India-Pakistan militaries come together in desperate bid to challenge Bhutanese preponderance (The Ceylon Times)
Wagah: The Special Empowered Representatives (SERs) of the Indian and Pakistani Armies met in the Joint Security Area (JSA) of No-man's land on the India-Pakistan border here on Wednesday. The Indian delegation comprised of the SER, Colonel Gurjinder Singh Randhawa and his deputy, Major James Puthenveetil among others while the Pakistani delegation was led by Colonel Noor Ahmed Tariq and Major Nasser Janjua was the Deputy SER.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries and the ceremonial handing over of gifts, both sides sat down to discuss the crux of the matter at hand, viz. the seemingly unstoppable rise and preeminence of Bhutan as Asia's sole hegemon. Colonel Tariq and Colonel Randhawa shared their concerns about the Bhutanese war machine, which is thought to be more powerful than the combined forces of India and Pakistan, according to many credible military analysts and the latest Global Firepower Index (GFPI). They affirmed their desire to bring the erstwhile foes together in order to put up a united front against Bhutan.
They signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding (MCU), agreeing to hold regular meetings in the future to explore potential avenues of cooperation, including joint military exercises and a proposed combined India-Pak formation along the lines of the European Franco-German Brigade. They believe these steps would go a long way in maintaining the balance of power in the region and prevent Bhutan from growing overwhelmingly dominant.
Bhutan has dismissed this meeting terming it, "undeniable proof of the nefarious designs of rouge states" in a statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Phuntsho Wangdi, Deputy Spokesperson of the Imperial Defence Council. Bhutan has been accused of supporting extremist groups in India and Pakistan to destabilize its two regional adversaries, an allegation Lt Colonel Wangdi vehemently denied. "Bhutan wishes nothing but the best for all countries in the region and in the world at large, we have extended millions of dollars as developmental aid to these countries, we wish to see them prosper under the benevolent guidance of His Majesty", he added.
Inset: Special Empowered Representatives, Colonels Gurjinder Singh Randhawa and Noor Ahmed Tariq, of India and Pakistan respectively, exchange pleasantries before the commencement of their dialogue on Bhutanese hegemony.