The latest Indian military adventure, on February 27, was a total failure. As Indian jets crossed the Line of Control, the Pakistan Air Force was ready for them. PAF jets challenged the Indians and shots down two Indian aircraft. One of the Indian pilots was captured. He would be released later in a goodwill gesture by the government of Pakistan.
The restraint shown by Pakistan was appreciated by the international media. India had earlier announced it had made surgical strikes inside Pakistan, killing 300 terrorists. While the casualties were never confirmed, Indian media hastened to celebrate the ‘victory’. Doubts were raised about the Indian claims, initially in the international media and then by some Indians as well.
After the Pulwama attack, Modi government had accused Pakistan of aiding terrorists and sought international support to pressure it. When Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Suleiman, visited India, Prime Minister Modi wanted him to join him in speaking against Pakistan. However, the Saudi leader didn’t utter a single word against Pakistan pointing out that no concrete evidence was available to link Pakistan with the attack on Indian paramilitary personnel.
India has thus suffered a series of embarrassing episodes, mostly of its own making. First, Indian jets crossing the red line proved no match for the PAF fighters. The aura of military superiority in South Asia the Indian government had sought to create was shattered quickly. The New York Times described the Indian forces as a ‘vintage’ military. There had been talk in the United States of India some day acting as counterbalance against China. The on-field performance of the Indian forces, however, has left a big question mark in this regard.
Both Pakistan and India being nuclear powers, a misadventure can quickly lead to nuclear war and mutually assured destruction. No country can afford going to war against a country known to have a functional nuclear arsenal
India next turned its attention to the diplomatic front. However, the Organisation of Islamic Conference passed a strongly worded resolution condemning state-sponsored terrorism in Indian Occupied Kashmir. It also reaffirmed its unwavering support for Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. The OIC also welcomed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer of a comprehensive dialogue to India and the goodwill gesture of handing over the Indian pilot. The Indian foreign minister, who was the guest of honour at the OIC meeting, was unable to stop this.
India had also claimed after the February dog fight that the IAF had shot down a Pakistani F-16 jet. Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the Inter Services Public Relations director general, announced that F-16 aircraft were not used in the operation. The Indian media, however, bought into the government propaganda and continued spreading the false report. However, Pakistan invited US officials to physically inspect the F-16 planes. Foreign Policy magazine reported that US officials had counted the F-16 aircraft at various Pakistani bases and found none missing. This was bad news for Indian government as well as the India media.
For its part Pakistan acted with admirable restraint. This earned the country and the government international support and plaudits. The media have an important role in modern wars. The Indian media appeared to have acted irresponsibly and stirred up a war hysteria that was to lead to national humiliation.
Both, Pakistan and India, are nuclear weapon states. A misadventure can quickly lead to a nuclear war and mutually assured destruction. No country in the world can afford a war against a country having a functional nuclear arsenal. India needs to realize this and not try to establish a ‘new normal’ in South Asia. Pakistan will never accept India as a regional hegemony. Peaceful coexistence is the only way forward for India and Pakistan. The Indian leadership should accept Prime Minister Khan’s offer for dialogue on all issues.
The writer is an MPhil in international relations at the National University of Modern Languages