Right from the beginning, the so-called war against terror, a.k.a. Pakistan was mired in mysteries and intrigues. Did Indian Rafale jets crash on the first day, or did Pakistan’s planes? While New Delhi inflicted crucial damages to terrorist outfits, and their camps, was it as successful against Pakistan’s defense objectives? Did Chinese technology trump Indian aggressive weapons? More than an actual war, based on troops, equipment, and technology, it seemed more like a war of words. This continued, even as India admitted some lapses, like losses of a few jets, and Pakistan accepted that it was on the back foot on this tricky, topsy-turvy, and flighty wicket.
Then came the battles of diplomacy in the global arena. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs quickly gathered several All-Party Parliament delegations to roam around the world in, practically, eighty days. That’s a bit of a stretch, so let’s say over a few weeks, maybe eight or less. Like the actual war, which lasted a few days, and was saddled with inconsistencies and inconclusions, the same was true on the diplomatic front. The Indian missions and embassies in nations visited by the Parliamentary delegations dutifully uploaded structured press releases on their websites. These claimed that Pakistan was completely exposed internationally vis-a-vis its role in global terror. This was India’s moral victory too.
But let us take a closer look at the achievements of Group 6, or Delegation 6, which is led by Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. For a government that is led by a Prime Minister, who has sworn to neither take bribe or get engulfed in corruption, nor allow anyone else to do so, hers was a strange choice, given by the various controversies she was embroiled in. Be that as it may, Kanimozhi convinced brother and Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, that she had impeccable and direct connection with the Prime Minister. To other senior state politicians, she sent a message that she was second to none, except her brother, when it came to either state or international affairs.
Spain and Russia. The former is maybe important, but the latter is clearly a friend, guide, help, and whatever else to India. Remember that Spain was possibly the first country that offered to mediate to stop the India-Pakistan war from escalating into a nuclear catastrophe. But MEA’s Jaishankar showed his back, refused the generosity until, of course, America’s Donald Trump stole the limelight by announcing from the ramparts of the White House that he had successfully asked India and Pakistan to back down, and back away. Despite this flop show, DMK’s Kanimozhi told José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Spain, that both nations were victims of terrorism. Hence, they need to team up – or rather gang up – together against Terror Country No. 1, Pakistan. An angry, infuriated, and frustrated Albares left her silent when he replied that while Spain faced internal insurgencies, India’s conflict stemmed from across the border, with the epicentre in Kashmir.
Let it; however, be known that her delegation was mandated to visit largely insignificant nations such as Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain. The only exception: Russia. Was it because of Stalin – not the late Russian leader, but the live Tamil Nadu one? Well, not many can answer this question, and others related to why Kanimozhi was the ‘Chosen One,’ the chosen politician-diplomat to spread India’s spiel and counters on why it attacked – well, let us assume, it was a full-fledged one – Pakistan. Sorry, attacked the terrorist camps and hideouts located in both Pakistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Although it is almost impossible to get any words out of diplomats’ mouths – even politicians, who are on so-called diplomatic visits – except to murmur some inexplicable and confused sentences, we have heard some things about Delegation 6, and its activities. Smaller nations like Latvia jumped on the Indian global actors, and asked Kanimozhi that while India wants to explain its role in the Pakistan endeavor, it is silent when Russia attacks Latvia. If Pahalgam is an act of terror, which it clearly is, is it not the same if Big Brother neighbor attacks a puny and weak sibling? Of course, it was humiliating. But this is what you can get if you include a small nation with a population of 19 lakh, which is struggling for survival, in a diplomatic mission of a serious nature – to discredit, dismantle, and disrepute our tiny and trifling neighbour, which was partitioned in 1971, when its eastern territory became independent.
Greece, another small nation that barely survived the cataclysmic after-effects of the 2008 Financial Crisis, or what is called the Great Recession, surprised and shocked the Indian delegation. First, Deputy Minister Tasos Chatzivasileiou arrived fifteen minutes late. Then, he retorted that his country was interested in bilateral trade, and terrorism was not its forte. Finally, he rubbed black salt into the war wounds of the Indians by suggesting that the distinguished and eminent guests from the subcontinent should relax, holiday, and visit the beautiful and pristine beaches in Greece.
Now, we are left with the two bigger nations, Spain and Russia. The former is maybe important, but the latter is clearly a friend, guide, help, and whatever else to India. Remember that Spain was possibly the first country that offered to mediate to stop the India-Pakistan war from escalating into a nuclear catastrophe. But MEA’s Jaishankar showed his back, refused the generosity until, of course, America’s Donald Trump stole the limelight by announcing from the ramparts of the White House that he had successfully asked India and Pakistan to back down, and back away. Despite this flop show, DMK’s Kanimozhi told José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Spain, that both nations were victims of terrorism. Hence, they need to team up – or rather gang up – together against Terror Country No. 1, Pakistan. An angry, infuriated, and frustrated Albares left her silent when he replied that while Spain faced internal insurgencies, India’s conflict stemmed from across the border, with the epicentre in Kashmir.
Finally, let us consider what happened in Russia. Much was expected on this front. This, as opposed to the other extreme, China, was India’s best bet. Yet the Kremlin merely listened intently and carefully, but failed to commit anything exceptional against Pakistan. H.E. Mikhail Fradkov, former Prime Minister of Russia & Director of RISS, was warm and affectionate, and offered beverages and snacks. But that was it. In fact, sources contend that Kanimozhi’s delegation spent more time in garlanding the various busts of Mahatma Gandhi in the various countries, and meeting with the Indian diaspora. But it did not get a sure-shot commitment from the foreign leaders. In the end, India sunk a lot of time, effort, and money into the tours of the various delegations, and the MEA babus stationed abroad ran helter-skelter to figure out the logistics. For what purpose? We do not know yet. But possibly, it will be as convoluted as the war.
Alam Srinivas is a business journalist with almost four decades of experience and has written for the Times of India, bbc.com, India Today, Outlook, and San Jose Mercury News. He has written Storms in the Sea Wind, IPL and Inside Story, Women of Vision (Nine Business Leaders in Conversation with Alam Srinivas),Cricket Czars: Two Men Who Changed the Gentleman's Game, The Indian Consumer: One Billion Myths, One Billion Realities . He can be reached at editor@gfilesindia.com
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