People's Democracy

EDITORIAL

Ceding Nation's Sovereignty

AS we go to press, the prime minister has just delivered his jingoistic rhetoric to the jawans at the forward base of Kupwara in Kashmir.  While it may be customary that such exhortations are made to the troops  at the border who valiantly defend the territorial integrity of our country, it must be noted  that prime minister did not say as to how, "this time we are determined to put an end to cross-border terrorism".

  Many, like the CPI(M), have reasoned that while we should maintain utmost vigil and alertness to rebuff any aggression against us, initiating a military conflict with Pakistan, apart from all other consequences, may not lead to a  lasting solution to end cross-border terrorism. On the contrary, once the regular conflict breaks out, the entire focus of the international community and the United Nations would be  towards ending this war and the central issue, viz, cross-border terrorism, would be pushed into the background. Instead, greater pressure must be mounted on Pakistan by mobilising the international community to end its support to cross-border terrorism.

  Ironically, however, the prime minister's jingoistic rhetoric comes at a time when  India's sovereignty in defence matters is being seriously and systematically compromised. At this very moment, India's defence secretary is in the United States of America taking part in the unfolding Indo-US co-operation.   Reports indicate that this area has been one of the "fastest-growing" sectors in the overall Indo-US bilateral  relationship with the width and depth expected to expand significantly in the near future.

  It is ironic, indeed, because it is the same US military forces with whom the  Pakistani army is presently conducting joint operations in their so-called fight against terrorism.

  For the first time ever, joint military exercises  have taken place in Agra last week with the participation of the US special forces on Indian soil.  These exercises are aimed to continue involving all the three wings of the armed forces.   This would be followed up by more intensified exercises in Alaska, USA later this year.   Most concerning, however, is the  fact that the next round of such exercises  on Indian soil are to take place in the sensitive region of the North-East.

  All this is happening at a time when it is becoming increasingly clear that the US military commitment to Pakistan  remains, both at the strategic and practical levels, more important to the USA than its support to India.  This is only natural as we have repeatedly said so in these columns. In this light, India's increasing military and defence cooperation with the USA and the conduct of joint military exercises would only compromise our sovereignty to defend ourselves and counter  such activities as cross-border terrorism.

  The greater danger lies in the fact that India could well be reduced to the same state as Pakistan where US military dictates the operations in the name of fighting terrorism and the Pakistani military is obliged to follow suit.

  Such ceding of our sovereignty in defence and security matters comes in the background of similar compromises made to the US in the spheres of foreign and economic policies.

  The USA is already acting as the arbiter in the Indo-Pak conflict and this has serious implications for an eventual solution of the Kashmir problem.  The current US pressure urging restraint through the barrage of visits by US officials, will put further pressure on this Vajpayee government, influencing its decisions. 

  This mismatch between jingoistic rhetoric and the systematic ceding of India's sovereignty in defence and security matters to the USA is what defines this Vajpayee government's concern for national security.