based terrorist groups.
India also undertook anti-terrorist air operations, destroying terrorist bases in Pakistan.

But not enough to end Pak backed terrorism:

India's response will have some effect on Pakistan, but it will not be enough to eliminate
the terrorism emanating from that country.

Why Pakistan creates hostility against India?

Needed for Army to maintain its power:

Army is the most powerful institution in Pakistan, which controls all the levers of
power.
A hostile relationship with India enables the Pakistan army to maintain its primacy
in that country (especially over the elected government).
Thus, in the strategic calculus of the Pakistan army, maintaining a controlled
degree of hostility vis-a-vis India is essential.
Dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971:

Also, there is a desire for revenge against India, which Pakistan blames for its
dismemberment in 1971.

Terrorists offer a cheap way to achieve its objectives:

Pakistani army has created an ecosystem in which terrorist groups can exist safely.
These groups provide a cheaper option to an economically-weak Pakistan to bleed India.
With the likely withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Pakistan will look to divert the
products of its terrorist factories to India.

Multidimensional strategy to end Pak-sponsored terrorism

Without a well-thought out strategy, we will be reacting to one terrorist attack after
another.
Such a strategy will need to be multi-dimensional.

S. Demonstration of military power:

The first element of our strategy must be to demonstrate to the Pakistan army that India
can cause it great pain if it continues to sponsor terrorism against India.
India has conventional military superiority over Pakistan, but mostly lack of political
resolve to use it.
More steps needed for this:
Higher defence budget (esp. on capital expenditure): This requires creating a
military capability which can cause significant damage at short notice. It is
essential that our defence budget be enhanced over the next few years to build up
a sufficient capability to act as a devastating deterrent.
Military reforms: Essential reforms are needed in the higher defence organisational
structure to reorganise our military to ensure efficiency and professionalism.

Covert action capability:

Other than full scare war, there are other instruments available to a state which can be
applied effectively and economically to achieve the desired results while fighting
terrorism from Pakistan.
Carrying out co-coordinated covert operations against terrorists in Pakistan should be
an important facet of our security policy.
In democracies, covert trans-border operations are primarily in the domain of the civil
external intelligence agency, as they are also mandated to carry out subversion and
sabotage in target areas.

S. Use of coercive diplomacy:

Coercive diplomacy has been steered well in the recent times by the Indian government.
We have been able to successfully project Pakistan as the epicentre of terrorism.
This lowers Pakistanʼs image in the comity of nations, minimising foreign investment and
economically weakening the country.
Some deft diplomacy has also ensured that Pakistani workers find it difficult in foreign
lands, including in Gulf countries, which adversely affects remittances.

S. Winning hearts and minds in Kashmir:

A sizeable population in the Kashmir Valley has been alienated due to various reasons.
Also, to maintain their indispensability, political parties in J&K exploit sentiments of
vulnerability and persecution (at the hands of the state and by other communities).
This sustains militancy in Kashmir and allows Pakistan to influence people there against
India.
This alienation needs to be addressed through a political process.
Leaning lessons from ending militancy in Punjab:
For militancy to flourish, local support is the oxygen which provides logistics and
intelligence to militants.
In Punjab, during the militancy days, as long as dissonance over grievances
(perceived or real) continued between Delhi and Punjab, Pakistan managed to
keep the militancy alive in the state.
Once the dissonance between Punjab and Delhi was eliminated by positive political
action, the support to militancy dried up and militancy was soon crushed.
This is the most significant lesson from the elimination of militancy from Punjab.
Similarly to eliminate militancy from Kashmir, it is most essential to eliminate dissonance
between Delhi and the Valley.
All options should be open to find a political solution within the territorial and
constitutional framework of the Indian Union.

S. Political resolve:

We need the political resolve, as has been shown by the government after Uri and
Pulwama attacks, for making the tough choice of military action against Pakistan when
necessary.

Importance:

GS Paper III: Security Issues

Section : Editorial Analysis

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