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By Sajjad Shaukat.
Although Sino-Indian differences have always existed due to Indian presumption that peace-loving China is its adversary, yet the same has been intensified by the Indian new Army Chief General VK Singh who after taking over the charge on March 30 this year said in his first strategic statement, “Indian Army is well prepared to face any threat from China.” Before him, on December 29, 2009, Indian former Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor had openly revealed that Indian Army “is now revising its five-year-old doctrine” and is preparing for a “possible two-front war with China and Pakistan.”
Notably, in May 1998, when India detonated five nuclear tests, the then Defense Minister George Fernandes had declared publicly that “China is India’s potential threat No. 1.”India which successfully tested missile, Agni-111 in May 2007, has been extending its range to target all the big cities of China.
As regards Indian new military build up against China, on May 31 2009, after 43 years, New Delhi re-opened its Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) airbase in northern Ladakh, which overlooks the strategic Karakoram Pass and is only 8 km south of the Chinese border-Aksai Chin area.
On April 20, 2008, The Times of India had written, “By having a full-fledged airstrip at DBO, India will be able to rush in troops and supplies to the region during emergencies.” The paper quoted Western Air Command chief Air Marshal P K Barbora saying: “Yes, we have also plans to land our AN-32 transport aircraft at DBO. It is part of the Indian Air Force to improve air maintenance of the far-flung posts in the region”.
India has also erected more than 10 new helipads and roads between the Sino-Indian border. In this connection, Defence Ministry planners are working on building additional airfields and increasing troops raising two new mountain divisions to be deployed along the 4,057-kilometer Line of Actual Control (LAC). New Delhi has also announced to develop immediately 1,100 kms of strategic roads on the Indo-Tibetan border.
With the help of Israel and America, on 26 February 2008, India had conducted its first test of a nuclear-capable missile from an under sea platform after completing its project in connection with air, land and sea ballistic systems.
On May 10, 2009, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta had revealed that New Delhi “will soon float tenders to acquire six submarines”. Mehta also accused Beijing and explained that the “Indian Navy would keep a close watch on the movements of Chinese submarines which are operating out of an underground base in the South China Sea” and “wish to enter the Indian Ocean”. However, under the pretension of Chinese threat, Washington, New Delhi and Israel are plotting to block the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean for their joint strategic goals.
Besides, New Delhi has itself been planning to destablise, and even to disintegrate China. In this regard, on March 10, 2008 when anti-government violent protests by Buddhist monks had erupted in Tibet’s capital, Lhasa including nearby provinces, India, backed the same, though outwardly denied. Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet who has lived in exile in India along with his 120,000 followers since a failed revolt against Chinese rule in 1959 has been tacitly encouraged by New Delhi enabling him to mobilize armed groups and international support to create instability in the neighboring provinces of China. For this purpose, India has clandestinely established secret camps where Dalai Lama’s militants are being imparted armed training. In this respect, Indian RAW has sent a number of agents who have joined the ranks and files of the Tibetan insurgents of China, and they create unrest from time to time.
Although the whole of Islamic world is target of Indo-Israeli plot, yet the same has intensified in case Iran. It is because of the fact that Iran is determined to continue its nuclear programme. In this respect, US-led some western countries have also been supporting the Indo-Israeli nexus against Beijing and Tehran overtly or covertly.
However, we cannot blame especially India and Israel including US regarding the conspiracy against China and Iran without some concrete evidence. In this context, in his interview, published in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008, Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer had explained regarding India’s defence arrangements with Israel by disclosing, “We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret” and “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.” On being asked whether he foresaw joint exercises, Sofer replied, “Certain issues need to remain under wraps for whatever reason.”
As regards the American tactical backing to Indo-Israeli relationship, on September 5, 2003, American Wall Street Journal had pointed out, “The U.S. finally gave its approval to Israel’s delivery of Phalcon Airborne Warning & Controlling Systems (AWACS) to India” this “sale might affect the conventional weapons balance” in the region.
Security relationship between New Delhi and Tel Aviv has been promoted with the help of Washington to make the two states work closely to counter-balance a rising China whom America considers main competitor in the coming years.
If India considers China and Pakistan as its key enemies, Israel takes Iran in the same sense especially due to its nuclear programme which is also negated by the US. Nevertheless, this similarity of interests has brought the two countries to follow a common secret diplomacy.
On October 18, 2009, a deadliest suicide attack had killed dozens of officers including the deputy commander for the Revolutionary Guards, Brigadier General Nour Ali Shoushtari in the Sistan-Baluchistan. Jundullah (God’s soldiers), a Sunni militant group which is pro-active against the Iranians, claimed responsibility for the incident.
In that context, Iran directly accused US and Britain for their alleged patronage and funding of that type of terrorist attacks for creating instability within Iran. Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani had blamed the US, saying, “We consider the terrorist attack to be the result of the US action. This is the sign of America’s animosity against our country.”
Tehran had also lodged a strong protest with Islamabad over the failure of its law enforcement agencies to dismantle the Jundullah network in its part of Balochistan, while remarking that plan was prepared in Pakistan. Some reports suggested that in confusion; even some Iranian leaders had expressed apprehension on some of Pakistan’s officials in cooperation with the Jundulluh regarding that suicide attack. This is what the US, India and Israeli wanted.
While taking cognisance of the Indo-Israeli plot against Islamabad and Iran, on October 20, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that the suicide attack in Iran’s Sistan was a conspiracy against brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran. He further added, “It is obvious that the same forces that are working in Pakistani Balochistan are also working in Iranian Sistan.” In the recent past, a suicide attack also killed a number of persons in Iran.
While Pakistan’s security forces have been fully concentrating on the pocket-resistance in the tribal areas, foreign plot against Balochistan has intensified. In this regard, subversive events like targeted killings, attack on government buildings and oil pipelines, which are being supported by Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad with the tactical help of American CIA, have increased in the province.
It is mentionable that Balochistan is replete with mineral resources. Its ideal geo-strategic location with Gwadar seaport where China has invested billion of dollars could prove to be Pakistan’s key junction, connecting rest of the world with Central Asia. It is due to the multiple strategic benefits that the US, which signed a nuclear deal with India in 2008, intends to control Balochistan as an independent state in containing China and Iran. Owing to these reasons, America and India are creating instability in Pakistan by supporting insurgency and backing Baloch separatists to complete their hidden agenda.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations. Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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