Nothing could be more fallacious than to judge Pakistan by Indian or even European standard. Donald Trump went that route.
The hyped 'Islamabad Talks' came a cropper even as J D Vance tried his best to offer some good words of consolation to Pakistan, himself and also to Trump and the President's son-in-law.
Of course Pakistan could not be blamed for April 11-12 Islamabad fiasco. But they were 'made to' try something unique beyond the size of their shoes. Only Trump as the US President could have ordered Islamabad for doing this and 'only' Pakistan could have easily agreed to do so. There was no diplomatic maneuver, no originality i n strategy thinking.
Munir and his team including PM Shehbaz Sharif did what they were asked to. Islamabad is just in a position to say no to Washington.
On domestic front Pakistan today under a hybrid governance mechanism of military-controlled-PM led civilian government is an ugly and unedifying spectacle of misgovernance. It's economy is in shambles and it has troubles with Afghanistan, multiple insurgent groups and India.
On April 11th even as Pakistan hosted a first US-Iran high-level meet since 1979; it was helpless and had to send a warship to Saudi. The mission will be to fight Iran and not send flowers.
"There have been some allegations that Washington wrote that tweet for the Pakistani PM, because it had the heading, 'Draft for Pakistan PM'. And the language used was also Washington's language. Also, some of the phrases were similar to those used by Trump a few hours ago. Only Pakistan can play the kind of role it has played with Washington," says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
Nevertheless, the Congress leadership including Rahul Gandhi and his intellectual associate Jai-rahim could still be on a different page. Fanatical hordes disobey unambiguous injunctions !! Well, this is not being a blind Modi-bhakt. But Indian leadership and the foreign policy engine room did well to stay away from the illusive 'peace efforts' between Americans and Iranians. More so at a time when a totally unpredictable character is at the helm of the White House.
The international must wake up. The way to fight a war-loving and gimmick star like Trump is not to try something silly as Munir and his folk were forced to do. Of course, the way to fight Trump will not be easy at this juncture. The Persian DNA has made the battlefield murkier than it was before Feb 28th.
India and his friends in the BRICS especially the big three Brazil, Russia and China should draw out the US into a more open diplomatic battle field.
The focused approach now has to be for UN reform.
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| Modi and Xi Jinping : Time to play a Double Wicket Partnership |
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| Vladimir Putin : Time to strike at the US |
Retribution is seductive
Vengeance would mean another rage ... left unchecked. The wound that never heals. The new Chemistry has to work well with the old economy and arithmetic.
The RIC triangle offers a pathway to hedge against any potentially adverse outcomes resulting from India's partnership with the United States.
For instance, at the RIC trilateral on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in 2019, China had proposed a 5G partnership with Russia and India in a direct challenge to US interests.
This was a significant package in the context of the escalating trade war between the United States and China and also between India and the US.
The 'best bet' will to seek concessions from both sides.
A greater role for the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral grouping is increasingly advocated as a means to foster a multipolar world order and enhance Eurasian strategic stability.
Though technically dormant since 2020 due to India-China border tensions, initiatives must be taken to revive the grouping and those have to be driven by shared interests in economic sovereignty, trade route development, and non-Western financial systems.
The world needs immediate peace and ceasefire between the US and Iran. These two countries also need the same. But the world will have to revisit Trump's Venezuela adventurism.
Since 2014, the tag 'soft nation' may not do justice to PM Narendra Modi.
There are multiple ways of judging Namo - a view from home front where players are the likes of Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee and even the RSS. The other is overseas front.
Often those diverge. Domestically Modi is hugely popular even after 12 years in office as PM and prior to that for 13 years as the Gujarat chief minister.
Modi admirers love to see his nationalism and Hindutva cards. He has the image of a hawkish but seasoned and time-tested operator.
He has also able to protect his country and people against myriad enemies. Now it's time to play a more decisive roles in international polity. And in doing so; he should not burn fingers like the way Pakistanis have done.
The global community is unravelling as the old borders blur.
ends
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