The international political landscape is encountered with another power struggle, this time between the US and China. The US is concerned about China’s growing influence in the world and has therefore dished out Indo-Pacific strategy through which it is forging alliances with the likeminded nations to challenge China. The situation afforded India an opportunity in the light of teachings from Chanakya, who wrote Arthashastra; a treatise on guidelines for the ruler written in the 4th century BC.
According to his teachings “a king seeking an alliance must ensure that he finds a king more powerful than the neighboring enemy.” Already willing to be closer to the US, India in the Indo-Pacific Strategy construct has epitomized itself as the net security provider in the region. This assumption has emboldened her to seek impunity for any sort of crime that it might commit to further its national interests. The temptation has led India to not only quash dissent inside the country but also in other countries.
For past few months, news on India’s subterfuge of killing foreign nationals has been resonating, not only from its immediate neighborhood but also from far corners of the world. In the month of September 2023, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that Indian agents were found linked to the killing of a Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian national. In November 2023, FBI thwarted a plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, another Sikh leader by the Indian agents. Pakistan has been voicing such concerns about India’s “extra-judicial and extra-territorial killings” for long but the world did not lend an ear. India has been involved in all kinds of subterfuges inside Pakistan.
In a country where fundamental obligations of the government are not being fulfilled in the eyes of its citizens, its overseas subterfuge operations are beyond one’s comprehension.
In January this year, it was revealed by the Pakistani authorities that credible evidence proved involvement of Indian intelligence agencies in killing of two Pakistani citizens Mohammed Riaz in AJ&K on September 8, 2023 and Shahid Latif in Sialkot in October 2023. This wasn’t a bombshell for the Pakistanis as they were well versed with the Indian plots that had been hatched inside Pakistan for past many years. In year 2016, Pakistan also arrested Indian spy Kulbushan Jadev who was operating from one of our western neighboring countries. Kulbushan’s revelations were stunning as he was mandated to sabotage CPEC and killings of many Baloch residents.
Such revelations may not have sounded strange for the Indian nationals also as they are very well aware what their country’s leadership has been up to for the past few years. The mass killings of Muslims in Gujarat, communal riots across India and atrocities against the minorities living therein have become normal features for them. But for the world at large such happenings in the same timeframe must serve as an eye opener. It is obvious that the Indian leadership is exercising liberty in carrying out overseas killing operations to further their nefarious interests.
For the Indian leadership, it’s not something out of context. The Indian politics are influenced by Chanakya, whose work is often considered compatible with Machiavelli’s The Prince as both are criticized over morality, more precisely the lack of it. Chanakya is more or less seen as an insensitive strategist who exploits whatever and however is there to his advantage so as to achieve the ends. Chankya has mentored some very interesting ways for a ruler to achieve his objectives. For instance, he stresses on the prominence of self-interest which has to be achieved even at the cost of subterfuge, spying and deceit.
He has also proposed variety of wars which includes “Declared war, Secret war and Undeclared war;” vivid in Indian strategic thought. A brief description of these types of war is necessary to understand the Indian mindset for furthering own interests regardless of the existence of its neighbors. A declared war is the one where war is announced against an adversary such as Pak-India 1965 war and so on. Secret war is sudden attack without announcement, a thought that gave rise to Indian concept of Cold Start Doctrine. The undeclared war is through unconventional means which is nowadays being waged against Pakistan and is commonly known as fifth generation or hybrid warfare. The purpose of this is to weaken a state politically, economically, socially and in terms of security from within.
Today, Indian political landscape is stuffed with variety of issues, haunting the current Indian regime. There are separatist movements in Kashmir, Punjab, eastern and northeastern states of India. Besides, atrocities against all minorities are also rampant in today’s India as the incumbent BJP government is embarked on spreading Hindutva ideology. There are problems of own making by the government and to quell these, the government of India has resorted to silencing dissent as much as possible. The killings of Sikh leader in Canada, attempt to kill another in the US and murdering of afore mentioned two Pakistanis are the endeavors in same context.
Elections for the new government in India are scheduled to be held in April this year. Election campaigns are now gaining traction and Rahul Gandhi of Indian national Congress is on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (India Unity and Justice March), a sequel to Bharat Jodo Yatra (India Unity March) undertaken few months back. While the latter was from south to north, the earlier is from west to east of the country. The Bharat Jodo Yatra brought attention to economic disparity, societal division, and an autocratic approach to governance, yet Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is aimed at prioritizing the pursuit of social, economic and political justice for the nation’s citizens. These mass movements are indicative of the internal affairs of the country where people must take to road to seek their basic rights. In a country where fundamental obligations of the government are not being fulfilled in the eyes of its citizens, its overseas subterfuge operations are beyond one’s comprehension.
Pakistan has always been vocal against Indian crimes on its homeland. However, the recent killing series in North America and Pakistan should serve as a wakeup call for the international community. The world must pressure India to review its activities related to subterfuge. More than that, the voices of Indian public should be heard more clearly by the Indian government to pay heed to the situation at home more than abroad.
The writer works as a Communication Strategist at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad and can be reached: reema.asim81@gmail.com