Fall of Kabul raises specter of terrorism in Kashmir. India fully equipped to thwart it
By Dr. Lakhvinder Singh, Seoul
SEOUL: The fall of Kabul has raised the specter of terrorism in India once again. Many Pakistan-based groups have already started approaching the Taliban for help in Kashmir terrorism campaigns, as they used to do during the earlier period of the regime in the late 1990s. Lots of water has flowed through the Indus River and Kashmir today, which was not the case 20 years ago. The Indian government has been working tirelessly to plug all the loopholes which used to provide some space for these groups to operate in Kashmir. In addition, the Indian Army, the third-largest military machine in the world, is better equipped than ever before.
Changes brought by the Indian government in recent years have transformed the status quo in the region. Despite their best attempts so far, Pakistan-based groups have failed to conjure up a cogent and functional response to the strategic and tactical measures being taken by the Indian government to handle the menace of terrorism in the region. The abrogation of article 370, which was weakening the Indian government’s ability to handle acts of terrorism in the region, has effectively changed the regional security situation. As a result, acts of violence have dropped considerably in recent years.
The abrogation of article 370 has enabled people to get access to information that was previously restricted to them. As a result, old “narratives and perceptions” are being destroyed and replaced with new ones. The fear instilled by vested interests has evaporated, and people have begun to enjoy the fruits of peace at long last. Doomsday scenarios that threatened ethnic and religious identity have been replaced with hopes of growth and prosperity. Thus, it will be impossible for these rogue elements to gain a foothold again. Gone are the days when innocent people could be easily intimidated.
Originally, there were some genuine fears regarding the possibility of large-scale instability, with the changes brought by the Indian government. However, the people responded positively. Even though it brought some hardships and somewhat dented India’s democratic traditions, people here were able to see and connect with the bigger picture. People who were yearning for peace and growth for decades realized that their moment had come. They did not take long to seize it.
Today Indian security forces have strengthened their dominance over terrorists. Hundreds of foreign-sponsored terrorist groups have been terminated in recent years, while the support structure and network have been completely dismantled. This proactive approach by Indian security agencies has effectively disrupted the funding mechanisms and security loopholes, and the “Line of Control” has been completely plugged by installing the latest surveillance resources.
The government has also focused on sanitizing internal governmental administration mechanisms by dismissing government employees involved in sabotage activities and by creating a new synergy between various stakeholders who operate as one team to improve the lives of the people. For the first time in recent memory, internal conflicts and contradictions in the administration, due to various factors, have been aligned and channeled in one direction. As a result, the region is growing once again.
Constitutional changes introduced by the Indian government brought some political acrimony initially. However, as the clouds of doubt surrounding the policies and ground measures dissipated, most of the state and local political leaders have started gathering behind the government. With this entire political landscape completely changed, a new generation of political leadership is emerging, which is ready to dump old narratives and test new ideas for the growth and prosperity of the nation.
Today, a new dawn of progress and prosperity awaits the region. Apart from more than $10 billion in special development packages, other developmental schemes, such as “Back to Village” and “My Town My Pride,” are ushering in rapid and equitable progress. Many new infrastructure projects being laid down by the government and new capacity-building projects launched locally are writing a new growth story for the region. The time for Kashmir’s place in the sun has come.
These changes initiated by the Indian government have brought to the forefront new opportunities for the people of the region. An updated and functional security network, the rejuvenation of young political leadership, a more efficient and pro-people local administration, as well as infrastructure and real-time engagement with average citizens on the ground, have initiated a paradigm shift. The socio-political environment that had provided a breeding space for these elements has been completely transformed.
Acknowledgment of the changing equation in Afghanistan has been a challenge, but the Indian government has been rethinking its strategy on how to handle the rise of the Taliban and new emerging alliances between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China. A new alliance of democratic forces to counter the regional spread could be the next logical step. There is no way that democratic forces can now close their eyes to what is happening in the region. A swift and effective response is just a matter of time.
India is ready to lead this effort.
The above article was originally published in Korea Times at https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2021/09/197_314841.html
About the author:
Lakhvinder Singh is the director of the peace program at the Asia Institute in Seoul. A Seoul-based geo-strategist and an authority on global affairs, Dr. Lakhvinder Singh is part of a think tank in Seoul. He has been living in Korea for the last 23 years and working relentlessly for strengthening the powerful defense partnership between India and Korea. He heads the Asia Pacific Business and Technology Report, India Korea Business and Policy Forum, Punjabi Association of Korea, and the Korea Peace Movement.
