<a href=”http://www.indiafoundation.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/PRESS-RELEASE-Dec-2014-with-programme-schedule.pdf”>PRESS RELEASE – Dec 2014 with programme schedule</a>
India Today + Information Technology = India Tomorrow
~ By Sudarshan Ramabadran
India Today + Information Technology = India Tomorrow, this was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2013 as Chief Minister Minister of Gujarat while addressing the Annual Google Tent Conference. True to his vision, the Government of India (GoI) has set out on a vital task to prepare India for a knowledge future, i.e., Digital India.
Armed with the vision to transform India into a connected knowledge economy offering world class services at the click of a mouse, the Digital India initiative will have Indian mobile phones, PCs and laptops as its backbone.
Imagine how convenient it would be if services of critical sectors like Health and Education is made accessible to us just through the click of a mouse? The Digital India initiative aspires to do just that by building a digital infrastructure for providing citizens with services like digital identities, mobile phones, and bank accounts. Secondly the initiative aims to service and govern a real-time online financial transaction platform, and finally, the initiative will help digitize all documents and records of the citizens and make them available on a real-time basis.
The Digital India Dream:
- Rural Broadband for All – Target : 2.5 lakh villages
- Universal Mobile Access – Target : 42,300 villages
- WiFi in Universities – Target : 400 Universities
- Public WiFi spots in cities with over 1 million population
Take for example, Rural Broadband for all, this is a critical infrastructure for emerging economies like ours. Experts and verified reports have stated that if there is 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration, this in turn will lead to an increase of the country’s GDP by 1.4 per cent.
Now it is natural for a common man to pose a question, while all this seems fine on paper, what discernible results are going to be witnessed through ‘Digital India’?
To put it simply, the initiative has multiple benefits for our country, prominent among them being Skill Development which will ensure that the right man has the right job.
A brief case in point, the international chip maker, Intel, recently announced that they will work with GoI to empower at least five million citizens with adequate skills to compete in the global economy. Under the programme, Intel has offered digital literacy training to key resource persons in the first 1000 village panchayats under the National Optic Fiber Network (NOFN) which falls under creation of broadband spectrum for Rural India. Let’s take a step back and just imagine how beneficial this would indeed be. First and foremost it will enable access to internet for rural youth who have earlier deprived of the same, next, it offers them an opportunity to understand and learn digital literacy through their local languages, which by itself is a first and finally it will provide them with skill based employment opportunities. So, here is a classic case, of how a tie up between Intel and GoI for the Digital India initiative will have an impact on 5 million people.
The fact that an ordinary citizen continues to run from pillar to post to avail basic citizen centric services today signifies the transformation which Digital India aims to achieve, that is, to provide all basic citizen centric services under one roof for an ordinary citizen to take benefit from. Take for instance, common service centres, which is an interesting example as part of penetration of broadband facilities in villages. Basically, these common service centres will serve as critical pivots around which most goods and services will be delivered. Once connected to broadband, an entire village’s requirements of goods can be placed through these centres and people can use these facilities as one-stop shop for all their e-needs. Through Common Service Centres, the Government wants to ensure that citizens especially in rural areas are not excluded both socially and economically, which by itself is a leap towards eliminating poverty.
Like these there are countless possibilities which will result in empowering citizens digitally with the rapidly modernizing world. Initiatives like this also provide opportunities for youngsters in India to think and come up with innovative ideas and concepts which can help steer the Digital India initiative. Gone are the days when infrastructure development was just thought of building rail lines, ports, roads etc. Now is the time to think and think big, as PM Modi says, “Indians must think of how to move from High ways to Information ways.”
If any Indian citizen has thought of suggestions which could indeed help add value to the Digital India initiative, he/she must not waste any time but log on to www.mygov.in, which means My Government (Meri Sarkar), and give suggestions, feedback, and their analysis towards, empowering India Digitally.
Time is ripe to not just to sit back and read in the media about the initiatives of the Government, but to also put in collective minds to use in order to contribute and become a significant part of the Government. That is the beauty of Participative Democracy!
Sudarshan Ramabadran is a Research Associate with India Foundation. The views expressed are his own.
India Myanmar: Together the Way Ahead
India Foundation, an independent think tank from New Delhi, in association with Institute for Transnational Studies (ITS), Germany, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute for Asian Studies(MAKAIS), Kolkata and the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MISIS) organised a two day conference: India Myanmar Together the Way Ahead, in Yangon, Myanmar on Nov 21 and 22, 2014.
The conference was inaugurated by Shri. Sushil Modi, Leader of Opposition, Bihar Legislative Council and Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, India, Shri. U Nyunt Maung Shein, Chairman of MISIS and Shri. Gautam Mukhopadhyay, Ambassador of India to Myanmar.
Shri. U Nyunt Maung Shein, in his opening remarks at the inauguration said that the conference was a welcome step taken by the think tanks from both countries as this follows the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Myanmar.
“According to PM Modi, Look-East has now become Act-East, and India is actively involved in many cross-border projects. India and Myanmar are close neighbors, and this is the first conference for MISIS with India in 2 years since its reorganization”, he said
Shri. Sushil Modi in his address recalled the historical and cultural connections India shared with Myanmar and called for deeper engagement between both the nations.
“India is the land of Lord Buddha, and thus is an important place of pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar. Similarly Bal Gangadhar Tilak when lodged in Mandalay wrote his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.”, he said. Shri. Modi added that in Myanmar one can come across various South Indian temples as well.
Shri. Modi also cited the vital connection that Subhash Chandra Bose shared with the people of Myanmar. “Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose raised his army comprising of 40,000 soldiers from both India and Myanmar. Aung San, Burmese independence hero, was a friend of Netaji in Myanmar.” he said
Shri. Modi also advocated the idea of sourcing consumer goods from Myanmar than from far off places. “Looking North-East and towards the region around it, including Myanmar and Bangladesh will help eradicate poverty. It makes more sense to source consumer goods from Myanmar than from other far off places in India, as this region could be a “natural economic zone”. , he said
Towards closer engagement between both the countries, Shri. Modi called for setting up a large multi modal Special Economic Zone near Sittwe, a 10 year programme to share benefits of Science and Technology, modus operandi through which experiences of democratic institutions can be shared and a Memorandum of Understanding between both countries in the field of Defence Co-operation.
Ambassador Shri.Gautam Mukhopadhyay said that the new government in India has a vision that leads India to the South- East which can in turn lead towards a significant relationship between India and Myanmar in the future.
“Myanmar and India relations face a deficit in terms of trade, investment and connectivity. In the coming years, we must attempt to balance and bridge this gap. Fortunately the ASEAN master-plan and the East-West Corridor give us an opportunity to further strengthen ties.” he said
The conference then progressed to discuss issues of common interest like Overview of Political, Social and Economic Developments, Enhancing Trade and Investment, including opportunities and challenges, followed by Regional Connectivity and Linkages, and Terrorism and National Security Concerns.
Overview of Political, Social and Economic Developments
The session focussed on speakers elucidating the current political, social and economic developments in both the countries. Shri. U Denzel Abel from MISIS in his presentation explained that Myanmar is under a reform process and the President of Myanmar is keen for a successful and a peaceful reform process.
“Over time there has been a significant change in Myanmar, this has given rise to a better understanding of internal dynamics which can pave way for her reform process”, he said.
Abel also acknowledged that Myanmar is not a unitary actor and that there are many forces at play, one among them is the armed forces. He explained that many in Myanmar see USA and China as important bilateral partners.
“Today, Myanmar operates under three notes, USA, China and the role of the international community.” he said. Abel added that because of the triangle there is meant to be instability and thus there is an urgent need to maintain the right balance. Abel also mentioned that to contribute to the country’s peace process many countries have come forward such as Norway, Switzerland, Australia and Japan.
Shri.U Than Lwin, Deputy Chairman, KBZ Bank, Myanmar put forth perspectives on the economic reforms front which Myanmar has undergone over years. “Nationalization of banks and private businesses led to Myanmar becoming one of the poorest in Southeast Asia.”, he said. Lwin said the main challenges which Myanmar faces today is Capacity Building and Acquisition of Financial Technology. He said this can be dealt with, by enabling entry of foreign banks and significantly return of Myanmar nationals from abroad who can help with capacity building. Lwin also hoped to see more Indian banks in Myanmar in the near future.
Shri. G Parthasarathy, Former Ambassador of India previously to countries like Myanmar, Australia and Pakistan said, India has maintained steady and good relations with everyone including the European Union and the USA, he however termed the relations with China as challenging.
Parthasarathy also reiterated that days when India kept shy of active military engagement are over. “We want to keep a balance of power, and believe in domination by no one.” he said. Parthasarathy put forth that for India’s interests, Myanmar’s unity is crucial and thus Myanmar’s co-operation was valued in the borders. He added that India is not here to make money but to support Myanmar ably.
Shri. Dattesh Parulekar, Assistant Professor, International Relations, Goa University, in his address said there are four important dimensions to India’s foreign policy, Rediscover significance in neighbourhood, Focus on extended neighbourhood, South-South cooperation and Focus on gateway to the East. He maintained that India is looking at Myanmar with a qualitative foreign policy. “Early in the 90s, we looked at Myanmar only with a security perspective, but today, building relations in the region is not a counterbalance effort, the idea is to diversify foreign policy”
Enhancing Trade and Investment: Opportunities and Challenges
The session focussed on the investment and trade opportunities prevalent in both the nations.
Shri. V.S. Seshadri, Former Ambassador of India to Myanmar in his talk called for close and cordial economic relations. “Both the Governments in India and Myanmar are focussed on Infrastructure. There is a need for investment in the field of Services, Education and Health Care in both the countries.” he said
Shri. V.S. Seshadri pointed out that Myanmar today enjoys a trade surplus of over $1 billion dollars with India and that there are moderate levels of growth in terms of bilateral trade. He also called for improving and diversifying border trade between both the countries.
Seshadri noted that think tanks have an important role to play in formalising and strengthening trade mechanisms. He also said that Indian investors need to invest in Myanmar just like how they have become significant investors in other countries.
Shri.Khin Maung Nyo, Economist and Adviser, MISIS, who spoke next, called for early action in terms of India’s Act East Policy. Khin noted that people from Myanmar prefer goods from China than India because they are cheaper compared to India and because of Myanmar’s social construct.
“The Indian Prime Minister is keen to build infrastructure to regulate the flow of goods in the region, which is a welcome sign. Indian – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement can add great impetus to trade within the region. Moreh and Imphal in Manipur can play a significant role in the years to come when new train, road, air and internet connectivity arrives.” he said
Shri. Shakti Sinha, Former IAS Officer from New Delhi, in his address stressed on PM Modi’s 3 Cs : Culture, Connectivity and Commerce and in this context, called for trade to be seen in a big picture.
“Myanmar is India’s gateway to the ASEAN. We must keep in mind that it is always easier to become part of a larger supply chain, than to go with a single product. It is always a range of economic activities spread all across the economy that makes a difference – not just one or two big investments.” he said
Shri. Shakti noted that there is a huge potential in Myanmar for oil, gas etc and that India’s biggest export unit is by itself petrol. And in so far as Indian FDI into Myanmar, Shri. Shakti termed it as very low and that there was a long way to go for both countries to become economic partners.
Regional Connectivity and Linkages
Speaking in this session, Shri.U Wynn Lwin of MISIS said that ASEAN and India should look at developing PPP (Private Public Partnership) models to facilitate connectivity which will enable greater momentum towards bilateral trade. Linn also stated that it was good to see India support the ASEAN master plan.
Shri. Jaideep Saikia, South Asian Security and Terrorism Analyst, reiterated Indian Government’s policy to ensure adequate and quality infrastructure in North East India and pointed out that there is a need for a sustainable development plan for the North Eastern region of India which can help benefit both Myanmar and India on the connectivity front.
Shri. U Ba Hla Aye, Joint Secretary 2, MISIS, who spoke next, mentioned that some of the constraints to ensure better connectivity between both countries include rugged terrain, weather, lack of resources, adequate security, illegal immigration, human trafficking, and legal instruments.
In conclusion, Shri. Anirban Ganguly, Director, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Foundation, New Delhi, called for greater participation of India’s study share in key universities of Myanmar and said it is imperative that India and Myanmar together uphold their civilizational partnership to envision the Asian Century.
Counter Terrorism
Prof. Daw Carole Ann Chit Tha, Member of MISIS, opened this session by stating that terrorism has become a vicious challenge for the global administration. She further explained that the last two decades has witnessed the rise of Islamic State and Extremism.
“ISIS is better than Al Qaeda in generating its own resources. The emergence of ISIS will lead to more violent groups to come up in the region.” she said
Ambassador U Hla Myint, Executive Director, MISIS,who spoke next said that religious extremism is not a recent phenomenon but a driver of terrorism, she further elaborated that India has the highest number of terror incidents in the world, all funded and managed by religious drivers.
Lt. General KT Parnaik, Former GoC- In Charge of the Northern Command, Indian Army, put forth his views by stating that Islamic extremism came to India after the 1971 Pak-India war and that many Indian groups get support from across the border. Towards this he called for both Myanmar and India to collaborate and work together towards problems brewing across the border.
“Intelligence- based people friendly approaches, training establishments for counter-terrorist operations and fighting inside out rather than outside-inside approach is need of the hour.” he said
Finally, Alok Bansal, Director, Centre for Security and Strategy, India Foundation said that Islamic Radicalization was a common problem for both India and Myanmar and it is in this context that close co-operation between both nations is critical.
“Calibrated De-radicalization programmes are the need now, for instance Cyber media is very potent and plays a significant role in radicalization even before physical content. Thus there is a need to craft a deradicalization programme in addressing this specific issue as well. “, he said
Dr. Klaus Lange, CEO, ITS in his concluding remarks stated that Europe is interested in Myanmar – India relations because Europe is increasingly running the risk of losing its identity. “One of the ways to regain this identity is through interaction with new partners and the most ideal partners are in South Asia today.” he said
Shri. Sitaram Sharma, Chairman, MAKAIS, termed the two day conference as fruitful. “Deliberations over both the days have showed us that both public and private sectors have a role to play in bringing both the countries together. We hope that the deliberations will also pave way for a pragmatic foreign policy between both the countries in the days and years to come.” he said
Shri. Shaurya Doval, Director, India Foundation, called the two day conference which witnessed discussion surrounding a gamut of issues which are of common interest and concern to both the nations a success.
“We must make bilateral exchanges between think tanks of both countries an annual affair. We now look forward to MISIS visiting India next year and participating in a conference on similar lines in order to contribute to a long lasting relationship between both countries.” he said.
One India, Clean India
~ By Prasanna Karthik
It has been some time since the launch of the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” and India’s streets are not sparkling clean. To many naysayers and critics, this is an irrefutable testimony attesting the colossal failure of the campaign launched by India’s Prime Minister (PM)NarendraModi. Many critics of the PM and the campaignboycotted the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan as they claimed that the campaign was merely a photo-ops event driven purely by political motives.ThePM of the world’s largest democracy has tobe a politician and every act of his will be covered by the media, but that does not mean that the PM should shut himself within the walls of his office? Secondly, when an average Indian (which includes the critics of the campaign) picks the broom and sweeps the streets, no journalist would come to takepictures and publicise it. The campaign was clearly an occasion for the average Indian to clean the nation and make a difference without posing for the shutter-bugs.
Nobody believedthat a day’s effort could remove the dirt accumulateddue to conscious negligence and wilful indulgence by a nation of 1.25 billion people over a period of 67 years. In fact, even if the whole of India were to come together and wield the broom on a single day, nothing much would change because sweeping alone is not the solution to India’s cleanliness problem; there are other issues as well such as sanitation infrastructure, garbage bins, waste management, town planning, civic training etc. However, is it advisable to wait till every requirement is in place or should a start be made with whatever is available and intelligent improvements are made as the campaign progresses? For 67 years Indians have waited, allowing theirstreets to stink and the nation to rot.
People committed to a clean India and those who heeded the PM’s call; do not believe that cleaning India is easy; they only believe that it is feasible and that needs to be done at any cost. Sweeping the streets on the 02 October was not an act of tokenism but one of symbolism – symbolising the possibilities Indiacan create if only Indians fire their moral imagination and get their act together. The critics should understand that there are bound to be short comings in the start to this long journey, but criticising is not going to improve things. Viscerally criticising the campaign trough myriad ways of intellectualisation and theorising on the issue, is only a mask to cover intentions to promote oneself at the cost of the nation. Supporters of the campaign should understand that sweeping the streets on a certain day can only be the beginning and never the end.
While politicians are criticized for politicizing issues of national and social importance,by labelling the campaign as a politically one, it is the critics of the campaign who are politicizing it; preventing politiciansfrom doing any good to the society. The dislike for a certain leader should not fester into a hardened opposition to noble tasks. Leaders come and go, however,the idea of India is eternal and the quest for a clean Indiapermanent. It is high time Indians begin to differentiate between a political move and a national movement. Sadly there are manyIndians who would want theirPM to fail, than have their nation succeed.
In India, sweeping is mainly reserved for people from certain social groups; this is inhuman and has to change. The act of coming together and wielding the broom was an opportunity for people from all social groups to challenge a discriminatory norm, by doing a job reserved for social groups that many assume are condemned by birth to take up such tasks. This was an opportunity to get into their shoes (many actually can’t afford a pair though),feel their pain, and change it. All those who criticise this campaign are in a way saying that cleaning is a job reserved for people of a certain social group only. Caste based discrimination is cruel and no social group should be earmarked for any tasks, be it the task of leading the world’s largest democracy or sweeping its streets. However, if people choose to become sweepers not out of compulsion or choice-less-ness but out of their own volition, they still need to be provided the right pay, amenities and technological supportso that their job doesn’t entail loss of human dignity. Sitting back and criticising the campaign will not help anyone move an inch in promoting cleanliness or restoring human dignity.
The campaign has several stages of progress, but its start has been effective. For the first time, the brand ambassador of a national campaign is not a cricketer or a Bollywood actor; but the PM himself and this puts a lot of pressure on the administration at every level. The PM also realises that having him alone as the brand ambassador may not be sufficient and hence he roped in nine other well-known people, cutting across political and social divide, to lead the campaign in their circuits. These nine people are news makers in their own way and can givefurther impetus to the movement by their own actions and by furthering the chain of nominations. So clearly, the campaign was launched not as an event that will peter out in a day, but as a movement which will have its own self-sustaining mechanism and momentum to reach out to every corner of the nation and remove the filth and dirt present there.
When Jacquiline Kennedy, the former First Lady of the United States visited India, the then PM Jawaharlal Nehru invited a snake charmer to his residence to show her snake charming tricks. From there, we have moved on to have a PM who is keen toshow India’s best face to the world. Unfortunately, there are many areas where India and Indians needs to change; fortunatelyIndia’sPM is willing to take charge and lead from the front. But a nation of 1.25 billion people cannot be cleaned by one Prime Minister; but if 1.25 billion people join hands in this noble mission, they can achieve what even the PM cannot achieve. On 02 October, every Indian had the chance.
Now that 02 October is over, the real job begins. Indians need to commit themselves to keep the nation clean by not making it dirty and by not allowing others to make it dirty. Indian politicians should be held accountable in this area of work. Public must use the communication channels (www.mygov.in) introduced by the PM to share ideas that will make this campaign better. Voters must know who in the political-governance structure is responsible for which aspect of cleanliness and push them to do their respective duties. But before that, Indians need to rise beyond differences of all kinds.
Lack of cleanliness is a huge problem to be ignoredand need to be solved expeditiously. The PM has given it a time frame of five years; India should not miss the chance.
Prasanna Karthik is a management consultant and the views expressed are his own.
Narendra Nath to Narendra Modi
~ By Guru Prakash
“India is the cradle of human race,the birthplace of human speech,the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most constructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.” -Mark Twain
Envisioning and building a world movement has always remained one of the chief prerogatives of Indian thinkers. Armed with spirituality and a unique civilization, India has guided the searchlight towards the realization of spiritual development of the world. In the following lines, a modest attempt has been made to draw parallels between the century old historical visit of Swami Vivekananda and the recently concluded tour of the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Shri Narendra Modi, to the United States of America.
As Shri Modi touched base at the John F Kennedy Airport, United States of America, a fresh wave of optimism was palpable among the ambassadorial fraternity of the world. The strategic thinkers and the discourse builders of diplomacy were in complete awe of an individual who is a representative of over one sixth of the humanity. Not only did Shri Modi speak on behalf of his countrymen at the world collegium of leaders in the General assembly of the United Nations, but he also represented the rich and unparalleled cultural and spiritual heritage of his homeland.
The first interface between India and the United States was impervious to the considerations of realpolitik. A Sage through his wisdom formed the bedrock of synergy between the two countries. Similar ecstasy as of today prevailed on the shores of America when another Yogi illuminated the World Parliament of Religions almost a century ago. Swami Vivekananda’s address to the parliament began with ‘Brothers and Sisters of America’ that still thrills the conscience of many. Swami Ji received a standing ovation and substantially reoriented the western notion on Indic knowledge. It was a watershed moment for India that introduced its depth and spiritual prowess to the world. The speech is still regarded as a gospel for religious leaders throughout different faiths and regions. Ideas evolve but values travels through the passage of time. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi today is a representative of similar heritage. India and America have shared an identity based on democracy and development. Although the dynamics of international relations have been redefined with the evolution of prerogatives and policy landscapes, India as a nation has always stood on the unshakeable principles of pragmatic idealism, cultural uniformity and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’– (World is a family). Barring few exceptions, the two nations have ushered in harmony with a strong belief in uninterrupted growth and development of its region and people alike.
Investment opportunities, defense ties, P2P (People to People) interface, social security of workers are expected to be the priority areas of collaboration between both the countries in the days to come. The PM of India known for his tough but practical negotiating skills is certain to ensure that substantial portion of benefits reach his countrymen without a doubt. The new era of friendship under his able supervision and visionary guidance is set to take this pivotal bilateral relationship to a different level.
The world leaders at the General Assembly of the United Nations and keen followers of diplomacy were eagerly looking forward to hear the PM at UNGA (United Nations General Assembly). Through his illuminating address, he outlined a visionary roadmap for the world free from the scourge of terrorism and elucidated a deliberative forum comprising of all nations, in the name of G-All. Emphasis was rightly laid upon “Comprehensive International Convention on Terror” wherein he urged the leaders to get together and resolve the impasse on terrorism and related disruptive activities that have now become a stumbling block to peace and human development in the world. He added that a misplaced notion of Good terrorism and Bad terrorism is only a tool to mislead the fight against the ghastly act of terror. With the objective of popularizing Yoga at the global platform, he proposed the ‘International Year of Yoga’ which was hugely applauded and supported by the South Asian nations. An unusual display of statecraft was visible when the Prime Minister strongly registered his disapproval of Pakistan’s incessant approach of internationalizing the issue of Jammu & Kashmir. By avoiding a harsh tone he successfully drove home the point that no talk can occur in the shadow of terror and Pakistan should endeavor for an amicable environment to resume the dialogue on any pertinent issue. The social media was abuzz with his speech and a noticeable excitement was palpable. One of the commentators on Facebook termed it as “N.A.M to NAMO doctrine of assertion” in International relations.
After the General Assembly it was the turn of Madison Square Garden to host the PM. As expected he straightway struck an emotional chord with the Indian diaspora. Outlining the avenues of mutual exercises, he listed out three great advantages that are unique to India in the form of Democracy, Demography and Demand. In his quintessential tenor of integrating a pinch of humor to realistic issues, he enthralled the audience of over 20,000 in the garden and more viewing it on special huge screens planted at the exotic Times Square and other places. He reiterated Good Governance and Development have to be made a mass movement similar to the national struggle for independence. True to this, his address was an appeal to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and other overseas citizens to participate in the process of development of their homeland. Merging of OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) and PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) schemes was announced for the convenience and ease of travel for the Indians residing in America. Apart from removing the regulatory bottlenecks, the Prime Minister also enlightened the audience on the recently launched ‘Make in India’ campaign. India will graciously welcome everyone with red carpet. By terming 21st century as the Indian century, he enthused optimism in every one present. The PM also reinforced that, Climate Change is imperative for Sustainable Development. He outlined that home for all by 2022 and ending financial untouchability are among the important commitments of his Government. The address culminated with huge cheers and applause for the unmatchable grace of the Shri Narendra Modi.
With the requisite level of faith and hope, we are destined to rekindle the meaningful engagement with the United States of America. The fusion of age-old spiritual wisdom with modern dynamics of development can indeed do the needful. The abiding faith and consolidated resolve of the oldest and largest democracies will set an example of sustainable development and inclusive growth for the world.
Guru Prakash is a Research Scholar at University of Delhi. He has been a Research Associate at Indian Foundation. The views expressed are his own.
PM Narendra Modi in US
~ By Ram Madhav Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to set foot on US at around 2 PM today. Hours before his arrival in the US, excitement is palpable everywhere. PM Modi is not the first Indian Prime Minister to visit this country, nor is he going to be the last. Yet his visit, maiden one after becoming the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, has generated tremendous interest and interest among not only the Indian American community but also among the US Law-makers, administration and the government.
Shri Narendra Modi is visiting US after a stupendous victory three months ago in the world’s largest democracy where an electorate bigger than the population of USA and Europe has used its democratic right of franchise to elect him as their leader. He pulled off a sort of revolution by securing majority to the BJP on its own thus forming a coalition government that is absolutely stable and strong. PM Modi’s support base includes all sections of Indian society, most importantly the youth. He represents the aspirational young population of India.
Naturally the expectations are that through this visit PM Modi will rejuvenate Indo-US ties that have slowed down in the last few years due to various domestic and international factors. During his visit to India in 2010 President Obama had called for making Indo-Us relationship “the defining partnership in the 21st Century”. The US administration certainly looks up to PM Modi’s visit for such a major leap forward.
For PM Modi this is not a bilateral visit alone. He is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday. The world leaders are keenly looking forward to his address to the UNGA and his position on various international issues. Pakistan Prime Minister’s speech, scheduled for a day early, is likely to touch upon a raw nerve or two too. Besides, PM Modi has bilateral meetings lined up with a few important heads of nations. However the bilateral part of the visit that takes place on 29-30 September is what the people in India and the US are eagerly looking forward to.
Prime Minister’s engagements include meetings with business leaders, investor companies and Indian American community. He is also scheduled to meet President Obama for a Summit Meeting followed by meetings with Vice President, Speaker etc. Thus his visit includes G2B – Government to Business and G2P – Government to People agenda besides of course G2G – Government to Government agenda.
PM Modi’s USP is his single-minded focus on India’s economic development. He has set his eyes on the goal of making every Indian rich in a few years from now. Towards that end his government is pursuing a number of economic policies that have the power of propelling inclusive economic development. As part of his drive to strengthen India’s economic basics he is also scouting for INVESTMENTS to flow into India.
He did it in Japan and with China; and he is expected to do the same here in the US. For sometime now India’s economic climate has been vitiated so much by wrong policies that the investor is scared to look at an otherwise goldmine-like MARKET in india. PM Modi’s biggest challenge is to bring back investor confidence in India. He has to reassure the global investor that there won’t be any sudden taxation regime changes.
There is considerable enthusiasm in the business community in US over his visit. They had seen him as Chief Minister of Gujarat successfully pursuing development-oriented economic policies that have benefited his people greatly. They expect him to do the same at the national level as Prime Minister. This forms his G2B engagement in US.
His G2G engagement is also crucial. As two world’s important and big democracies, India and US have many shared objectives and concerns. Besides economics India and US share a major common concern in the form of terrorism. Terrorism is an enemy of democracies. It is a global menace now. Both our countries have been working together on issues of terrorism and homeland security. Furthering this cooperation in fight against global terror is an important issue for both the governments.
There is a need for the US to review its policy with regard to addressing this global terror network. We have the epicentre of global terror in India’s neighbourhood. The US must keep in mind that a stable and strong government in Afghanistan is critical to addressing the menace of terrorism.
India and US have been cooperating in defence related sectors too. India is committed to strengthen its defence establishment in view of the regional environment it is forced to live in. There is no clash of interests for both our countries in this regard. However the US shouldn’t see India merely as an export destination for defence equipment. PM Modi is keen on making India a manufacturer not only of consumer goods but also defence equipment. His Make in India campaign includes both high-tech and low-tech industry. The US can use technology transfer route to boost India’s defence industry.
The most important factor in Indo-US relations is the more than 4 million Indians living in this country. They are greatly excited over the visit of PM Modi. He is going to address them on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. It is a basket ball stadium and the biggest available one in New York with a seating capacity of about 20,000. The stadium is already overbooked for PM Modi’s event being hosted by Indian American Community Foundation. The fact that no other world leader has ever attempted such a big event in New York goes to show the popularity of PM Modi and the enthusiasm of the Indian American community to meet and greet him. A large number of Congressmen are also expected to turn up at the event to greet Modi.
Prime Minister Modi today represents a new India of 1.2 billion self-confident Indians. The US administration and the world leaders will see a leader who is himself confidence personified. And they will learn to deal with a new India – youthful, energetic and eager to grow and progress. India’s rise is a good news for all those who care for peace, stability and prosperity in the world.
And Prime Minister Modi is the leader destined to script that growth story for India.
Ram Madhav Varanasi is the General Secretary of Bhartiya Janata Party and the Director of India Foundation. The views expressed are his own.
International Conference on Counter-Terrorism
Terrorism has become the scourge of the world, India has been amongst the worst affected nations and Mumbai attack ranks amongst the worst terrorist attacks in recent times. The global community has however, not been able to come out with a coherent and comprehensive counter-terrorism policy. Leave aside cooperation; there is still no unanimity on the definition of terrorism. Many countries continue to prevaricate, some make distinctions amongst terrorists, while some others support it and have made it an integral part of their state policies.
In view of this, India Foundation is organising the International Conference on Counter-Terrorism in collaboration with the Govt. of Rajasthan on March 19-21, 2015 in Rajasthan. The Conference looks at different aspects of the Mumbai terrorist attack and terrorism in different parts of the globe, so as to evolve an effective strategy for Counter-terrorism.
Education: Building India’s Foundation
By Aaditya Tiwari
“Education is the manifestation of the perfection already present in man.”, Swami Vivekananda had once said. It is in sync with this vision of the spiritual giant that we as a country feel the necessity for valuable education right from our childhood. Thus, it is imperative that we continue our determined and steadfast efforts to educate the future of India; our children.
When we introspect and deliberate more on education, some specific questions strike our mind, how can we as a country impart quality education irrespective of inequities? How can we ensure every child be facilitated with quality education? Is providing education the responsibility of the Government or private institutions? Over and above, what is quality education? Are our children today skilled enough to learn, unlearn and then re-learn?
Delving on the substantive question of quality education, it crucial that any form of education must help explore ourselves and push us to venture into the unknown, rather than just equipping us with mundane jobs. Tracing back to history, it is no brainer that the British instated an education system which was best suited to them and in specific their demands. In brief, they were keen on a system which only equips people to read, write, and learn numeracy which can contribute to performing daily clerical work.
In order to attain the status of “Vishwa Guru”, India must most urgently develop a system which helps cultivate an individual’s mind and most importantly enables the child to question. It is of utmost importance that in today’s age a child must think beyond what is written in the books and what is being taught in classrooms. A vital question in this regard, which must be consistently pondered upon is, do we want the learning of a child to be restricted to some specific books or open up a platform where the child gets access to plenty of reading materials ? Children by nature are curious, inquisitive, it is up to us if we want to ignite the fire within and give it direction or blow it away even before it burns.
Sometimes when individuals are so involved in a regular, underpaid and under recognized job as that of a teacher, they tend to forget the larger purpose and stop thinking big! Thus, time is now ripe, that we start redefining the roles of a teacher and of the school. A teacher in today’s age should act as a facilitator, who rather than just teaching, as a sacrosanct duty ensures students learn. While it is easier said than done, it is vital that the Government plays a pivotal role in developing frameworks where a teacher is empowered in the art of teaching.
An immediate need today, is to think out of the box! We have all witnessed and experienced that it is always the teacher who teaches and the students learn. On the other hand, innumerable examples come to mind on how students have learnt despite the absence of appointed teachers. Sometimes it was from the nature they learnt or through various social conditions. In this context, initiatives like National Repository or Open Education Resources, Shaala Daarpan, School Leadership Programme are welcome steps in the right direction. For instance, National Repository on Open Education Resources is aimed at digitizing resources in different languages and dialects; the repository provides various options to children from all linguistic backgrounds to browse the resource of their choice, which in itself breaks the wall of accessibility. Another initiative, Shaala Darpan, which aims to involve the parent in the child’s learning, can indeed prove to be a major catalyst in transforming education in our country.
Yet another initiative which can well turn out to be a game changer is School Leadership and School Assessment and Standards. The very term School Leadership to be used in sarkari jargonis like turning a new leaf. We need to develop that spirit in our schools where the principals are not mere administrative heads but are more like managers of a football team trying to take their schools to greater heights. Similarly School Assessment and Standards aims to reorient school education where the core element is learning and the objective is improvement rather than inspection. Administrators today ought to end inspectorate culture and cohesively work towards enhancing the school’s performance.
In conclusion, two essential factors which play a decisive role in developing a child are the society and the school. What the child learns in school reflects in the society and vice versa. We need to make the environment in school conducive for learning. Schools must aspire to be the torchbearers to ensure an equitable society. It our duty as a society that children get suitable nourishment for their body, mind and soul in order to flourish like the Great Bodhi Tree and guide the world on the path of knowledge and peace. Since education directly impacts the nation’s progress, it is imperative that the change must begin from our classes. It is this education which will create future leaders, scientists and innovators. We as a nation have to decide where we want to see our country fifty years from now and act steadfast in that direction. After all, the future Subhash Chandra Boses, the Mahatma Gandhis and Swami Vivekanandas are sitting in these very class rooms!
Aaditya Tiwari is a Research Associate with India Foundation and former Teach for India fellow. The views expressed are his own.
National Seminar on “Integral Humanism”
India Foundation organised a two-day National Seminar on the “Integral Humanism” concept of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, which comprises some seminal ideas and theories which are of great contemporary relevance and significance. The Seminar was held on 25-26 October, 2014 at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi.
RSS Sahsarkaryavah Dr Krishna Gopal stressed the need to develop the feeling of sacrifice and devotion in the new generation. He said today’s education system adequately focuses on skill development, but it severely lacks the values of life. It is because of this spirituality, which develops values, is missing from modern education.
Dr Krishna Gopal was speaking at the concluding ceremony of a two-day national seminar on Integral Humanism on October 26. The Seminar was organised by Centre for Study of Religion & Society (CSRS), a wing of India Foundation. About 150 top academicians from across the country participated in the seminar and held fruitful discussion. Former Governor of Karnataka and Kerala Shri TN Chaturvedi presided over the inaugural and concluding sessions. In different sessions about 35 academicians and research scholars presented papers and parallel sessions were held in Hindi and English.
The RSS Sahsarkaryavah came down heavily on those who claim that they are ‘self-made’ and do not recognise the contribution of others in their progress. He said since birth a large number of people at different stages help us in our journey and refused to accept that contribution is unethical. He stressed the need that thinking of integral humanism needs to be adopted in all spheres of life including government, politics, economic, social, education, etc. He appealed to the participants to start work on it at their respective places. He made it clear that what Deendayalji said was not new rather it has been in our culture since ancient time and its uninterrupted continuity can be seen at all times. He said this thinking has never been divisive as the western concepts are.
Earlier, speaking at the inaugural session RSS Sahsarkaryavah Shri Suresh Soni explained the concept of Integral Humanism and said it has been part and parcel of all our activities. “Offering first ‘chapatti’ to the cow, water and feed to birds and animals and thinking for the welfare of every creature in the universe have been part of our daily life since ancient time. But for sometime this thinking has weakened and its disintegration is visible in all spheres of life,” he said adding that Deendayalji prominently focused on three points—abundance in production, balance in distribution and restrains in consumption. “This will lead to sustainable development. The nature can fulfil the needs but not the greeds,” he added.
Referring to the modern concepts of development based on liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation he said the distorted vision of man and universe being propounded by the West has led to destruction and the humanity is at cross roads. “At this juncture Bharat can show the way to the world and integral humanism propounded by Deendayalji is the remedy that can cure the entire world,” Shri Soni added. Prime objective of the seminar was to expound the philosophy of integral humanism for the benefit of whole humanity. It focused on Deendayalji’s social, political, economic and cultural thoughts which were brain storming and thought provoking. The seminar aimed at encouraging the young modern minds to carry forward to its zenith, the rich legacy left behind. “Integral humanism offers a creative reinterpretation of multi-hued vibrant Indian culture. It is the central axis of Deendayalji’s thoughts. It is not anthropo-centric but cosmic human centric centering on the concepts of Vasudhaiva kutumbakam. Deendayalji charted out a new paradigm of world order with a spirit of spiritual ecumenism and spiritual globalisation,” said Prof. SR Bhatt, convener of the seminar and former Head of Department of Philosophy, Delhi University.
Courtesy: Organiser Weekly
India & Myanmar: Together the Way Ahead
India Foundation along with Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies (MSIS), Yangon,Institute of Transnational Studies, Germany and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Calcutta is organizing a conference in Yangon on 21 – 22 Nov, 2014. The topic of the Conference is India & Myanmar: Together the Way Ahead, which will focus on the future of Indo-Myanmar Relations. This Conference will bring together academics, politicians, civil servants and social activists to discuss and debate the way forward for the India Myanmar relations across all dimensions: Security, Economic Growth, Regional Integration and Social Development. Around 50 delegates from within and outside of Myanmar are expected to attend the Conference.
India Ideas Conclave
India Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Goa is organising an event called India Ideas Conclave focused on discussing “Integral Human Development” on 19-21 Dec, 2014 at Hotel Park Hyatt, Goa.
The India Ideas Forum has been created as an exclusive, by invitation-only annual event where a few selected global leaders and renowned subject matter experts will discuss cutting edge ideas. There will be about 70 distinguished speakers from India and abroad who will share their thoughts on this platform. The Forum will comprise 350 select invitees consisting of Global CEO’s, leading scientists, technologists, leading politicians and entertainment and media executives.
Pak Restructuring Regional Strategy
By K.N. Pandita
Indian Army estimates that 200 armed jihadis are waiting along the Line of Control (LoC) to sneak into Indian Territory, 31 of these have already managed to infiltrate.
Even when the valley was reeling under the ravages of unprecedented floods, jihadis made several bids to push many of them across the line. These bids were however, neutralized. The infiltration bids increased soon after the BJP led NDA government took oath of office. At the swearing in ceremony, where SAARC leaders including Pakistan’s Prime minister Nawaz Sharif participated, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan jointly spoke of containing terrorism in the region.
A gradual change in the idiom of General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi could be discerned when perfunctory hints emanated from Islamabad that bilateral talks with India would be resumed.
To offset any talks, non-state actors in Pakistan revived Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) orchestration and its reverberations were felt along the LoC. Unprovoked firing in some sensitive sectors along the LoC and even across International Border (IB) in RS Pora sector assumed threatening proportions.
Pak agencies subtly scuttled foreign secretary-level meet by predicating it with Pak High Commissioner’s invitation to the separatists and secessionists for a meeting in Delhi, thereby scoring a point against Islamabad.
The Pakistan Army, alarmed by the insistence of new government in Delhi to meaningfully pursue bilateral talks with the democratically elected government in Islamabad enfolding 26/11 culprits and the new approach theory to bilateral relations, decided to settle its score with the bugbear of Pak democracy. Military coup was out of question as neither Americans nor the Saudis would take it.
The Army was already peeved with Nawaz Sharif for treating Musharraf, its former Chief with disdain. Hence it pressed into service the option of mobocracy. Logjam continues around the seat of the government.
Allowing the stalemate to linger on, the Army, which had been making serious efforts for quite some time to draw a wedge between the Punjabi and Pushtun ethnic groups of Tehreek-i-Taliban-i-Pakistan (TTP), succeeded in the time-tested mantra of divide and rule. A statement from the chief of Punjabi chapter of TTP, Asmatullah Muawiya on September 5, 2014 declared that his group would no longer operate in Pakistan but would actively join hands with Afghan Taliban and fight against the American propelled government in Kabul and the American presence in Afghanistan. TTP Commander, Abu Baseer denigrated Muawiya by asserting that he always had links with Pak agencies.
Before joining TTP, Muawiya was a commander of Maulana Masood Azhar’s terrorist group, Jaish-i-Muhammad. Following differences with Jaish in the aftermath of Lal Masjid operation of 2007, Muawiya parted ways with Azhar and went to the tribal areas with dozens of his comrades.
He formed his faction of terrorists claiming that he wanted to avenge the killing of jihadis in Lal Masjid operation by Pakistani security men. He named his faction Jundu’l-Hafsa after the name of girls’ seminary Jame’ul Hafsa attached to Lal Masjid.
Jundul-Hafsa carried out many terrorist attacks independently, which included attack on foreign mountaineers at the base camp of Nanga Parbat at an altitude of 4200 m, on June 22, 2013 and an attack in September 2013 on a church in Peshawar killing 80 Christians, while offering mass.
After becoming part of TTP, Muawiyeh had become the chief of its Punjabi chapter. In 2003-4, General Musharraf, the then President of Pakistan, directed the Punjabi Taliban conducting jihadi activities in Punjab to wind up. The Punjabi Taliban, comprising mostly the youth from Punjab and POJK split into two. One group migrated to Waziristan where it raised the banner against Pakistani army.
It is noteworthy that in the initial stage of drone attacks, Americans avoided attacking TTP groups in Waziristan, in the hope that they would not make a common cause with Afghan Taliban. But when Pakistan declared that all members of TTP were the enemies of Pakistan, American drone attacks started targeting the hideouts of Punjabi Taliban as well.
But before the American drones could pound TTP, Pakistani ISI had relocated the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda elements in TTP from Waziristan to Kurram Agency where they enjoyed security.
The simple objective of Pakistan in categorizing all TTP as its enemy was to help disperse the Afghan Taliban either to Kurram or to safe havens in Afghanistan wherever they could find it. Then after the purge it could take on the remnants of TTP easily and hunt them down one by one.
Obviously, Kabul government took care of those elements that were forced to withdraw to Afghan territory in the face of Pakistan army’s heavy attacks on TTP which ultimately reduced it to shambles.
Having finished the TTP in Waziristan, without causing harm to much of the Afghan Taliban, which had taken refuge in Waziristan against the NATO attacks, Pakistan army achieved the twin objectives of liquidating anti-army TTP, and retaining anti-Kabul lever in its hands in the shape of Kurram-based Afghan Taliban.
On the other hand, this strategy found replication in the shape of Maulvi Fazlullah, the commander of TTP, who having positioned himself in Kabul is patronizing the anti-Pakistan army elements that are temporarily located or concentrated in Afghanistan.
Until Aug 13, 2013 Punjabi chapter of TTP remained under TTP. During that period Asmatullah Muawiyeh had twice come to Indian part of J&K clandestinely and also travelled to Afghanistan to take stock of the ground situation there. The dream of Islamic Caliphate is very much alive in the heads of these jihadis.
Last year, TTP expelled Muawiyeh after he had issued statement regarding PML-N government’s proposal for peace talks without prior approval from the central leadership. He had welcomed Nawaz Sharif’s proposal for dialogue after urging Pak militants to respond to the offer.
In all probability, the inference is that Pakistan Army will, in slow degrees, induct its protected and patronized hordes of Afghan Taliban into J&K and thus give a new turn to jihad in J&K. Border violations and unprovoked firing could be a precursor to that scenario.
In this broad and rather grossly intertwined regional strategic scenario, ISI has played the master card by winning over Muawiya and through him declaring the end of hostilities against Pakistan by Punjabi Taliban. However, the story does not end there. In his statement, Muawiya said that while he would work in the interests of Islam and in propagating its true teachings, he would join in fight against Kabul regime and the Americans now sitting in Kabul.
Reports indicate that through the instrumentality of Haqqani network, Muawiya’s group will move to Afghanistan and join hands with the Afghan Taliban in bringing down the Kabul regime and throwing out the Americans and finally giving proper shape to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan or the Caliphate of Khurasan.
Haqqani is an old time stooge of ISI and for long has been acting as per its commands.
Professor KN Pandita is the former Director of the Centre for Central Asian Studies at Kashmir University, Srinagar. The views expressed are his own.
Nefarious designs at bay; Army rock solid in its valiant efforts!
~ By Sudarshan Ramabadran
The Indian Armed Forces have killed two terrorists in Machchil Sector, North Kashmir on September 17 and all this while without in any way slackening their vigil, as on date they have simultaneously distributed food to over 1.2 lakh persons in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and ensured treatment to over 75,000 people through various medical teams.
At a time when The Indian Armed Forces and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) have earned appreciation internationally for carrying out relentless humanitarian tasks in J&K, nefarious designs have emerged to pull out all stops to ensure that the people of J&K, in no way identify with India and its armed forces. These designs have been carefully timed and unleashed by the selfish separatists who under the false garb of “azadi” seek to please their handlers from across the border.
Hafeez Saeed’s tweet attack
To begin with Hafiz Saeed, an evil mind who enjoys absolute patronage from Pakistan never leaves an opportunity to unleash an attack on India through words or arms. As soon as the unfortunate floods struck J&K, Saeed launched his tweet attack. In a series of tweets, the 26/11 Mumbai attacksmaster mind Saeed made bizarre accusations against India. He tweeted, “India has used water to attack Pakistan, we are in a state of war. India’s water aggression must be taken to the UN Security Council. If India’s Ladakh dam project is completed, even Islamabad will become unsafe. Indian water terrorism is more lethal than its Line of Control (LOC) violations.” The opportunist Saeed wasted no time to reiterate the Azad Kashmir stand in a subsequent tweet which was carefully worded as an attack on the Indian Government, “Occupied Kashmir cannot be looked after by the Modi-led government, what it can do for those in Azad Kashmir? Give them Freedom if you may”
Though Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif did acknowledge and offer his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to jointly rehabilitate those affected in Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJ&K), there was not a single step from the Pakistani dispensation to come down hard on Saeed or even a gag order against himfor provoking India during such a calamity. In fact, Pakistan’s envoy Abdul Basit’s recently stated that Saeed enjoys the complete support of Pakistan and is a free citizen,“Hafiz Saeed is a Pakistani national so he is free to roam around. So what is the problem…he is a free citizen so there is no issue as far as Pakistan is concerned. Courts have already exonerated him. There is no case pending against him.”
This despite India’s countless dossiers to Pakistan on 26/11 attacks as well as US’ bounty of $10mn on Saeed.
Geelani’s appeal to Pakistan
Taking cue from Saeed was none other than Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani.Take this for a partnership, Geelani and Saeed appeared in the same debate on a Pakistani news channel, where Geelani began spewing venom, “Armed forces are busy rescuing their own personnel, tourists and only a few Kashmiris, in that order”. He added that, “Indian Army and media are insulting Kashmiris by taunting them about being saved by those whom they pelted stones at once.”
Hang on; Geelani did not stop here, he further explained, “Indian Army men were moving around in boats with TV crews only to stage an act of rescuing a few locals for the purpose of publicity and propaganda”
When we just thought where was Geelani headed, here comes his appeal for help from across the border, where he asked Pakistan to take out time from its internal strife and contribute to the ongoing rescue efforts in J&K, “Pakistan must showcase the cause of floods to the UN as well as other Islamic countries”. Citing this he asked Pakistan to mobilize funds for J&K.
Yasin Malik joins the bandwagon
Next up, we had the man who hadpreviously shared the dais with Hafiz Saeed. Yasin Malik led a gang of crooked elements and forced ailing lady patients to get off an Army relief boat despite strong criticism of the shocking move by women in the area. Malik told the Army patrol to leave the patients and withdraw from the area. When the Army patrol boat returned, Malik told the boat patrol to get the patients off and leave. He claimed the Kashmiris do not want the Army rescue efforts to continue. Women in the boat and in the vicinity protested loudly at this insane act by a bunch of goons even as Mir, an aide of Yasin Malik, shouted at the ladies in Kashmiri and forced them to be silent.
Irony has it, this is the same Yasin Malik who is accused of killing four Indian Air Force Officers in J&K in the 90s and come the floods, he is rescued by the Air Force personnel!
If this is not enough, desperate separatists have also ensured to instigate people to take to stone pelting. Reports have emerged that aircrafts and helicopters flying across J&K have suffered damages due to stone pelting.
The nefarious design is clear; separatists are pawns in the hands of their handlers from Pakistan. Under the false garb “azadi”, they will go to any extent to destabilize J&K for the benefit of their vested interests. Anti India disruption is their sole aim. Negating these nefarious designs and facing innumerable hurdles of disruption, the Armed forces have not till this second brought the rescue efforts to even a mini pause. So much so, nationals from Pakistan have expressed their gratitude to the Indian Armed forces for restoring a bridge in their ongoing rescue efforts.
While a lot of criticism has come the Indian Army’s way with respect to Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), countless men continue to put their lives in danger to ensure relentless rescue efforts continue with an objective that they will reach every single individual stranded. All of India wishes and prays that anti national elements like the separatists continue to be kept at bay and J&K bounces back to normalcy soon!
Sudarshan Ramabadran is a Research Assistant with India Foundation. The views expressed are his own.
Attack on PN Dockyard: Terrorists in Uniform
– By Alok Bansal
The attack on Pakistan’s Naval Dockyard on September 6, which is celebrated as Pakistan’s Defence Day, was a landmark event. The naval dockyard is a highly sensitive security zone, where naval ships, submarines and auxiliaries are not only berthed, but also repaired and built. It undertakes all indigenous construction projects like Missiles Boats, Mines Counter Measure Vessel and Agosta 90-B Submarine. So shocked was the Pakistan’s security establishment with the attack that the whole news was kept under wraps for two days and even today the details of the attack have not been made clear.Little news that has trickled out reveals that the terrorists had not only infiltrated through the dockyard, but also targeted PNS Zulfiqar, a Chinese built frigate of the Pakistan Navy (PN). The involvement of many naval personnel and claim by newly created Qaedat-ul Jihad or Al Qaida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), as well as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of involvement,has raised suspicion that the terrorists wanted to hijack the ship and take it out to sea. A fully armed warship with terrorists at sea can be an extremely potent weapon that can be used to target any unsuspecting ship at sea including the US warships in Gulf. AQIS has subsequently claimed that a US supply ship was the target.
Fortunately, for Pakistan, the naval commandos responded promptly and in the ensuing encounter killed three terrorists while apprehending seven terrorists alive, while one petty officer of the navy was killed and six others sustained serious injuries. Five 9mm pistols, three intercoms, four suicide jackets, two detonators, handcuffs and other ammunition was recovered. The main accused is believed to be Owais Jahhrani, a former naval officer, who wasexpelled from the force in 2013 for his rigid religious views. He died during the attack and is the son of an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police from Karachi. Subsequently, three other naval officers were arrested at Mastung in Balochistan enroute to Quetta, from where they were planning to escape to Afghanistan. The arrests have also been made at the Ormara Airbase. Accomplices were also arrested from Swabi, south Punjab and interior Sindh. The whole investigation process has been kept under wraps as the security forces do not want the international community to know that radical virus has afflicted Pakistani Armed Forces. The security establishment has been so sensitive about propagation of such facts that investigative journalist Syed Saleem Shehzad was brutally killed in 2011 for publishing a story which highlighted the presence of Al Qaeda cells within the PN.
However, despite the attempts to brush aside such acts under the carpet, the attack on PN Dockyard has not been a one off act, but just one incident in a series of terrorist attacks where members of the armed forces were involved. Every single attack on a military installation bore clear marks of collusion by elements from within. Many Pakistani Air Force (PAF) and army personnel including six officers were convicted for attempts on General Pervez Musharraf in December 2003. An army soldier, Abdul Islam Siddiqui, was hanged on August 20, 2005 after an in camera Court Martial for triggering an explosion to target Musharraf in Rawalpindi. On another occasion, an anti-aircraft gun was discovered on the flight path of General Musharraf’s plane, when he was taking off from Rawalpindi Air base on a pitch dark night. There were also occasions when Army and Air Force officers preferred being court martialed than to fight the Taliban. In one of the most bizarre case, 200 armed security personnel were taken captive by 20 militants in Federally Administered Tribal Areas(FATA). There have also been numerous instances of sabotage in the PAF to prevent aircraft from being deployed against the militants. In one of the many attempts on Musharraf, over 100 Air Force personnel were convicted and three were sentenced to death. One of those sentenced to death was Adnan Rasheed, who was housed in Bannu Jail, till TTP decided to break open the jail and release all the prisoners. Immediately after his release Adnan led attack on PAF station at Kamra.
Former army personnel were also involved in the attacks on GHQ, with the possible collusion of insiders. In 2010, two former army officers along with two serving officers including a colonel were convicted by a court martial for planning an attack on the Shamsi airbase, which was being used by the Americans to fly their drones. The attack on PNS Mehran was another case of collusion by serving personnel. Kamran Ahmed, a former naval commando and his brother Zaman Ahmed were arrested for aiding the attackers. Another marine commando from Waziristan, who had been posted at PNS Mehran, was arrested in January 2011 for having links with Al Qaeda and Taliban. During an in-camera briefing, the parliamentary committee on defence was informed that three Navy officers, one sailor and four other personnel had assisted the terrorists.In fact in order to identify the personnel with terrorist links within the Navy, the Navy has decided to re-interrogate those Naval officers who had been arrested for their alleged involvement in Mehran.
The growing radicalisation of the Armed Forces is nothing but a manifestation of the growing extremism in Pakistani society. As radical militant outfits thrive in Pakistan, they share their recruitment base with the armed forces. Consequently, most of the inductees into the armed forces are already imbued with the radical hue and as they live in the same society, the radicalisation further increases. Various religious organisations with puritanical zeal like the Tableeghi Jamaat or Al Huda have liberal access to military personnel and their families. Similarly, pan Islamic outfits like Hizb-ut Tehrir, which do not believe in Westphalian concept of a nation state, have also made deep inroads into Armed Forces. Once a person has been moulded in a particular ideology by these organisations, it is not very difficult for the militant organisations to recruit him for their cause. There has been large number of cases, where officers and men from the military have resigned to join the radical outfits.Although all the three armed forces have been affected by the menace of radicalisation, the impact is more pronounced in PN and PAF, probably the regimental system of the army has succeeded in mitigating the impact of radicalisation to some extent.
Though the military leadership in the last decade has tried to cleanse the forces of radical elements and has succeeded in purging overtly religious generals. However, the junior officers and other ranks by and large reflect the prevailing views of rapidly radicalising society. Many of them still believe that the war against Taliban is America’s war and have serious reservations about fighting them.This is bound to create rifts within the military,which is the glue that binds a fissiparous state like Pakistan. However, the immediate concern for the international community is the prospect that there could be some closeted militants in Strategic Planning Directorate (SPD) of Pakistani Army, which is tasked with guarding Pakistan’s nuclear stockpile.
Alok Bansal is the Director Centre for Security and Strategy, India foundation. The views expressed are his own.
September will Sparkle in History of Indian Diplomacy
There are many ways of travelling from India to America. One of them is via Japan. That indeed is the quickest way to the richest parts of USA, the west coast; and the only option if you are headed towards the heart of America’s strategic presence in the Pacific, Hawaii.
The Pacific, overlapping the Indian Ocean, is far closer to us than the Mediterranean or the Atlantic. Our popular, and policy, reflexes so far have been so embedded in attitudes formed during the British Raj that we have stopped thinking of the Pacific as the bridgehead to anywhere. Japan, China, Australia and America are Pacific mercantile and military powers.
This quadrilateral is at the top of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy. September 2014 will sparkle in the history of Indian diplomacy. Modi began the month with a triumph in Japan. He returned to welcome Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, with whom he signed a significant civil nuclear deal that will permit the sale of Australian uranium to India. Within two days the leaders built a rapport that will prompt a quick return visit to cement a vital relationship. In the third week of September, Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Delhi to add important building blocks to investment as well as security cooperation.
When in the last week of September Prime Minister Modi goes to the White House, India will not be a supplicant nation. America will converse with an empowered India.
All sides are never equal in any multilateral partnership, but harmony is essential for the careful construct to hold. India and Japan may have stronger bonds than India and China, but the three Asian giants know that they have much to gain by maximising complementary strengths and minimising conflict zones. It is this matrix that can turn the 21st into an Asian century. This is the rationale and objective of India’s “Look East” policy; and if you look far enough into the east, across the Pacific, you can see America.
For those few in Delhi who also want to “Look West”, my suggestion is: Don’t. Unless you are looking for trouble. If the east is vast with economic opportunity, the immediate west, beginning with Pakistan, has become a wasteland bloodied by multiple civilian wars, and a base to terrorist clans that have only one mission: to spread chaos within the civilised world in the name of frenzied theocracy. Terror is Pakistan’s principal export; and now there are other forces in borderless countries itching to compete in the violence stakes.
For decades Pakistan has done everything it could to smother economic cooperation with India, even as it fortifies a wall that blocks India from Afghanistan and central Asia. India no longer has time to fritter on a catastrophe disguised as a country.
India may not be alone in reaching such a conclusion. Pakistan’s oldest ally, China, has delinked India from Pakistan. Xi Jinping has cancelled the Pakistan part of his south Asia tour because of the “security situation”. Left unsaid is that this threat is seeping into China through its Muslim-majority Xinjiang province. China has a future to build for its people, and Pakistan is not present on such a
route map.
Modi will carry some news from the immediate west of India when he talks to Obama: bad news. Al Qaeda, which did not die along with its founding father Osama bin Laden, has declared formal jihad against India, along with a host of other nations. Those who provided sanctuary to Osama continue to provide a safe haven for his remnant disciples, so it would be unwise to dismiss this threat as a gesture from a desperate maverick in search of rhetorical relevance. Al Qaeda feels sufficiently reinvigorated to open yet another front in the multi-pronged proxy war that has been waged against India ever since 1947. The malevolence and intensity of this proxy war varies, but never its purpose.
Obama might seek passing comfort in distance; he leads a nation that is tired of carrying the international military burden, after having secured its frontiers. India does not have that luxury. The interesting variable is that Beijing has sat up to think. The Chinese do not reveal their worries readily, but they cannot hide the growing fret-lines anymore. When Prime Minister Modi’s National Security
Advisor Ajit Doval visits Beijing in the coming days for preparatory talks, he will — hopefully — be discussing more than tensions along the Himalayan border between India and China. Al Qaeda might, in fact, be the weak link in terrorist chains nurtured within the homeland of terror. Other, stronger, and even more vicious groups have emerged within the Sunni south-west and west Asia.
The message from India, Japan, Australia and hopefully China is that we will not permit the commanders of chaos to prevail. We want the joy of a garden, not the ghosts of a graveyard.
The article is written by M J Akbar. He is the national spokesperson of Bhartiya Janata Party. The views expressed are his own.