US designs in India

Afshain Afzal

President Obama in his just covcluded Indian visit has announced that he would relax technological export restrictions imposed after India’s nuclear tests in May 1998. Interestingly Washington also announced trade and defense deals with New Delhi worth 10 billion dollars which are going to create 50,000 jobs for the Americans. While addressing the Indian businessmen, President Obama said “As we look to India today, the United States see an opportunity to sell our exports in one of the fastest growing markets in the world”. Earlier this year, there was an agreement between India and US over the dumping of nuclear wastes in Indian soil. However, as yet, this could not be confirmed from either the Indian government or that of the US. Visit of US president also corresponds with pressure on Islamabad to give up idea of awarding contract to Chinese Company for the estimated 2.2 billion construction of 1,100MW hydro power project in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Of course, China is one of the best friends of Pakistan on which we can even rely in the future. Those pressurizing Islamabad to sidle line Chinese firms must understand that we cannot sacrifice our national interests. Islamabad needs to be aware of the Indian Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and other Indian agencies. The presence of Israelis in Indian Held Jammu and Kashmir and frequent visits of foreign intelligence personnel from US is matter of concern. One must not forget that US Vice-Admiral Thomas R. Wilson, who was head of the US DIA, along with undercover officers agents visited Indian Held Jammu and Kashmir in January 2002 and thereafter it became a matter of route to get update briefing on Kashmir every fortnight. US President’s recent visit basically aims to ink secret agreements with New Delhi to bring changes in world order. India would collaborate with US and other western partners in confining five countries which include Pakistan, China, Iran, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Interestingly, President Hamid Karzai, former puppet, has been excluded from the list of favorites and is seen with suspicion by both US and India. As Washington and NATO would try to pullout their combatants from Afghanistan from this Christmas, there are fears that these five countries may inflict damage to fleeing foreign troops. US intends to replace the occupying forces with reconstruction personnel, agents in Non Governmental and International Organizations and parallel intelligence agency namely the Centre for Afghanistan Pakistan Excellence (CAPE), headed by Colonel Derek Harvey (R) and others from US Defence Intelligence Agency. The agency would focus on training military officers, covert agents and analysts. In fact, US has setup training centre at the Central Command to train Pakistani and Afghan officials and secret agents to focus on these countries. Indian leaders who believe that their military and intelligence collaborations with US would give boost to Indian economy and military might must recall the fate of those leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan who cooperated with US on the same lines. The question arises that after the ten years of occupation of both the countries which took place with the connivance of local leaders against the popular groups, what are the results today? Do we have US’ promised Shia governments in any of these countries or independent Kurd state? In fact, these people had been playing in the hands of foreigners as ever, against there own people. Unless New Delhi opens her eyes and watch its steps, in the coming years India would be another example which sold its sovereignty but gained nothing . There is a strong lobby that is trying to ease relations between India and Pakistan, which of course is not a bad move but should not be acceptable to Islamabad without assurance of resolution of pending issue like Jammu and Kashmir, Rann of Kutch, Siachen and the treatment of minorities in India, especially the Muslims. India, no doubt, is a growing economy and doing well in many fields. Had the irritants like Kashmir issue resolved between India and Pakistan by giving Kashmiris their right of self determination on the basis of United Nations Security Council resolutions, both countries could have expanded their businesses and live like good friends. It is high time that both Pakistan and India must give up their preconceived suspicions and mistrusts about each other and resolve their pending issues instead of involving third countries or waiting for the time to decide