Being a neighbour of India is certainly a challenge not an opportunity. Unfortunately, none of India’s neighbours are happy; invariably they face problems along their borders in which, as it turns out, India has either grabbed their territory or stakes claims on their territory. From the very beginning India started behaving as a colonial power as it inherited a huge country which never was organized in history in such an orderly manner with an elaborate system of governance left by the British colonial masters.
For instance, on Hyderabad and Junagarh India’s yardstick was religious while it pleaded for secularism; it was argued that Muslim rulers could not stay independent or join Pakistan when majority were Hindus. However, on Jammu and Kashmir, the Instrument of Accession became the strong argument for the Indian leaders. But when confronted with protestations from Pakistan, supported by international community, Mr. Nehru took the matter to the UN Security Council and pledged to hold a plebiscite under the UN supervision—a promise which successive Indian governments never fulfilled either with the Kashmiri people or Pakistan.
The Hindutva dispensation has now “reoccupied” the state on 5th August last year through revocation of Articles 370 and 35-A which allowed Kashmiris a false sense of special status. Even the so-called “special status” has been changed without seeking the consent of Kashmiri people. They are faced with worst kind of lockdown for the past one year, reminiscent of Auschwitz under Nazi Germany. Now attempts are being made to change the demography of the occupied state and turn Kashmiris into Red-Indians by issuing domicile certificates to non-Kashmiris from rest of India. It has become evidently clear that Indian leaders, now or their predecessors, had no value for the Kashmiri people; for them, Jammu and Kashmir has been a piece of real estate.
In order to justify its occupation, India is using every trick to pressurize Pakistan to forego its claim on Kashmir. Its support to dissidents in Balochistan and Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to cause terrorism in the country are well documented. Former US Secretary Defense, Chuck Hagel, acknowledged India’s interference in Pakistan by using Afghan territory. Kalbhushan Yadev, a serving Naval Officer with the Indian intelligence agency, RAW, was arrested in March 2016 from Balochistan. He confessed of committing terrorist acts in Balochistan and Karachi while operating from the Iranian port city of Chabahar where he ran a “jewelry business”.
The Indian terrorism is not confined to Pakistan alone. Let’s look at India’s attitude with other neighbours of South Asia. For long, Sri Lanka faced interference from successive Indian governments when Tamils in the country started agitation for a separate homeland. India forced an agreement upon Sri Lanka in 1987 under which it attained the right to send its “peace keeping” troops to Sri Lanka. Tamil Tigers’ leader Prabhakaran, considered to be an Indian pawn was detained in New Delhi’s Ashoka Hotel when Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was in Sri Lanka to sign a “peace deal” with President Jayewardene. So much was the Indian arrogance that on one hand it pushed the deal through President Jayewardene’s throat and on the other detained Prabhakaran as its surrogate. It was at the time of departure of Rajiv Gandhi at the airport when a Sri Lankan soldier hit Rajiv Gandhi with the butt of his rifle just to show abhorrence of a common Sri Lankan against India. Despite signing an agreement with Sri Lanka, India failed to maintain peace in the Island and within months its troops had to have a hasty withdrawal in 1990 after incurring heavy casualties and earning hatred from the Sri Lankans and Tamil Tigers. Finally, Indian bullying was paid back by the Tamil Tigers who killed Rajiv Gandhi in a suicide attack in 1991. Thus, a monster created by India consumed its own master.
Nepal, an independent country even during British rule, has been suffocated frequently due to Indian bullying, especially through blockade of transit facilities, the last being in 2015. However, after 2015 Indian blockade, Nepal decided to look up to China for the transit facilities, something disliked by India. To add insult to injury, Mr. Modi’s 5th August 2019 action to abrogate Article 370 of the Indian Constitution became a red rag for Nepal when India issued a new map which not only merged Ladakh and Aksai Chen into Indian territory but also Nepalese territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura—an area of 335 square kilometers. Indian officials describe Nepal’s grouse as an instigation from China while ignoring their strongarm methods to pressurize neighbours.
The ongoing peace process being launched after the US and Taliban signed a peace agreement faces sabotage from spoilers like India, which sees peace in Afghanistan as a defeat for its anti-Pakistan agenda
Bangladesh, which India boasts to have created much to the displeasure of Bengali nationalists, has equally been unhappy with the Indian patronizing attitude. There has been a pattern of pro and anti-India streams in the country depending on the ruling party. Sheikh Hasina’s proximity to India is proportionate to her hatred against Pakistan. However, Modi government got her embarrassed when 1.9 million Bengalis in Assam lost Indian citizenship under Citizens Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). It has not only embarrassed Sheikh Hasina but has come as a rude shock for her government that despite fiddling the Indian tunes Mr. Modi would stab her in the back. Certainly, anti-India sentiments are running high in entire Bangladesh.
Although not a direct neighbour, as a member of SAARC, Afghanistan is an interesting case with which Indian government claims to have best of relations. But it was same Afghanistan under Soviet occupation that India used to call Mujahidin as “terrorists”—the same terrorists who are now ruling the country. Again, with the imposition of CAA and NRC, India disallowed entry to Muslim refugees coming from Afghanistan which displayed Modi government’s clear bias against the Muslims anywhere in the country or neighbourhood. It doesn’t stop here; Indian history books describe Afghans as intruders from the north who plundered and pillaged India. The ongoing peace process being launched after the US and Taliban signed a peace agreement faces sabotage from spoilers like India, which sees peace in Afghanistan as a defeat for its anti-Pakistan agenda.
Maldives and Bhutan are two tiny states of South Asia where India has established its hegemony. Bhutan is a case in point whose diplomats posted in New Delhi cannot attend a social or official event without express permission of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Similarly, India has been playing god in the making and breaking of governments in the Maldives. It is deeply involved in the internal politics of Maldives and has been propping up politicians to serve its interests.
The foregoing is an unfortunate reality whereby all states in South Asia suffer from Indian bullying. However, the recent Sino-Indian standoff is likely to impact the smaller states of South Asia to choose China as a reliable ally, much to the chagrin of Indian policy makers. Hopefully, India would learn the lesson that hegemons, in whatever colour or persuasion, have no room in 21st Century; albeit a cooperative mindset has more chances of success.
The writer is a former ambassador and Senior Research Fellow at IPRI