De-hyphenating India-Pakistan!!

[Levina]

India-Pakistan rivalry is akin to sibling rivalry where India is considered the elder sibling and is often asked by the "elders" around to show patience.
Let's accept it that India and Pakistan can never be friends- I call it fait accompli. Our relations have touched new lows and thawing relations in not a solution...so let's freeze it completely.
It's a well known fact that India and Pakistan would prosper by leap and bounds if they stop concentrating on each other. But since India is always expected to take the first step, India should act smart.
What do I mean by "act smart"??
No, I don't mean getting "non-state actors" involved, au contrarie I mean let's slowly cut off our relations and stop depending on each other.

How can this be achieved???

• By downgrading the diplomatic relations- Pakistan and India are often named in the same breath, so first both the countries must stop getting associated with each other. Aman ki asha and Samjhauta express have not achieved any tangible results. On India's part, India can put Pakistan in Consular status and allow limited functioning of Pakistan embassy in India till (say) LeT mastermind agrees to send his voice sample to India. Pakistan can also take a similar step.
• Reducing our economic dependence: India's GDP is expected to grow 7% this year, Pakistan on the other hand is lagging behind, its economic growth is stagnant at 2%. Current trade volume between the 2 countries is less than $3 billion and the bulk of it is carried out through Dubai. Why take the trouble?? I don't know about Pakistan but India's trade volume with other countries is over $700billion. So do we have to travel the extra mile in the name of "Aman ki asha"?? A big fat No!!!
• Kashmir is (not) an issue: The UNSC resolution which gets talked about on international forums, and that which asks Paksitan to vacate Kashmir, and India to conduct plebiscite, is not an obligation. The two countries should accept the status quo and move on. Let's accept LOC as IB.
• Let's seal our borders: This would ensure zero infiltration of terrorists, terrorism is the major disruption to peace process in the region. Since trade volume would be close to nil, sealing borders should not be a biggie. Once the borders are sealed we'll have to spend lesser on our defences and the money can be re-routed for infrastructure building.... A win-win situation for both the countries.

I am sure in our real lives we all know ppl with whom we don't want to be friends but don't want to be known as their foes either, and with whom we maintain a cordial relation for the sake of formality.
This what I hope for, since I have given up on peace talks.

 

[VCheng]

Let's accept it that India and Pakistan can never be friends- I call it fait accompli. Our relations have touched new lows and thawing relations in not a solution...so let's freeze it completely.

The best position to negotiate is from one of overwhelming strength. If India has many good cards to play now, it can drive the best deal for itself. That is how international geopolitics works, not by sulking or not talking to each other. For example, despite the situation in Crimea, USA worked with Russia on the Iran deal at the same table.

 

[nForce]

The only possible way in which this issue can be solved is by solving the Kashmir issue, because that is the primary issue between the two countries.

The only possible solution for that is reunification of Kashmir and returning it to India control.
Then, we can have long-lasting peace, forget about and ignore each other and move on in our own courses.

 

[ito]

The best position to negotiate is from one of overwhelming strength. If India has many good cards to play now, it can drive the best deal for itself. That is how international geopolitics works, not by sulking or not talking to each other. For example, despite the situation in Crimea, USA worked with Russia on the Iran deal at the same table.

With respect to Pakistan...India has limited options....Investing in relations with Pakistan is energy sapping.

 

[Levina]

The best position to negotiate is from one of overwhelming strength. If India has many good cards to play now, it can drive the best deal for itself. That is how international geopolitics works, not by sulking or not talking to each other. For example, despite the situation in Crimea, USA worked with Russia on the Iran deal at the same table.

Can't compare US-Russia relations with ours because America isn't facing infiltration of terrorists, and also because Russia (read Putin) has a lot more influence in international politics than premiers of India and Pakistan combined.

The only possible solution for that is reunification of Kashmir and returning it to India control.

Not practical!!!
Any better idea??

 

[Jango]

Yar kuch karna hai to kar lo...

This whole mantra of repeating the same old sob stories again and again is getting old and irritating now.

 

[VCheng]

Can't compare US-Russia relations with ours because America isn't facing infiltration of terrorists, and also because Russia (read Putin) has a lot more influence in international politics than premiers of India and Pakistan combined.

I was not comparing. I gave an example of how it is still better to talk to your adversaries than not.

With respect to Pakistan...India has limited options....Investing in relations with Pakistan is energy sapping.

But the potential rewards are worth the investment made.

 

[Levina]

I was not comparing. I gave an example of how it is still better to talk to your adversaries than not.

68 years and we have achieved zilch out these peace talks. For once, we should try to approach it differently, what if it works???
I have given up on peace....don't want to tread that path again.

 

[Srinivas]

As always some people amuse me, lot of conflicts, confusions, vested feelings etc...etc... in that write up.

Don't write your articles in this regard and try to confuse some more, instead concentrate on other issues which you are good at. People also get similar thrill if they find suitable activities.

The whole issue is centered around Jihad which is being waged to establish Mughalistan and Islamic dominance.

 

[ito]

I was not comparing. I gave an example of how it is still better to talk to your adversaries than not.



But the potential rewards are worth the investment made.

I am not sure of what kind of rewards India could get out of Pakistan...if you are saying that peace as a reward then yes...monetary rewards I am not sure.

 

[ranjeet]

India-Pakistan rivalry is akin to sibling rivalry where India is considered the elder sibling and is often asked by the "elders" around to show patience.
Let's accept it that India and Pakistan can never be friends- I call it fait accompli. Our relations have touched new lows and thawing relations in not a solution...so let's freeze it completely.
It's a well known fact that India and Pakistan would prosper by leap and bounds if they stop concentrating on each other. But since India is always expected to take the first step, India should act smart.
What do I mean by "act smart"??
No, I don't mean getting "non-state actors" involved, au contrarie I mean let's slowly cut off our relations and stop depending on each other.

How can this be achieved???

• By downgrading the diplomatic relations- Pakistan and India are often taken in the same breath, so first both the countries must stop getting associated with each other. Aman ki asha and Samjhauta express have not achieved any tangible results. On India's part, India can put Pakistan in Consular status and allow limited functioning of Pakistan embassy in India till (say) LeT mastermind agrees to send his voice sample to India. Pakistan can also take a similar step.
• Reducing our economic dependence: India's GDP is expected to grow 7% this year, Pakistan on the other hand is lagging behind, its economic growth is stagnant at 2%. Current trade volume between the 2 countries is less than $3 billion and the bulk of it is carried out through Dubai. Why take the trouble?? I don't know about Pakistan but India's trade volume with other countries is over $700billion. So do we have to travel the extra mile in the name of "Aman ki asha"?? A big fat No!!!
• Kashmir is (not) an issue: The UNSC resolution which gets talked about on international forums, and that which asks Paksitan to vacate Kashmir, and India to conduct plebiscite, is not an obligation. The two countries should accept the status quo and move on. Let's accept LOC as IB.
• Let's seal our borders: This would ensure zero infiltration of terrorists, terrorism is the major disruption to peace process in the region. Since trade volume would be close to nil, sealing borders should not be a biggie. Once the borders are sealed we'll have to spend lesser on our defences and the money can be re-routed for infrastructure building.... A win-win situation for both the countries.

I am sure in our real lives we all know ppl with whom we don't want to be friends but don't want to be known as their foes either, and with whom we maintain a cordial relation for the sake of formality.
This what I hope for, since I have given up on peace talks.

I don't agree with you, All we need to drop is that sibling/Aman ki Asha hangover and treat Pakistan in a professional manner. Work aggressively on economic and cultural ties and reply back in the same coin when it comes to cross border issues. Not talking is never an answer, it's how you talk to each other which matters. So it's about time people on our side of the border drop that idea of Elder Sibling and start treating Pakistan maturely.

 

[Levina]

Don't write your articles in this regard and try to confuse some more, instead concentrate on other issues which you are good at. People also get similar thrill if they find suitable activities.

Sorry??

The whole issue is centered around Jihad which is being waged to establish Mughalistan and Islamic dominance.

I refuse to believe that countries fight in the name of religion, it's puny jihadists and crusaders who fight in the name of religion; bigger players wage wars for money and oil.

 

[Srinivas]

I refuse to believe that countries fight in the name of religion, it's puny jihadists and crusaders who fight in the name of religion; biggger players do wage wars for monetary benefits.

Then you don't know anything about India and Pakistan relations.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

@levina

What do you think 1947 was? That is about as potent de-hypenation as you are ever to going to get. All that needs doing is cutting the loose ends and then shutting the door tight.

In my experiance it is the Indian love for the British Raj that needs resolving. They need to get over that 1849 to 1947 affair. Stop deluding about the sphere called "India" that stretches from one corner of South Asia to another. The British built it. They left in 1947 and you guy's are not British.

It reminds me of the delusions the Germans had over "Uropa" being some exclusive domain that they could hold sway over. Stop finding tenous amorphous concepts like "culture" to suffocate us under this blanket you call "India".

We are us. You are you. So what if the British locked us up in open air prison for 98 years called "British India". We got freedom from that prison. You need to celebrate 1947 as well.

 

[Levina]

Work aggressively on economic and cultural ties and reply back in the same coin when it comes to cross border issues.

culturally, we are not similar any more so working on restablishing it is a waste of time and energy.

Not talking is never an answer, it's how you talk to each other which matters.

So "how" should we talk??

reply back in the same coin when it comes to cross border issues

You're contradicting yourself now.

So it's about time people on our side of the border drop that idea of Elder Sibling and start treating Pakistan maturely.

Agreed!
For the same reason I want India to distance itself from Pakistan. Build a wall between the countries, so that Pakistan concentrates on its north-west (Afghanistan and Central Asia) while India looks East and establishes better relations with South-eastern countries.

Then you don't know anything about India and Pakistan relations.

Tell me about it!!!