|
| 'Anti-India groups receive patronage from within Pak' | | Excerpts from Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao's address |
| Nirupama Rao / Jan 17, 2010, 00:09 IST |
|
Terrorism in our immediate neighbourhood and cross-border terrorism faced by India are a pivotal security challenge. There is a growing consensus that the increase in terrorist activities in Afghanistan is linked to the support and sanctuaries available in the contiguous areas of Pakistan. Increased terrorist violence in our neighbourhood is a cause for grave concern. That these forces operate across boundaries with impunity was evident in the November 2008 terrorist attack on the city of Mumbai.
The phenomenon of cross-border terrorism has also illustrated the difficulties that we face in dealing with Pakistan. We face hostile forces across our border with Pakistan, although we have consistently stressed our support for the advancement of democracy, the growth of civil society, and economic development in an atmosphere of peace in Pakistan — goals that the US also identifies with.
The groups that direct such attacks against India have received the patronage of powerful forces and institutions within that country. It is vital that this support must stop forthwith. Any viable process of normalisation of our relations with Pakistan is essentially dependent on this requirement, since it is unrealistic to think otherwise.
The initiation of a co-ordinated Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) strategy by the new US administration, in a sense, highlights a situation that India has witnessed, and been affected by, for over two decades now. It is equally critical for the US and the international community to pay adequate attention to and realise that the situation both in Af-Pak and the cross-border terrorism that emanates from Pakistan against India are manifestations of the use of terrorist ideologies to promote unscrupulous political or institutional agendas. It is also essential to ensure that the international aid that Pakistan receives, including that from the US, is not diverted for anti-India purposes as had happened in the past.
We have reiterated a number of times that we harbour no aggressive designs on Pakistan. With regard to Afghanistan, India is an important neighbour and our focus there is on development activity with the aim to build indigenous Afghan capacities and institutions for an effective state system to improve the delivery of goods and services to Afghan people.
On the Iranian nuclear issue, India’s position has been consistent. India supports the right of all states to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, consistent with the respective obligations that they have undertaken. As Iran is a Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) member, it has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. At the same time, we also underline the importance of full and effective implementation of all safeguard obligations undertaken by Iran as a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
While India has voted in favour of the recent IAEA resolution in end-November 2009, we do not believe that the adoption of this resolution should divert the parties away from dialogue. This resolution should not be the basis for a renewed punitive approach or new sanctions. All concerned must expand the diplomatic space to satisfactorily address all outstanding issues.
We have a multi-faceted relationship with China — it is now our largest trading partner. We consult with each other on global issues and we share a common commitment to maintain peace and tranquillity on our border. We have good working relations with all major countries in Asia. The key to ensuring long-term security and equilibrium in Asia will be best ensured by building mutual economic stakes. I believe that India’s economic growth offers fresh opportunities for development and prosperity of the region.
The rise of China is, of course, observed with close attention in our region. China’s demonstrable economic strength and its growing military capabilities are a matter of fact and we must incorporate such factors into our calculus of the emerging 21st century scenario in the Asia-Pacific region. This is where a mature and evolving dialogue between India and the US will be of considerable relevance in clarifying approaches to the regional situation and the policy approaches of roles of our two countries in these new circumstances.
(Excerpts from Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao's keynote address at the India Initiative of the Centre for a New American Security and the Aspen Institute, India, on January 12, 2010)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Read Business news in |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Content Guide
