Daily Times

Goodwill, like charity, begins at home. No matter how well-intentioned, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent peace offer to his “friend” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a recent meeting rings hollow when considering his aggressive posturing in the immediate neighbourhood.

It should be difficult for the international community to have faith in his pledge to resolve the long-drawn-out war through “dialogue and diplomacy” when he fails to demonstrate efforts to reduce tensions in his dealings with bordering nations. At best, it may be seen as a balancing act to deal with the pro-Russian perceptions in light of his Moscow visit but India would have to show some actual progress if it wishes to be taken seriously as a global peacebroker. Despite strong business ties, India’s relationship with China can only be described as a hot peace, just one diplomatic issue away from potential conflict. To make matters worse, it keeps sending discouraging signals. Instead of engaging with regional leaders at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Kazakhstan, Modi chose to let his empty seat do the talking while missing an opportunity to connect with China’s President Xi Jinping. Similar tactics are again at play where Pakistan’s invitation to another meeting as a part of the same Eurasian group has received an almost instantaneous albeit unofficial dismissal. Going by Indian media sources, there appears no question of Modi travelling to Islamabad while uncertainty hangs over even the question of deputing a minister to represent India. The pattern is all too familiar. Swift rebuttals have always followed whenever governments in Pakistan tried to initiate dialogue. Earlier this year, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar extended an olive branch towards our estranged cousin, remarking that Islamabad did not believe in perpetual hostility and therefore, would be open to cooperation in an enabling environment.

However, the Indian side wasted the chance with irresponsible jingoism and the usual splash of unbiased allegations. May it be covering its own administrative failures in occupied Kashmir under the guise of alleged sponsoring of separatist movements or smearing the movement of Chinese ships in the Indian Ocean as spy networks, there’s a compelling reason to believe that India does not wish to improve its relationships; perpetually ready to pass the buck for these obstacles to the respective country. In the eyes of the West, Beijing stands as a belligerent bully on multiple border theatres and Islamabad, a nosy neighbour meddling in India’s “internal” matters. But when asked about a giddy Indian foreign minister proudly discussing the network of extraterritorial killings, neither New Delhi nor its allies are in a position to offer anything substantial. *