Voldemort
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NEW DELHI: While the Narendra Modi-led government, if it assumes power as indicated by exit polls, will ensure some amount of continuity in India's foreign relations, it will have no constructive engagement with Islamabad if the neighbouring country doesn't address India's concerns over terrorism.
Senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who has helped formulate the party's policies on crucial foreign policy issues, told TOI that India could look forward to a more robust foreign policy under Modi with its "core as promotion of national interest". "We want healthier relations with Pakistan but any constructive engagement may be difficult if India's concerns over cross-border terrorism are not addressed," Prasad said, adding that the January 2004 agreement between the two countries would be the essence of India's relations with Pakistan under Modi.
The January 2004 agreement had underlined a public commitment by Islamabad that any territory under its control would not be allowed to be used for committing "terrorism against India".
BJP promises to be tough on Pakistan - The Times of India
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The relationship with Pakistan is perhaps the biggest wild card. It is not known whether Modi will essentially take the line that India needs stability in its neighborhood to ensure economic growth and development, which is the primary and perhaps sole objective for which he will have a clear public mandate. Such an assessment could mean Modi would reach out to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and take confidence-building measures further, especially in the economic realm. There are some who think he'll go further—in the Nixon-going-to-China vein. They point to the precedent of the last BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reaching out to the Pakistani leadership. However, it is important to keep in mind that that initiative materialized only after the Indian nuclear tests had proved that BJP-led coalition government's security credentials. Furthermore, the fact that the Kargil conflict between the two countries erupted just a few months after Vajpayee traveled to Lahore has not been forgotten.
There's a possibility that Modi will take a more hawkish line instead. This is especially likely if, in the first six months or so of his government, there is a major terrorist attack in India or on Indians abroad that can be traced to elements in Pakistan. This is not a far-fetched scenario—terrorist groups might see the period of political transition as an opportunity to derail any chance for peace. And in the event of such an attack it is unlikely that any Indian government will sit back and do nothing or essentially act in a post-Mumbai-like manner—especially if there is little cooperation from the Pakistani government.
Senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who has helped formulate the party's policies on crucial foreign policy issues, told TOI that India could look forward to a more robust foreign policy under Modi with its "core as promotion of national interest". "We want healthier relations with Pakistan but any constructive engagement may be difficult if India's concerns over cross-border terrorism are not addressed," Prasad said, adding that the January 2004 agreement between the two countries would be the essence of India's relations with Pakistan under Modi.
The January 2004 agreement had underlined a public commitment by Islamabad that any territory under its control would not be allowed to be used for committing "terrorism against India".
BJP promises to be tough on Pakistan - The Times of India
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The relationship with Pakistan is perhaps the biggest wild card. It is not known whether Modi will essentially take the line that India needs stability in its neighborhood to ensure economic growth and development, which is the primary and perhaps sole objective for which he will have a clear public mandate. Such an assessment could mean Modi would reach out to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and take confidence-building measures further, especially in the economic realm. There are some who think he'll go further—in the Nixon-going-to-China vein. They point to the precedent of the last BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reaching out to the Pakistani leadership. However, it is important to keep in mind that that initiative materialized only after the Indian nuclear tests had proved that BJP-led coalition government's security credentials. Furthermore, the fact that the Kargil conflict between the two countries erupted just a few months after Vajpayee traveled to Lahore has not been forgotten.
There's a possibility that Modi will take a more hawkish line instead. This is especially likely if, in the first six months or so of his government, there is a major terrorist attack in India or on Indians abroad that can be traced to elements in Pakistan. This is not a far-fetched scenario—terrorist groups might see the period of political transition as an opportunity to derail any chance for peace. And in the event of such an attack it is unlikely that any Indian government will sit back and do nothing or essentially act in a post-Mumbai-like manner—especially if there is little cooperation from the Pakistani government.
