India And Pakistan Relationship Essay Research Paper

India And Pakistan Relationship Essay, Research Paper

INDIA AND PAKISTAN: THE NUCLEAR CONFRONTATION INTRODUCTION The testing of nuclear devices, conducted by India and Pakistan in May of this year, and the obvious and subsequent nuclear deliverance capabilities that these nations clearly now possess, have only heightened tensions within South Asia and the international community. But the retaliatory stratagems that the Indians and Pakistanis have been engaging in for the past fifty years and most importantly the recent nuclear tests, can only be attributed to the convergent and divergent National Interests of these nation states, ultimately bringing South Asia to the brink of a nuclear arms race.Although the nuclear issue is integral in the geo-strategic struggle, the princely state of Kashmir has intensified the crisis since the insurgence of Muslims in 1947. This accession by coreligionists in Pakistan created border fighting throughout 1948 and 1949. Although India and Pakistan agreed, in July 1949, on a line demarcating their respective zones of occupation in Kashmir, the two nations were unable to reconcile basic differences on the terms of the proposed plebiscite. The deadlock was primarily due to Indian insistence that Pakistani troops be withdrawn from the disputed territory before the plebiscite and to Pakistan’s refusal to withdraw its troops unless the Indians also withdrew theirs. INDIA The historical deposition of India’s interests on nuclear proliferation has, in essence, been due to the perception that it could not be a world power unless it was a nuclear capable state. Being locked out of the nuclear club by signing the CTBT would, in India’s view, have locked it into second-grade status. India opposes the imposition and arrogance of the five nuclear powers, which have their own nuclear status permanently, enshrined in the CTBT and the NPT . This is ultimately giving the five nuclear powers a permanent advantage over New Dehli. The nuclear tests conducted are an assertion of India’s objections and opposition to current world management. India is divided in their exigency for international recognition. On one level their nuclear weapons are used as a symbol of international power and prestige, but their introspective viewpoint on Kashmir has required no international intervention. In light of their nuclear proclivities, the BJP have not pronounced their stance and interest on Kashmir, but rather denounced the ‘illegitimate’ interests of Pakistan within the region. India has already indicated that it doesn’t want any other nation state to get involved in the Kashmir issue. Although, increasingly wary, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is adamant that his nuclear arms would “never be weapons of aggression” . This would only be said to soften the impact of sanctions and stabilise a fragile economy. But the BJP would also be looking to reinforce a stable and competent C I as tensions with Pakistan and China increase. There will always be the question of how advanced the command and control systems that must accompany an effective nuclear deterrent are . “We have a big bomb now for which necessary command and control system is also in place.” Domestically, the nuclear tests are a perfect issue to unite its disparate allies in parliament and deflect attention from its internal problems . This is a great relief to the BJP, forced before the election to drop contentious pro-Hindu policies from its political agenda. But still the BJP are taking a calculated risk that there is enough domestic support for it to comfortably incur international criticism and sanctions. It is unlikely that both factors will remain to dramatically alter national interests, though. Alternatively, for all the enduring tension between India and Pakistan, the real target of India’s nuclear angst maybe more discrete, in which, may pose more of a threat to its National Security than Pakistan ever will. Some senior Indian leaders, including Defence Minister George Fernandes, have even identified China as the number one strategic threat to India. Up until two years ago when it signed onto the CTBT, China was running the most ‘vigorous and extensive nuclear weapons development program of any nation state in the world’ . Like France, China undertook a full range of tests such that it did not need any more to develop a full nuclear arsenal and could then sign the CTBT without hampering its capability. PAKISTAN Pakistan’s interests are laced with diplomacy and military instability. Pakistan claimed to be acting in self-defence when it detonated five underground nuclear devices. The international community, which failed to persuade Pakistan to show restraint, has reproved the Pakistani government by imposing sanctions, just as it did with India. Pakistani leaders believe the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction is not only a means of achieving policy goals but also an act of defiance of the rest of the world – especially the nuclear powers.Pakistan’s move from being a nuclear threshold state in the 1970’s to a nuclear capable state in late May has not just increased tensions with India but with other regional neighbours. The tests conducted by Pakistan could cause bordering nations, especially Iran, to create a nuclear armament in order to neutralise any push by Pakistan for regional supremacy, especially in the context of Pakistan’s support of the anti-Iranian, ultra-orthodox Islamic Taliban militia in ne